How does the MSE energy club work out what's best for you? How accurate is it?

JustAnotherSaver

So i went through the energy club and it says that Shell Energy is one of the cheapest options for me right now. Fair enough.

I'm with Scottish Power after they took over Tonik. I've been put on their Basic Energy v2 Online tariff which i imagine is far from being the cheapest as it's the first one they lumped me on.

So i just compared the rates between Shell and this tariff i'm on right now.

SHELL

Electricity Standing Charge: 26.540p

Electricity kWh: 16.197p/kWh

SCOTTISH POWER

Electricity Standing Charge: 20.77

Electricity kWh: 15.779p/kWh

Bit of a difference there.

SHELL

Gas Standing Charge: 21.000p

Gas kWh: 2.742p/kWh

SCOTTISH POWER

Gas Standing Charge: 23.33p

Gas kWh: 2.767p/kWh

Barely a thing in it. Yet this is supposed to be one of the cheapest for me MSE says?

What am i missing because this doesn't sound right to me?

For the record i have my annual usage with MSE Energy Club down as:

Gas: 10,710 kWh/yr

Electricity: 3,670 kWh/yr

Robin9

Are you only searching on Duel fuel ?

Try searching for both fuels separately.   Also look at Citizens Advice and Which? 

worrywart_3

mse energy club hve you ticked all suppliers not just those they get a commision on also it normally puts you on standard tarrif after your deal ends but that shouldnt apply with that tarrif switch with which and citizen advice are much better.

Gerry1

I'm afraid you've missed quite a lot !

• You need to forget about the price per kWh and the standing charge.

• You also need to ignore all projections and claims about alleged savings.

• You just need to compare the total annual costs (based on actual meter readings, never estimates).

• You also need to compare separate suppliers because they're often cheaper than dual fuel.  Start with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?'.

Also have a look at the suppliers' customer service ratings, e.g. at Citizens Advice and the threads here on the MSE forum.

Your gas usage is a bit low and your electricity use is a bit high.  Hope you're not using an instantaneous electric shower or an immersion heater, they'll both burn a hole in your pocket.

JustAnotherSaver

Gerry1 said:

Your gas usage is a bit low and your electricity use is a bit high.  Hope you're not using an instantaneous electric shower or an immersion heater, they'll both burn a hole in your pocket.

We have quite a few fish tanks throughout the house. I don't know whether these cost a lot or not. Each tank needs twice weekly water changes - so there's the hot water being used. I suppose that's gas but in turn the electricity is needed for the boiler. On top of that are heaters and filters that are forever running (ok the heater isn't forever running but it kicks in here and there). I think the smallest heater have is a 50w or a 55w. I have a 100w one in my 70ltr. Then there's the lights which are all LEDs but even still, more electricity.

We're out of the house between 7am-6pm weekdays so no extra draw on power there.

I suppose we have the instant electric shower. I remember the term immersion from immersion heater/tank which i think was a thing with a big red padded 'jacket' over it from when i was a kid. We don't have that. With our shower you just turn it on and within about 20 seconds it's hot so reasonably instant.

And come to think of it, the past year the wife has been having a bath once or twice per week. Followed by a shower. I know I know... don't ask.

Thanks to all for the input. I'll take a look on those sites. I've always just instantly gone for dual fuel because 'it's easier' and i assumed it'd be cheaper that way.

David28

I don't know if it's because I'm in Hydro Electric region but I've not found it much cheaper to go for separate suppliers, last time I searched  all  the comparison sites including Which and Citizens Advice I would have only saved about £4 in the year, hardly worth my while having two suppliers and two direct debits.

Malchester

Ignore and forget MSE energy club. Do not use it. They do not provide an unbiased review and don't provide the best answer bug one based on commission. Use which switch for an unbiased whole of market test

JustAnotherSaver

The prices that you get given through Which? Switch and going direct to the website. Are they accurate?

Take Shell for example.

If i go through Which? Switch it says the standing charge for electricity is 13.241ppd whereas if i go direct to the Shell website and look at the tariff info it says for the exact same tariff the standing charge for electricity is 26.540ppd.

So has Which? negotiated a special deal that you can get if you go through them ... or are they out of date and the suppliers website is the only accurate place for info?

Gerry1

You'll probably find that you are comparing different tariffs: their names will be very similar but not exactly the same.  For example, Energy February 2022 is more expensive than Energy February 2022 v4.

Many companies make their best tariffs only available via price comparison websites.  They'll only show a few expensive tariffs on their own website.  The reasoning is that when their fixed price contract expires many customers will end up on their expensive standard tariff, or accept their expensive renewal invitation.  Shell are hoping that those who do look for a cheaper tariff will only venture as far as the Shell website.  British Gas is even worse, and its cheapest tariffs are carefully hidden away in separate company that's not even mentioned on the main website.

So, as always, the advice is always to shop around, starting with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?'.

JustAnotherSaver

Yeah I've been using the 2 sites you mention. I threw gocompare in to the mix as well. GC was saying this and that company could save me 80-90 a year but the 2 you mention were showing others that claim to save me 150 a year. 

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have a closer look as I know the tariff said February in both cases. Whether one added a sneaky v4 at the end and the other didn't, I can't be 100% sure. I'll take a look tonight. 

David28

I just went to which and it is not a simple site to compare prices as shown below

Electricity

   

181 days @ 21.71 pence =	£39.30
184 days @ 26.523 pence =	£48.80
Unit rates
1675 kWhs @ 14.29 pence =	£239.44
1392 kWhs @ 17.563 pence =	£244.48
Net total	£572.02

Gas

181 days @ 14.84 pence =	£26.86
184 days @ 26.074 pence =	£47.98
Unit rates
9211 kWhs @ 2.44 pence =	£225.15
4415 kWhs @ 3.017 pence =	£133.19
Net total	£433.18

I just want to know which tariff will be cheaper without having them assuming I am not going to switch when my fixed tariff ends.
Where are the savings they say I will make?
At present I will pay £517.68 for a year yet according to Which I will save money by paying £635.47.for electricity.
and for gas £387.33 rising to £506.57. yet I will save £72.36 by switching immediately 
No wonder people are confused by switching sites.