Can I switch supplier?

hannahkaty

I am currently on a 2 year fix with SSE. They’ve informed me they’re increasing my electric SO from £18 to £68 from the end of December. My usage is no more than £25 a month (I have a smart meter).
I’m querying the huge increase (yes my use  is above my DD but not by that much).
I’m 9 months in to my contract with SSE, have checked my bill and it says I have no early exit fee, if I pay what is outstanding should i in theory be able to leave before my contract is up?

thanks in advance 

Neil_Jones

Your direct debit is not your bill, it is a contribution towards your annual usage.  There is no such thing as "pay £50 a month and burn through all the gas and electricity you like".  If there was, we wouldn't have meters.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/

Direct debits being hiked normally mean:  Meters not being read and/or the usage you told them when you signed up was too low in the first place (or you've used more energy than you were expecting, which wouldn't be unusual in this era of "don't even think about going outside")

As to leaving, you can up sticks and go whenever you like, your "contract" is only that your prices will not go up before a certain date, it does not mean you can't leave if you find a better deal.  If there are no exit fees, just run your figures through a comparison site and pick another provider.

Gerry1

£300 per year is below average for Electricity Only, but rather unlikely for an all-electric property.

When comparing, start with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?' and make sure you know your annual consumption in kWh derived from actual meter readings.

If you just go by DD amounts, it may be a case of switching from the frying pan to the fire !

Robin9

@hannahkaty Something not right here if you believe you should be paying £25 and SSE £68.
Give us your meter reads please from when you started your fix   and again for today.

Unless your Smart was installed by SSE at your request it's quite likely to be in dumb mode and relying on you to provide readings.

Are your bills full of the letter E for ESTIMATED ?

PS of that £18  £6 is standing charges.  The remaining £12 is energy - at 15p a unit that's 80 kWh a month/ 960 a year -   average is 2900/3000.  So why is yours so low ? 

macman

This isn't money saving. Your account is in debit and they have hiked your DD to recover the debt and prevent you building more. So you are effectively getting an interest free loan from them for x months until the account has a zero balance again (probably next summer now). Yes, you can leave now, but you'll need to settle the full balance owing (you've not said how much that is).
By all means leave if you find a cheaper tariff. But a cheaper DD is not a cheaper tariff.

hannahkaty

hi, Thanks for all your helpful replies. I'm aware that the DD is a contribution to my annual use and I was aware my DD didn't cover my use as I've been tracking my use and it's at about £25 a month for electricity so i was shocked when the DD went up to £68.
I also didn't intend to suggest that i could 'pay £50 a month and burn through all the electricity I like'. I'm perfectly happy to increase my DD to cover my use, in fact, I'd prefer that. I also understand that i have to cover off my debt which is why they've increased my DD but that increase didn't match up with the use that i could see and is also an increase that I cannot afford in one month. 
I've spoken to my supplier now and sorted out a more affordable increase for me to cover off my debt and usage and once that's cleared i will be looking for a cheaper tariff elsewhere as I don't have an early exit fee.

Robin9

Have you now got a proper estimate of Annual consumption = in kWh's not £'s