Pleased I didn't listen to Martin's advice re not to fix in January and rely on the price Cap.

Admiral_Barbarossa

littlemoney said:

alnsv1000s said:

GingerTim said:

Here's the price cap rates courtesy of @QrizB - judge for yourself whether or not it's a good deal. That gas standing charge is pretty painful.

Its not the fact it's a good deal. Just over a year ago I was paying £145 per mth with Simplicity and then they ceased trading. 
I am saying that it is a better deal than if I hadn't gone onto it, and I wont have to worry about another increase on Oct, until next March. Definitely not a good deal. 

How can I find out which region I live in?

Start with a good old map?

QrizB

alnsv1000s said:

Although I will now be paying £100 a month more than previous, I am saving on this fixed deal for the next year, and know that this winter my rates are fixed as of now.

At 9462kWh/yr of electricity, you're a very high user - over three times an average household. (Your gas use of 12628kWh/yr is more typical.) Is there anything you can do to reduce it?

Do you have eg. a hot tub, sauna, swimming pool, large tropical fish tank or vivarium, pond with clogged pump? Are you minimg Bitcoin or cultivating exotic herbiage?

alnsv1000s said:

I never heard before that you can pre-fix your rate.

It does get discussed here from time to time but you're right, it's not always appreciated.

jbuchanangb

Find your Meter Point Reference No on your electricity bill. It looks like this

The first 2 digits on the bottom line identify your region. In this case 10 which is Eastern.

Mstty

alnsv1000s said:

Ultrasonic said:

Bear in mind that any advice Martin Lewis shared was always heavily caveated as a form of 'best guess' for 'most people' with plenty of scope for some people's individual circumstances making different options a good idea. Also, January was before Russia invaded Ukraine which understandably won't have been factored into the advice (or fixed tariff pricing at the time).

I took a punt on a fixed tariff right at the end of February. As of yet I don't know if it will work out in my favour but my hunch is it will. This was an informed decision based on accurate personal usage data, and not a switch that would likely have been a good move for the majority.

The point I am making is that it was not made clear that you can pre-book rates, months in advance and if you have no penalties to leave early, you can just cancel the fixed at anytime and go on variable capped rate.  

Failing to see how EON Nexts generosity(one company) of allowing existing customers (me included) to defer one of their fixed rate deals til March (or for me April 1st) has anything to do with Martin Lewis. He cannot know what every single individual company will not allow with their deals and when it is general advice. You do your own research then get a deal best for you.

By the way as soon as people did hear of this with Eon Next it was on this forum advising all to call and ask for them to start the fix rate on 1st April. That's where I saw it and pounce on a 2 year fixed deal no exit fees.

Reed_Richards

On their website Eon.next stated that those fixed rate deals were only available online and would take effect immediately if you signed-up.   Maybe Martin's advice should have been; "Don't fix unless you can persuade a customer services agent to offer you a better deal than is being publicised"?  

casjen

Personally I wish Martin Lewis would shut up sometimes. Ever since he sold the company its all about him especially as he tries to give the impression hes got a direct line to the chancellor.

 He causes as much confusion as any help he gives especially as regards power prices.

Cardew

Of course the OP's fixed tariff now takes him through the next winter(to March 2023) that is 5+ months past the next SVT revision date on 01 Oct 2022 when prices are forecast to rise by another eye-watering amount. So with his high electricity consumption he could be looking at a further £1,000+ saving than if he remained on the SVT through next winter.

For a short period OVO offered a far better 12 month fixed tariff that could start in March 2022. The prices, including VAT, were Gas 3.86p/kWh and 24.9p/DSC and electricity 19.7p/kWh and 23.7p/DSC.

Someone posted details on this forum and it was withdrawn shortly afterwards.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78948834#Comment_78948834

worrywart_3

I fixed my dad in to this and at the latest date they would allow end of March,
leaning he got the cheaper svr for as long as possible he is a very high gas user having a gas oven and heating the house ton24 being elderly, he will save on it 

alnsv1000s

QrizB said:

alnsv1000s said:

Although I will now be paying £100 a month more than previous, I am saving on this fixed deal for the next year, and know that this winter my rates are fixed as of now.

At 9462kWh/yr of electricity, you're a very high user - over three times an average household. (Your gas use of 12628kWh/yr is more typical.) Is there anything you can do to reduce it?

Do you have eg. a hot tub, sauna, swimming pool, large tropical fish tank or vivarium, pond with clogged pump? Are you minimg Bitcoin or cultivating exotic herbiage?

alnsv1000s said:

I never heard before that you can pre-fix your rate.

It does get discussed here from time to time but you're right, it's not always appreciated.

Family of 4. I've isolated the previous high usage to at least 2 electric showers per day, for 10 mins or more each, tumble dryer on at least once a day for 90mins, 2 washing machine loads on 60 degrees, lights on in rooms with no one in, Dishwasher on each day on a 3 Hour eco wash. 

Got it down to 20kw per day for electric with reduction measures I have taken, which is still high, but as things get warmer I hope to get an average of under 8000 kwh per annum.

My eldest son is studying Game Design and his PC is very powerful and as he is only at Uni, twice a week, the PC is used a lot for his studying. It uses a minimum of 0.3kwh on idle and so have had words about it. They don't realise that 10 hours a day equals 3kw at least to I estimate, £1 a day just for the PC..

I also don't leave things on charge all the time, such as Laptops, Dyson Vac, Phones etc