Switching - which of these companies would you choose?

Smodlet

MWT said:

Smodlet said:

These unit rates look like fiction to me.  I have tried every filter in the CEC and cannot get anything better than those I already have from a Big 6 supplier on a fixed tariff.  It does not matter if I get rid of the WHD, accept variable tariffs, go for separate suppliers; nothing makes any difference.   Must be a London thing, or something.

Not everything can be found through the CEC...

Go have a look for yourself... https://octopus.energy/tariffs/

Ignore the 'quote' option and just enter your postcode at the bottom of the page then scroll down a bit to get to the Tracker tariff.

This isn't one you can switch to, but once you are with Octopus you can ask to be moved to it... Doesn't even require a smart meter for Tracker, but I would say it is better if you do have one.

Tried your link; returned exactly the same results as the CEC, more expensive than what I pay now.  No thanks.

bristolleedsfan

Smodlet said:

These unit rates look like fiction to me.  I have tried every filter in the CEC and cannot get anything better than those I already have from a Big 6 supplier on a fixed tariff.  It does not matter if I get rid of the WHD, accept variable tariffs, go for separate suppliers; nothing makes any difference.   Must be a London thing, or something.

Same link as previously given,https://octopus.energy/tariffs/  put postcode in, dont click get quote, scroll about 19 tariffs for Octopus Tracker, does not show on comparison sites https://octopus.energy/tracker, kwh rates change daily

nadsat

I've been sending Octopus some readings and it generates a bill each time. The last one a couple of days ago was calculated at 10.15p/kWh for electricity and 1.7p/kWh for gas and I am well pleased with this. Long may it last. 

Smodlet

bristolleedsfan said:

Smodlet said:

These unit rates look like fiction to me.  I have tried every filter in the CEC and cannot get anything better than those I already have from a Big 6 supplier on a fixed tariff.  It does not matter if I get rid of the WHD, accept variable tariffs, go for separate suppliers; nothing makes any difference.   Must be a London thing, or something.

Same link as previously given,https://octopus.energy/tariffs/  put postcode in, dont click get quote, scroll about 19 tariffs for Octopus Tracker, does not show on comparison sites https://octopus.energy/tracker, kwh rates change daily

Thanks, bristolleedsfan, found it.  I am really not keen on variable tariffs but it is something to think about.  Having had a year with e-on, I am now far less fussed about decent customer service and groovy graphs on a website since I have had to do without both.  I can save quite a bit on a fixed tariff from another supplier so am inclined to go with that.  Do Octopus charge exit fees on this Tracker tariff?

MWT

Smodlet said:

Do Octopus charge exit fees on this Tracker tariff?

No, Octopus don't have exit fees on any of their domestic tariffs.

nadsat

For those interested this is how the tracker is working out (no smart meter). Gas has been negligible but we are a high electricity home. This is an average calculation apportioned over 9 days. If it stays below 10p per kW/h I'll be pleased. But note how big the mark up is over the wholesale price and that everyone also pays a standing charge. 

MWT

nadsat said:

 But note how big the mark up is over the wholesale price and that everyone also pays a standing charge. 

Te 'mark-up' isn't quite what you think it is there, the wholesale electricity price is only part of the cost the energy company has to pay, here is a more detailed breakdown of the various components..

brewerdave

nadsat said:

For those interested this is how the tracker is working out (no smart meter). Gas has been negligible but we are a high electricity home. This is an average calculation apportioned over 9 days. If it stays below 10p per kW/h I'll be pleased. But note how big the mark up is over the wholesale price and that everyone also pays a standing charge. 

For me, the key issue is what those rates would/will be in the Winter months - I'm on a fix paying 10.79p/kwh so the tracker rates would be saving me over £1 per week now but come November ??? I can't see how a tracker rate would beat a good fix over a year UNLESS we have a very mild Winter.

MWT

brewerdave said:

  I can't see how a tracker rate would beat a good fix over a year UNLESS we have a very mild Winter.

The Tracker was a relatively early product from Octopus and is a half-step towards Agile, but is a useful one for those not on smart meters as Tracker doesn't require them.

It may not beat a strategically chosen fixed tariff at a low point in the year on every day of the year, but how well it does over the totality of the 12 months would be more interesting.

Also take care to consider regional variations when looking at rate posts from other people as the gap between high and low regions can be considerable.

The fixed tariffs all have to price the expected variations over the period of the fix into their rate, so if you can find a supplier that is working on very thin margins and taking an optimistic view of the possible price increases then they would be a good one to take a fixed rate from, but if they get it wrong they may not be in business for too long, so that is a consideration as well..

bristolleedsfan

nadsat said:

For those interested this is how the tracker is working out (no smart meter). Gas has been negligible but we are a high electricity home. This is an average calculation apportioned over 9 days. If it stays below 10p per kW/h I'll be pleased. But note how big the mark up is over the wholesale price and that everyone also pays a standing charge. 

brewerdave said:

nadsat said:

For those interested this is how the tracker is working out (no smart meter). Gas has been negligible but we are a high electricity home. This is an average calculation apportioned over 9 days. If it stays below 10p per kW/h I'll be pleased. But note how big the mark up is over the wholesale price and that everyone also pays a standing charge. 

For me, the key issue is what those rates would/will be in the Winter months - I'm on a fix paying 10.79p/kwh so the tracker rates would be saving me over £1 per week now but come November ??? I can't see how a tracker rate would beat a good fix over a year UNLESS we have a very mild Winter.

These are rates today for nadsat NW area, steady increase last couple of weeks due to Wholesale prices increasing, still cheaper than what Octopus 12 month fixes were in April

Octopus Tracker v1

Current tariff

Electricity
Unit rate:	12.04 p/kWh
Standing charge:	17.87 p/day

Gas
Unit rate:	2.12 p/kWh
Standing charge:	15.09 p/day

Prices change daily based on wholesale costs

MY REGION

Octopus Tracker v1

Current tariff

Electricity
Unit rate:	12.45 p/kWh
Standing charge:	16.88 p/day

Gas
Unit rate:	2.03 p/kWh
Standing charge:	15.09 p/day

Prices change daily based on wholesale costs