Cheapest energy supplier?

Jobfromhome

Ok, this is a nightmare we are with Utilita and the way it's going so far it's cost us 85 pounds this week for Electric and Gas.

We switched from British gas to utilita and because of their screw-ups took ages to switch over and we ended up with 1200 debt.

We are on pay as go and every 5 pounds top up we pay 1.25 towards debt we now owe them 600 pounds.

Anyhow, we only turn on the gas to heat up the bath twice per day rest is all-electric we dare not use it to heat the house.

3 bedroom house with 7 people in it.

So the way it's going we will pay about 320 pounds per month and that's without heating our house.

It's disgusting

What company is the cheapest? and can we get away from Utilita if we owe debt?

Seriously stressed with it all.

Kristina

Astria

What plan are you on?

How many kWh do you typically use in a month and year?

pochase

Seems there are limits when you are able to switch your supplier while you are in debt.

If you have a prepayment meter

There are different rules for switching supplier if you pay in advance for your gas and electricity. 

You can switch supplier unless you owe more than £500 for gas or £500 for electricity. 

You’ll need to ask the new supplier to agree to transfer your debt along with your supply (this is called the ‘Debt Assignment Protocol’).

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/switching-energy-supplier-if-youre-in-debt/#:~:text=than 28 days-,If you've owed the money to your supplier for,ve estimated your bill wrong.

I am not sure how the above will apply to the £600 you are owing, worst case scenario would be to wait another month until you debt is below the 500£.

Only problem will be to find a supplier who will take you on, none want new customers on a SVT. especially coming in already with debt.

Also there will be no benefit in changing supplier, the price will be the same and the outstanding debt is transferred.

Jobfromhome

pochase said:

Seems there are limits when you are able to switch your supplier while you are in debt.

If you have a prepayment meter

There are different rules for switching supplier if you pay in advance for your gas and electricity. 

You can switch supplier unless you owe more than £500 for gas or £500 for electricity. 

You’ll need to ask the new supplier to agree to transfer your debt along with your supply (this is called the ‘Debt Assignment Protocol’).

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/switching-energy-supplier-if-youre-in-debt/#:~:text=than 28 days-,If you've owed the money to your supplier for,ve estimated your bill wrong.

I am not sure how the above will apply to the £600 you are owing, worst case scenario would be to wait another month until you debt is below the 500£.

Only problem will be to find a supplier who will take you on, none want new customers on a SVT. especially coming in already with debt.

Also there will be no benefit in changing supplier, the price will be the same and the outstanding debt is transferred.

But what can I do then we simply cannot afford over 80 pounds per week?

Jobfromhome

Astria said:

What plan are you on?

How many kWh do you typically use in a month and year?

Astria said:

What plan are you on?

How many kWh do you typically use in a month and year?

we are on their cheapest tariff, 

they say our monthly usage 488.17kwh for electric

and 832.92kwh for gas

but we hardly use gas

Benny2020

First find out where you are using all that energy.
How much gas and electricity are you using in kwh? 

QrizB

I'm not sure anyone has specifically said this yet, but you're unlikely to find a supplier that's cheaper than Utilita's standard variable rate.

Jobfromhome said:

We are on pay as go and every 5 pounds top up we pay 1.25 towards debt we now owe them 600 pounds.
3 bedroom house with 7 people in it.
So the way it's going we will pay about 320 pounds per month and that's without heating our house.

You're a large household (seven people). You can expect your bills to be higher than average.

they say our monthly usage 488.17kwh for electric

and 832.92kwh for gas

That's 5800kWh/yr of electricity, roughly double the average household. Even on a credit account and with no arrears that would cost £1800/yr, £150/month. You should try to find out where it is all going, and use less.

As for gas, your 10000kWh/yr is more typical and would be around £800/yr, £70/month. Gas use should drop off now the weather is warming up.

Jobfromhome

QrizB said:

I'm not sure anyone has specifically said this yet, but you're unlikely to find a supplier that's cheaper than Utilita's standard variable rate.

Jobfromhome said:

We are on pay as go and every 5 pounds top up we pay 1.25 towards debt we now owe them 600 pounds.
3 bedroom house with 7 people in it.
So the way it's going we will pay about 320 pounds per month and that's without heating our house.

You're a large household (seven people). You can expect your bills to be higher than average.

they say our monthly usage 488.17kwh for electric

and 832.92kwh for gas

That's 5800kWh/yr of electricity, roughly double the average household. Even on a credit account and with no arrears that would cost £1800/yr, £150/month. You should try to find out where it is all going, and use less.

As for gas, your 10000kWh/yr is more typical and would be around £800/yr, £70/month. Gas use should drop off now the weather is warming up.

Utilita sent a smart reader thing but it never worked. the gas we hardly ever use just heats up water. Ill have get utilita on it 

Benny2020

Its electricity which is the biggest problem here, you are using 40 kwh a day, i use 3 and most probably 5 - 10 a day so find out who is using all that leccy.
Gas is still 69 kwh a day which is more than can be accounted for in what you say you use.

pochase

Going from you monthly usage I get with new Cap SVR to less than 8£ per day (based on a month with 8 days).

That is 56£ per week. Add the 33% that goes against you debt and I am at slight under 75£ per week. So the 300£ are spot on for the use they told you. 6#

6000KWh electricity per year is more than double the average the CAP is based on, so you qualify as a heavy user.

 Paying off 75£ per month on your debt it will take you another 8 months. Unfortunately in 6 months time we will see the next CAP increase for the 1st of October. If you put the 200£ loan against your debt you will have paid it off just in time so hopefully you monthly cost will not increase further and maybe even come done a bit depending on the new CAP (best guess is at the moment 30% increase)

 The only choice you have is to check where you are using electricity and what can be done to reduce the usage.

macman

Basics: so what do you use gas for? How can you be using 68kWh per day if its 'hardly used'?
What is the name of your PAYG tariff? 
When did you switch to Utilita?
Tell us how the property is heated and hot watered, and what gas appliances you have.
Gas heating is typically a third of the cost of electric heating, so use gas if you can.