Switching energy suppliers

scrivprim

Hi

Appreciate this is not the time to look for fixed deals - but we’re not keen on staying with our current provider (forced on us when ours went bust). Assume you can switch onto standard rate, and not be fixed in, with another provider?

Trouble is - struggling to find a comparison calculator that shows what you would pay on the standard rate, their green credentials, their customer ratings etc - just getting ‘cannot beat current price you are paying’. 

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Spies

Switch to Octopus for customer service and innovation. 

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

scrivprim said:

Appreciate this is not the time to look for fixed deals - but we’re not keen on staying with our current provider (forced on us when ours went bust).

Is there anything actually wrong with your current provider?

Assume you can switch onto standard rate, and not be fixed in, with another provider?

There are one or two that will take on new customers on the standard variable rate - notably EDF - but several of the others are declining switchers at the moment.

Trouble is - struggling to find a comparison calculator that shows what you would pay on the standard rate, their green credentials, their customer ratings etc - just getting ‘cannot beat current price you are paying’. 

All the standard variable rates are the same, so the switching sites are correct to say that.

Whether you're with BG, SP, EDF, SSE/OVO, E.ON, Octopus - there's essentially no difference in variable tariff.

Ultrasonic

scrivprim said:

...forced on us when ours went bust

Or, alternatively, stepped in to help you out when your previous energy company went bust.

Switching is getting increasingly difficult right now. Just yesterday I was able to get a quote to switch to Octopus on a fixed term deal but checking just now this is no longer on offer, and they won't quote for a switch at all via their website. Out of interest I just checked EDF's site too and they don't appear to be accepting new customers either.

sevenhills

I switched on the 24th Feb, I have just done the exact same search comparing energy suppliers and today's cheapest tariff is £30+ more expensive.

The exact same tariff with Scottish Power is now £276 month, the previous one was £190 month.

Verdigris

Just yesterday I was able to get a quote to switch to Octopus on a fixed term deal but checking just now this is no longer on offer,

Glad I grabbed it while I could. But now I've read that Octopus are taking up to a year to fit smart meters and I was contemplating cancelling in the hope that I could get the smart meter quicker with E.on Next and switch later.

scrivprim

So the reason we’re thinking of switching is their claims to be great for the environment - see the Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant documentary… 😀

Thanks for everyone’s input - very much appreciated.