Orbit Energy, 29.8% increase October 1st!

RalphS

Just received an emailed letter. As of October 1st

Estimated annual electricity usage: 7738kWh
Estimated annual gas usage:        15254kWh

Vari-Save Extra (Until 30/09/2020) (From 01/10/2020) Total exit fees: £0.00     

Elec

Standing charge (per day): Current22.709p New23.334p Change0.625p [+2.75%]

Unit rate (per kWh): Current10.496p New14.427p Change3.931p [+37.45%]

Gas
Standing charge (per day): Current25.411p New24.832p Change-0.579p [-0.23%]
Unit rate (per kWh): Current1.962p New2.482p Change0.520p [+26.5%]

Total
Estimated average monthly cost: Current£112.63 New£146.20 Change£33.57
Estimated annual cost: Current£1351.51 New£1754.38 Change£402.87 [+29.8%]

"All rates quoted are based on monthly DD and don't include VAT. Estimated costs include all added charges, discounts and VAT"

(My PostCode is HA8)

bradders1983

Your fixed rate is ending and they are putting you on their standatd variable rate. Get a new tariff, ASAP.  Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Talldave

You need to go with separate suppliers as you're quite a high user of both fuels. Ebico or Zog for gas and Symbio or Neon Reef for electricity will probably give you the cheapest combination. 

RalphS

Brad, I only joined Orbit on its Vari-Save Extra in March, so not a tariff end > SVR.

Its the magnitude of the increase that surprises me.

I'm unsure why We're high users. 2 at home retirees, 4bed detached 1952 cavity & loft insulated. Condensing boiler, gas tumble dryer, LED lighting. Tado V smart boiler & Rad controls. 2.5kW Solar PV which automatically powers the immersion with any spare electricity (Solic 200) whilst, via IFTTT, also switching off the boiler from heating HW.

Which electricity high users? Guess - American Fridge Freezer + smaller fridge, AV + SkyQ, 3 computers, CCTV. Dishwasher & washing machine (usually whilst the PV is performing). My background power usage seems to be about 600w

I'd hate to think what my power consumption would be if we were profligate!

Dave, I will definitely look at separate suppliers when I switch.

bradders1983

Looking again, the tarriff is called Vari-Save Extra so presumably you have signed up for a variable rate tarriff, this is why its going up so much. No exit fees, so get out of it. Now.

btr30

From my experience that would appear to be the way Orbit operate. Hook you in with a low initial variable price, then a few months later hike them extortionately. However, you are free to leave with no exit fees, so just move to the next supplier, in my case it was People's Energy (albeit I fixed for a year).
I had no problems with Orbit, but when they stopped being the cheapest for me there are alternatives out there

Norman_Castle

RalphS said:

Which electricity high users? Guess - American Fridge Freezer + smaller fridge, AV + SkyQ, 3 computers, CCTV. Dishwasher & washing machine (usually whilst the PV is performing). My background power usage seems to be about 600w

600w background use sounds high.

Talldave

Norman_Castle said:

RalphS said:

Which electricity high users? Guess - American Fridge Freezer + smaller fridge, AV + SkyQ, 3 computers, CCTV. Dishwasher & washing machine (usually whilst the PV is performing). My background power usage seems to be about 600w

600w background use sounds high.

It's crazy high. That's 5256kWh annually - greater than our annual consumption! 

danthemoneysavingman

I have similar thing happening, yes was shocked at the percentage increase.
Quite a high user myself. Was surprised how much cheaper going separate rather than dual fuel looks at present.
Am considering going OFTM for elec, and Robin Hood (or EBICo) for gas (my cheapest on single fuel quotes from cheapenergyclub).
Was just hoping to hear some POSITIVE things about these companies, if anyone has any? Horror stories online apear to be 10 a penny for any service, so recent positive feedback is what i'm after, assuming such exists.
Any pointers?
(eg the terrible reviews you read about virgin fibre broadband do not in the slightest reflect my experience over the last 10-15 years!)

For example, I understand OFTM customer service has improved a lot recently, hoping to hear "unsponsored feedback" on that.


Thx
DtMSM

32Battalion

OFTM gets a bad rap, but I have had no problems (haven't tried to leave) and apart from the set up have had no contact with them (tried to introduce a funny two tier direct debit a few years ago but that idea didn't last long).

For me Symbio would work out about £14/annum cheaper so I'm happy to stay with OFTM at the moment.

netloser

Reviving an oldish thread butseeing 600w as background use is alaming.  A systematic check is needed.  Dodgy meter maybe but that's crazily high.  We are empty nesters and similar 4 bed house apart from elec dryer and all elec cooking,  2 fridges and 2 freezers, no solar panels.  When the kids left we went from 5500 to 3700 kwh pa and I still think that's a bit high.