Elderly Parents getting Ripped Off

xlnc99

I looked everywhere on so many websites. Both single and dual and this was the third cheapest. There were one or two cheaper alternatives but the reviews were so bad i couldnt risk it. Also some people on here recommend not to go to those companies. This was overall cheaper and also amazing reviews.

However, i think you are right and i have been had. Something does not add up here. On the CAB website when i did comparisons it stated my current SP details were as follows:

GAS - 3.151 unit rate
eleccy- 13.73 unit rate

However the bill for SP it states:
Eleccy - 13.08 unit rate
Gas - 3.001 unit rate

CAB website is incorrect and it looks like i am getting a rubbish deal for my parents for Electricity although GAS is cheaper. Dont understand i typed last years figures and it said saving of 750 if i used the same amount? Clearly that doesnt make sense as it took the CAB website figures for Scottish Power which is incorrect.

I have been mislead?

xlnc99

@gerry1 - i thought i had it figured out. I am slowly getting it step by step but you have thrown me off with the comment 'a tarrif cheapest at 8000kwh may not be the cheapest if 16000kwh per year.

My understanding is you look at rates for electricity and gas and the cheapest rates gives you the best deal? Correct or not?

RelievedSheff

xlnc99 said:

@gerry1 - i thought i had it figured out. I am slowly getting it step by step but you have thrown me off with the comment 'a tarrif cheapest at 8000kwh may not be the cheapest if 16000kwh per year.

My understanding is you look at rates for electricity and gas and the cheapest rates gives you the best deal? Correct or not?

You also need to take account of the daily standing charge figures.

Gerry1

xlnc99 said:

On the CAB website when i did comparisons it stated my current SP details were as follows:
GAS - 3.151 unit rate
eleccy- 13.73 unit rate

However the bill for SP it states:
Eleccy - 13.08 unit rate
Gas - 3.001 unit rate

Dont understand i typed last years figures and it said saving of 750 if i used the same amount? Clearly that doesnt make sense as it took the CAB website figures for Scottish Power which is incorrect.
I have been mislead?

On your bill you've forgotten to add 5% VAT so the CA figures are correct.

As previously stated many, many times, always IGNORE all claims about savings.  Ofgem's formula was daft because it assumed you'd do nothing and be rolled over to an expensive standard tariff.

jbuchanangb

Really appreciate this - will do this tonight on e-mail. I have not sent any e-mail yet as i am waiting for the bills to come and then post it on here. But this helps me alot so thank you

It will get you engaged with them. By heading it COMPLAINT you will ensure it gets looked at by properly qualified people, other than the standard customer service people you get on the phone. It is a tricky problem, but that message spells it out clearly, and states what you expect the outcome to be. I expect they will ask you to provide evidence, but you can do that, because you can take photos of the meter showing "IMP KWH" display and "USING NOW" display which shows the issue clearly.

Gerry1

xlnc99 said:

@gerry1 - i thought i had it figured out. I am slowly getting it step by step but you have thrown me off with the comment 'a tarrif cheapest at 8000kwh may not be the cheapest if 16000kwh per year.

My understanding is you look at rates for electricity and gas and the cheapest rates gives you the best deal? Correct or not?

Noooooooo !

How many more times do we have to tell you?

• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.

Hope that makes it clear now !

xlnc99

jbuchanangb said:

Really appreciate this - will do this tonight on e-mail. I have not sent any e-mail yet as i am waiting for the bills to come and then post it on here. But this helps me alot so thank you

It will get you engaged with them. By heading it COMPLAINT you will ensure it gets looked at by properly qualified people, other than the standard customer service people you get on the phone. It is a tricky problem, but that message spells it out clearly, and states what you expect the outcome to be. I expect they will ask you to provide evidence, but you can do that, because you can take photos of the meter showing "IMP KWH" display and "USING NOW" display which shows the issue clearly.

Thanks - i will get this sent out tonight and come back with their responses

xlnc99

Gerry1 said:

xlnc99 said:

@gerry1 - i thought i had it figured out. I am slowly getting it step by step but you have thrown me off with the comment 'a tarrif cheapest at 8000kwh may not be the cheapest if 16000kwh per year.

My understanding is you look at rates for electricity and gas and the cheapest rates gives you the best deal? Correct or not?

Noooooooo !

How many more times do we have to tell you?

• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.

Hope that makes it clear now !

I understand the total annual costs. For example my total annual cost for leccy eg 10,000 kwh and gas 5.000 kwh. The total is 15,000kwh. This bit is understood by me.

However for me to find the cheapest deal would i not be looking at the company who has the cheapest unit rate for GAS and LECCY as the maths will dictate those who have the cheapest unit rate would be the company that saves you the most amount of money. Also as @RelievedSheff said the daily standing figures too but that is a fixed price as i understand and on the whole is quite cheap. You know in advance what the yearly figure is for this and is nothing to do with consumption (that is my understanding of this)

Is this logic not correct?

RelievedSheff

xlnc99 said:

Gerry1 said:

xlnc99 said:

@gerry1 - i thought i had it figured out. I am slowly getting it step by step but you have thrown me off with the comment 'a tarrif cheapest at 8000kwh may not be the cheapest if 16000kwh per year.

My understanding is you look at rates for electricity and gas and the cheapest rates gives you the best deal? Correct or not?

Noooooooo !

How many more times do we have to tell you?

• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.

Hope that makes it clear now !

I understand the total annual costs. For example my total annual cost for leccy eg 10,000 kwh and gas 5.000 kwh. The total is 15,000kwh. This bit is understood by me.

However for me to find the cheapest deal would i not be looking at the company who has the cheapest unit rate for GAS and LECCY as the maths will dictate those who have the cheapest unit rate would be the company that saves you the most amount of money. Also as @RelievedSheff said the daily standing figures too but that is a fixed price as i understand and on the whole is quite cheap. You know in advance what the yearly figure is for this and is nothing to do with consumption (that is my understanding of this)

Is this logic not correct?

The standing charge is not a fixed price between suppliers. It varies greatly. Some of the suppliers with cheaper rates per kWh have a higher standing charge and vise versa.

xlnc99

RelievedSheff said:

xlnc99 said:

Gerry1 said:

xlnc99 said:

@gerry1 - i thought i had it figured out. I am slowly getting it step by step but you have thrown me off with the comment 'a tarrif cheapest at 8000kwh may not be the cheapest if 16000kwh per year.

My understanding is you look at rates for electricity and gas and the cheapest rates gives you the best deal? Correct or not?

Noooooooo !

How many more times do we have to tell you?

• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.
• You need to COMPARE THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST, not the rates and standing charges in isolation.

Hope that makes it clear now !

I understand the total annual costs. For example my total annual cost for leccy eg 10,000 kwh and gas 5.000 kwh. The total is 15,000kwh. This bit is understood by me.

However for me to find the cheapest deal would i not be looking at the company who has the cheapest unit rate for GAS and LECCY as the maths will dictate those who have the cheapest unit rate would be the company that saves you the most amount of money. Also as @RelievedSheff said the daily standing figures too but that is a fixed price as i understand and on the whole is quite cheap. You know in advance what the yearly figure is for this and is nothing to do with consumption (that is my understanding of this)

Is this logic not correct?

The standing charge is not a fixed price between suppliers. It varies greatly. Some of the suppliers with cheaper rates per kWh have a higher standing charge and vise versa.

Sorry i understand, what i meant was the standing charge is not based on consumption. It is a fixed price in which you know in advance how much you will pay for the year. For example Avro is 15.75 per day (57 pound per year) and SP was 20.55 per day (75 per year). From what i understand these figures will not change and are not variable. You know in advance you will pay x amount for the year no matter what. With the leccy and Gas although the unit price is fixed at eg 3p per unit, its based on consumption so you dont know what you will pay for the year until the end of the year as the figure is based on consumption which is different from the standing charge.

This is how i understand it but you guys know more then me so i may have got it wrong