How to switch from Boost!

Gerry1

hopperdennis said:

Followed the advice kindly given to me above on how to take a reading and it doesn’t seem to be doing so! Any other suggestions, or perhaps there is someone (Boost?) I could call to walk me through it? There is a likelihood I am doing something wrong, I am not tech savvy in the slightest and this is the first time I have tried to switch suppliers.

https://www.boostpower.co.uk/help/topics/smart-technology/smart-meters/how-do-i-take-a-reading-on-my-smart-meter.html

hopperdennis

Gerry1 said:

hopperdennis said:

Followed the advice kindly given to me above on how to take a reading and it doesn’t seem to be doing so! Any other suggestions, or perhaps there is someone (Boost?) I could call to walk me through it? There is a likelihood I am doing something wrong, I am not tech savvy in the slightest and this is the first time I have tried to switch suppliers.

https://www.boostpower.co.uk/help/topics/smart-technology/smart-meters/how-do-i-take-a-reading-on-my-smart-meter.html

Thank you kindly, I should have opened my eyes more to find this 

hopperdennis

Here is some readings from my firstly gas meter, I think, and then the electricity meters. I’m not sure which I which and if I have enough info here to take to a comparison site. There were plenty of more displays but I wasn’t sure what I was looking for. The advice advice from boost! themselves didn’t seem correct. Would appreciate any insight or direction as this is all so very new to me and I’m anything but tech savvy

Gerry1

Forget all the kWh displays on the gas meter when sending readings to your supplier.  They need the m3 (volume) figures because they convert the volumes to kWh.  If you send kWh figures they'll get converted twice and the bill will be hopelessly adrift.

However, it seems you've sidetracked a bit. As you haven't been in the property for a year you don't need to worry too much about reading the meter at this stage, apart from giving opening and closing readings.  When comparing, you'll just have to guess your consumption.

The national average figures are about 12,000kWh for gas and 2,900kWh for electricity.  Obviously a large, poorly insulated property with multiple occupants in north Scotland will use more than a new 1-bedroom flat on the Cornish Riviera !

hopperdennis

Gerry1 said:

Forget all the kWh displays on the gas meter when sending readings to your supplier.  They need the m3 (volume) figures because they convert the volumes to kWh.  If you send kWh figures they'll get converted twice and the bill will be hopelessly adrift.

However, it seems you've sidetracked a bit. As you haven't been in the property for a year you don't need to worry too much about reading the meter at this stage, apart from giving opening and closing readings.  When comparing, you'll just have to guess your consumption.

The national average figures are about 12,000kWh for gas and 2,900kWh for electricity.  Obviously a large, poorly insulated property with multiple occupants in north Scotland will use more than a new 1-bedroom flat on the Cornish Riviera !

Thanks Gerry! Helpful in the sense I don’t need to worry too much about the current usage readings, which I agree is skewed to what will be. How do I take opening and closing readings (are they even required if that provider is Boost PAYG?). Re guessing my usage, this all new to me also. It’s a small 2 bedroom old cottage with one occupant, it will require a good bit of heating in the winter and may see very little to no demand for gas and electricity in the summer months when I stay on and off elsewhere. Any guesses on what my guesstimate should be? Again apologies if these are all layman questions, this is all very new to me.

Gerry1

No problems, much of this is difficult for the first time, just like riding a bike, but it soon becomes easy.  I can't add much to Bulb's instructions about meter reading, just make sure the electricity readings are in kWh and the gas ones are m3.  Do a quick sanity check if you have any existing bills, e.g. make sure the latest readings are not smaller than any  previous actual readings.

You need the opening / closing readings so that the new supplier can do the sums - I trust you will be on credit tariffs?

It's best that you guess your own consumption because you'll know better than me.  It's not critically important, it's not like finding you can't get in to your new Savile Row suit or that your limo won't fit your new garage.  If you get it wrong, all that's likely to happen is that you'll save £180 rather than £200 or whatever, but you'd find it hard to do worse than Bulb PAYG.  If you're nervous, start by switching to tariffs without any exit fees so that you can quickly ditch and switch if you don't like a supplier or can find a cheaper one.

Assume your smart meters will go dumb, so make it a golden rule to send meter readings monthly and to keep your own records.

Come on in, the water's lovely !

hopperdennis

Thanks again Gerry, it’s boost PAYG rather than build and as it’s a new home (for me). I have no existing bills. I simply registered with them when I bought the place as that’s who the previous occupant used, and have been topping up via the app since. Haven’t been living there so the readings may be skewed. I’m also still unsure exactly what to take to a new supplier. Simply the closing reading? How would I know what that is? Is it best to go with the same supplier for both? Maybe the ease of doing that would work for me unless there is a good saving to be made.

Gerry1

You start by going to the Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?' price comparison websites.  You enter your postcode and usage guesstimates, saying you want Gas and Electricity.  (It's less of a palaver if you just say you have a credit meter and are on British Gas standard tariff, and ignore all the claims about savings.)  Note the cheapest prices and the EXACT name of the tariff.  Then say you want only electricity, note the winners, and do it once again for gas.  Check whether separate suppliers work out cheaper than dual fuel, it probably will.

Once you've decided, go directly to the suppliers' websites and sign up.  Some tariffs (notably British Gas Evolve) are only available via comparison sites, if so try Energylinx or Uswitch etc to find them, but do take care to see the whole market (click on 'Filter' or 'Show me suppliers that you can't switch me to' etc.

The new supplier will contact Boost, you don't need to do so.  They will give you a start date and ask you for an opening reading around that date.  Bulb will send you a final statement within 6 weeks and refund any credit within a further two weeks.  Sometimes the new supplier will collect the first DD just before you switch.

hopperdennis

Thanks Gerry, I think I’m almost there outside of how to find my opening reading and how and when to give it to the new suppliers. I don’t mind going via different suppliers for each. I assume Boost (not bulb) will not switch off, for want if a better word, until both suppliers have came into effect. Lastly, any guesstimates in terms of my usage from I’ve outlined about my situation above?

Thanks again, you’ve been a lot of help thus far  

Gerry1

Your new supplier will give you a switchover date, e.g. 15 November or whatever, and they'll email you asking for a meter reading within a few days of that date.  A mysterious third party will tweak it to a figure plucked out of the air if they see fit (but that's a whinge for another day) and they'll send it to Boost.  There will be no break in supply.

It's really no more difficult than seeing whether Aldi are charging less for baked beans than Waitrose.

I really can't guess at your usage.  If you haven't a clue, just plump for 12,000kWh for gas and 2,900kWh for electricity, tweaked a bit if you think you'll use more or less than the average.  It simply doesn't matter much if it turns out to be different, the lights won't go out when you reach the estimated figure, and it won't be like having enough carpet left over to cover the garden.  It just means your savings may vary a bit.  If you can drive a computer and submit comments to a forum you can switch suppliers with no trouble, and you can always come back with any further questions.

Relax !