Change E7 Smets2 Smart Meter From DD Credit to PAYG

ngr49er

Hello Forum & Happy New Year (though unfortunately not in the world of current UK energy prices),

I am currently with E-On Next on a E7 2 year fix that runs till Aug 23 and I have started cross checking with today's unit prices what costs might be when I come off the fix, inputting usage / unit rates into a spreadsheet.

I appreciate unit prices for Sep 23 then the Oct 23 change won't be known until around then and thus can only use today's current prices for comparison so savings (not total cost) could be more or less than now.

Looking at my region (22 South West) from today EDF PAYG (assuming I could switch) the night rate is 3.80p, making it around £100 (including day rate usage and standing charge taken into consideration) cheaper annually over today's E-on Next DD Credit for me at current annual usage, 2800 kw's day - 3000 kw's night.

I could also stay with E-On Next Prepayment, where today's night rate is higher at 18.80p, but the day rate is lower than EDF's PAYG (38.57p to 53.3p), making the saving around £50 over credit at current usage.

If PAYG still is cheaper for me come end of fix, does anyone know how easy / difficult it would be to go from Credit to PAYG, but probably more importantly, how easy / difficult will it be to return to DD Credit, if / when the potential savings change back in favour of DD credit.

If in people's experience it is too much trouble and could very likely mean getting stuck on PAYG either permanently or for a longer period than I would like, then any potential savings are most likely not going to be worth the hassle it in the long term.

I have a SMETS2 Landis GYR E470 Type 5424 E7 Smart Meter which I believe can be changed remotely and no meter change is required, though I could be wrong.

Any help would be appreciated as per the difficulty I may endure if I tried to change and then back again when it is appropiate.

Thanks in advance.

lohr500

Bouncing this old post as I have the same question.

Based on the DD and PAYG rates for my EDF ECO20:20 tariff I could save around £108 a year switching to PAYG.
The EDF website says it is possible to reconfigure our SMETS 2 meter to do this.

But I wonder what happens if we want to move back to DD in the future if the rates switch in favour of DD?

The last thing I would want is an inability to move back to DD if the economics made sense to do so.

QrizB

From a technology perspective, it should be simple. A couple of settings sent to the meter and a toggle on the billing system.

Your supplier's administrative systems might disagree.

All I can suggest is contact EDF and ask!

lohr500

Thanks QrizB.

The option is there in my EDF a/c to switch from DD to PAYG. However in true EDF style the Rate 1 and Rate 2 smart meter readings on the DD to PAYG switch page are incorrect. Both show the Rate 1 reading and the system won't progress to the next step which is to show the PAYG tariff options.

I have contacted EDF and will await their response.

My question, which I should have made clearer, was more about the impact of having a PAYG account if I ever wanted to move back to DD with EDF or switch to another supplier. Just thinking about credit checks, eligibility, etc.
Don't want to head off down a one way street in switching to PAYG if returning to DD is going to be an issue in the future. Particularly as we are high users of electricity (+/=20,000 kWh) with a hefty monthly bill.

matt_drummer

If you are using around 20,000 kWh a year is a £100 saving really worth it?

What is that as a percentage of your annual bill?

Mobtr

There’s no reason why you can’t change back. The meters have the ability to change modes anytime as long as there is connection.  

Just be aware that PAYG relies on you doing regular top ups that don’t always work & if you lose signal, you could lose supply 

matt_drummer

Mobtr said:

There’s no reason why you can’t change back. The meters have the ability to change modes anytime as long as there is connection.  

Just be aware that PAYG relies on you doing regular top ups that don’t always work & if you lose signal, you could lose supply 

I think the question is once you are PAYG would there be reluctance from the supplier to change you back to a credit meter.

There may well be at consumption of around 20,000 kWh a year.

I don't know how you use that much electricity in a year and concern yourself with saving £108 a year by switching to PAYG.

I really would be looking at how I could reduce my consumption or mitigate it with solar panels and battery storage.

£9 a month is small change in this context, there are bigger fish to fry!

QrizB

matt_drummer said:

I don't know how you use that much electricity in a year and concern yourself with saving £108 a year by switching to PAYG.

OTOH if you can save £100 a year by asking EDF nicely, why wouldn't you?

From this thread, they have an electric AGA - a lovely feature in a country kitchen, but rather power-hungry.

There are other regulars with those, and they report similar annual consumption.

Mobtr

matt_drummer said:

Mobtr said:

There’s no reason why you can’t change back. The meters have the ability to change modes anytime as long as there is connection.  

Just be aware that PAYG relies on you doing regular top ups that don’t always work & if you lose signal, you could lose supply 

I think the question is once you are PAYG would there be reluctance from the supplier to change you back to a credit meter.

There may well be at consumption of around 20,000 kWh a year.

I don't know how you use that much electricity in a year and concern yourself with saving £108 a year by switching to PAYG.

I really would be looking at how I could reduce my consumption or mitigate it with solar panels and battery storage.

£9 a month is small change in this context, there are bigger fish to fry!

As long as there is a history of good payment wouldn’t be a problem. 

matt_drummer

QrizB said:

OTOH if you can save £100 a year by asking EDF nicely, why wouldn't you?

From this thread, they have an electric AGA - a lovely feature in a country kitchen, but rather power-hungry.

There are other regulars with those, and they report similar annual consumption.

Because you may have trouble moving back to a credit meter should the need arise.

That is the subject of the question and nobody knows the answer for certain.

Based on the rather small saving compared to the annual cost, why would you risk it.

The poster of the question is obviously concerned enough not to just go for it.

If I used that much electricity I would be focussing my efforts on reducing it if I was worried about £9 a month.

If funds were less of an issue and I enjoyed, for instance a lovely electric AGA in my country kitchen, I would still be looking at ways to mitigate my consumption before considering switching to a PAYG meter.

But maybe that is just me.

matt_drummer

Mobtr said:

As long as there is a history of good payment wouldn’t be a problem. 

Maybe but who knows for sure.

The person who asked the question isn't sure.

But I would just go for it if I was them and I wanted to save £108 per year.

But if I wanted to save £108 a year that badly then I would probably be looking at other things too!