Trapped by comparison sites

FarawayPictures

Hasbeen said:

Robin9 said:

Not there yet - there will be a page with readings on it like

12345 E   1/7/20
12854 C   1/11/20

The OP does not give or check the readings.?? 

OP It will  be the pages with pence against numbers.

I hope this is it. I really am no expert at this.

Robin9

That's much better - now what have you got from 12 months ago with the Customer or Actual against them ?

FarawayPictures

Robin9 said:

That's much better - now what have you got from 12 months ago with the Customer or Actual against them ?

Unfortunately nothing. I'm so used to changing every year I tend to delete the last suppliers items. This is all I have from UP. All I cam say is there is no way I'll use the amount they want to charge me for. I've never paid that much.
Most I usually pay is about £88 p.m.

Talldave

FarawayPictures said:

Thanks for all the comments people.
The one question I need to ask after reading these messages:
Do you not recommend this sites switching service?

I wouldn’t recommend any switching service. If you want a job doing properly,  do it yourself.

Gerry1

FarawayPictures said:

Robin9 said:

That's much better - now what have you got from 12 months ago with the Customer or Actual against them ?

Most I usually pay is about £88 p.m.

You still don't get it.

There's no guarantee that £88 in that jam jar will always be sufficient to pay the bills when they come in.  You need to know your actual annual consumption in kWh and to compare the costs of that consumption from the various suppliers.

I'll say it again: you need to know your actual annual consumption in kWh and to compare the costs of that consumption from the various suppliers.  And compare separate suppliers as well, not just dual fuel.

Comparing £DDs just ends in tears, anyone can say they'll only charge you £20 per month, but it won't last.

molerat

Based on the estimated annual consumption figures you need to be paying £87 per month and you are only paying £69.  You are heading into winter with a debit on the account and that figure will only get worse, that is why they want to increase the DD.  On the 4 payments made so far you are £72 down.  Divide that by the 8 next payments and add it to the £87 you should be paying comes out at at £96 per month. What annual consumption figures did you give when signing up ?

Robin9

You could simply pay the new DD and see by how much you are in credit  when the fix runs out.
In the meantime when you read the meters keep your own records.  Switching away from UP may not be worth worth once you have paid the exit fees.

Neil_Jones

FarawayPictures said:

Robin9 said:

That's much better - now what have you got from 12 months ago with the Customer or Actual against them ?

Unfortunately nothing. I'm so used to changing every year I tend to delete the last suppliers items. This is all I have from UP. All I cam say is there is no way I'll use the amount they want to charge me for. I've never paid that much.
Most I usually pay is about £88 p.m.

You need to start working in units used and not direct debits.  That figure is only a payment towards your usage, it is not a case of "pay £88 a month and burn through all the gas and electricity you want".  Doesn't work like that.

Also be aware that if you were to build up credit and then decide to go to another provider any credit left after your final bill you will get back.  So you won't lose the excess after the final bill.  In an ideal world it's better to pay too much than not enough, and over summer this happens to most people when their utility usage falls through the floor.  There are tariffs/providers that offer "variable direct debit" (so if your bill was £37.15 and £76.93 over two months that's what they would take, and not the £28.03 every month regardless), but the default is 12 annual payments.

My all time record for being in credit with my electricity supplier was near enough £400.  But I'd get cashback on the direct debit £62 a month (I moved the gas away but kept the electricity and they didn't change the debit)  so I had an incentive for them to keep taking it.  And I left that provider and got all £331.52 or whatever it was after the final bill back.

jamesperrett

I don't think that anyone has mentioned that Utility Point normally sets the direct debit amount to be less in summer and more in winter. So a big change in direct debit is completely normal at this time of year and you should have been sent a payment schedule when you signed up. 

FarawayPictures

Hasbeen said:

FarawayPictures said:

Thanks for all the comments people.
The one question I need to ask after reading these messages:
Do you not recommend this sites switching service?

No.
Use Switch with Which or the Citzens advice comparison sites
They show ALL providers.

Well I've slept on all this. Not very well.
I think I'm going to try and cancel the switch, find my yearly readings. Make a spreadsheet and try and do this RIGHT.
Thank you for all the advice. I think I was making a knee jerk reaction and not thinking this through right.