Home move price hike and how to stay with Bulb

Flipjango

We’ve just moved house into a property that was supplied by British Gas. We were with Bulb at our old house and have been for a decade or more. The gas tariff is the same with both suppliers but the electricity unit price is a lot higher. I’d like to stay with bulb but finding it impossible to work out how or if that’s possible? I know they’re in administration and the website has lots of dead links so even though I did find a page that said I could take them with me, it was from pre-administration and I can’t seem to follow any of the links to actually do anything about it. I can’t seem to contact them and when I told them I was moving they didn’t give me the option to take them with me. 

If I can’t move bulb, Is there anything I can do to bring down the electricity price- I’ve been put on British Gas standard variable tariff which is cheaper at night than daytime but that’s no use to us as we don’t really use power at night. I’m struggling to find much clear info on prices at the moment. Everything tells you to stay with your current supplier as it’ll be cheaper at the moment but clearly that’s proving difficult! 

pochase

You must be wrong with the electricity unit price. Bulb is purely SVT, and that is the maximum that can be charged also for other suppliers SVT.

Did you maybe read the standing charge as the unit rate?

The other possibility would be that you signed up for an expensive fixed tariff with BG, but in this case the gas unit rate would also be more expensive.

What is the unit rate you are on for electrcity?

t0rt0ise

Sounds like you've been put on an E7 electricity tariff. Tell them you don't need or want this and need a single tariff.

pochase

t0rt0ise said:

Sounds like you've been put on an E7 electricity tariff. Tell them you don't need or want this and need a single tariff.

I have never seen a day rate that is even remotely nearly double the day rate. 

You might still be right, depending at what percentage nearly double starts.

inkydolphin

For my postcode (not sure how much it varies around the country), BG SVT, paying by monthly direct debit, gives me these rates for electricity (with Economy 7 selected):

Day unit rate 31.283p per kWh
Night unit rate 20.338p per kWh
Standing charge 51.712p per day

Without Economy 7 selected:
Standard unit rate 28.408p per kWh
Standing charge 51.626p per day

Flipjango

My rates with bulb are standing charge 41.66 per day unit rate 29.48pkh
british gas standing charge 41.75 per day, unit rate day 32.43pkh unit rate night 20.72 kph. Not mega substantial but enough to make a difference. 

Alnat1

If you can change some of your high energy use to overnight (washing machine/dishwasher etc) then the BG E7 rate would actually work out cheaper. If you don't want to do that, ask to go on a standard one rate SVT and it will be same rates as bulb was (assuming your move is within the same area)

macman

Alnat1 said:

If you can change some of your high energy use to overnight (washing machine/dishwasher etc) then the BG E7 rate would actually work out cheaper. If you don't want to do that, ask to go on a standard one rate SVT and it will be same rates as bulb was (assuming your move is within the same area)

Very unlikely that it would be cheaper just on that basis. Unless the OP has NSH's and an immersion heater, E7 is  going to be more expensive for most people. Typically, you need to use 1/3rd of your annual total on night rate to make it pay.
For clarity, can the OP please confirm that the new property has gas CH and DHW?
OP, you need to request that BG either totalise the 2 readings on the E7 meter and bill as single rate, or request a meter change to single rate one (or to a smart meter). Remain on E7 and you'll pay a much higher rate for the daytime hours.
If you don't do this, and it's a dual rate meter, you are put onto E7 by default.

jbuchanangb

It seems you have done the right thing and registered with the incumbent supplier, namely British Gas at your new place. Did you read the meters when you moved in and inform British Gas of the readings. Did you notice that your electricity meter was a two-rate meter, i.e. did you give them two readings? Are you all-electric or do you have gas? If all-electric, how is the place heated, how is the water heated? It may be sensible to stay on a two rate tariff, if heating is operating during the night, such as with storage heaters.

Flipjango

The house has GCH and gas water. No storage heaters. It’s a single rate meter as far as I can tell. 

jbuchanangb

I suggest you get back onto BG, give them the meter reading and double check that they have the correct meter serial number, and make sure they have you on a single rate tariff. If they are also your gas supplier, make sure they have the opening reading for that too. Stay with them on Standard Variable Tariff.