Price Trippled w/`Eon please help (bill included)

MattMattMattUK

m344 said:

TheElectricCow said:

Community heat will be a district heating tariff, meaning that your heat/hot water comes from some kind of system providing that heating/hot water to multiple homes. There typically aren’t any restrictions on switching suppliers for new builds, but in the case of district heating due to the physical heat network  in place you’ll often find you only have one choice of supplier.

Unfortunately this puts you in a bit of a tough spot - these systems have far less regulation than typical energy supplies and can essentially charge residents whatever it costs to manage and maintain the system. Community heat 4 is most likely the only option you have available.

From your bill we can see the reason for the high cost is due to the standing charge of £1.39 per day. Over May this has cost you about £40, while your actual energy use was just £20 worth. This is allowed for district heating and as a resident there’s usually not many options you have to avoid it.

They’ve said they are 4 different community best tariffs but that 4 would save me money. So switched me from 3 to 4 when I called them 

Have you compared all the tariffs yourself?

m344

Gerry1 said:

Have you registered with your electricity supplier and given them an opening meter reading that you took yourself?  You don't want to end up paying for use by the previous tenant or during a void period.

Note that you can switch your electricity supplier despite being stuck with District Heating.

Yes, I’m with Octopus. There was an issue with the previous tenant leaving hundreds outstanding so I had to send them proof of contract with the  meter reading. So only the electricity from the day I moved in will be going on my bill. 

Scot_39

General State

The community heating bill shown above I suspect literally only covers hot water and central heating - sometimes - certainly in some older blocks of flats - that's sometimes just a block averaging price - in other's it's metered - and as you are being billed kWh - assume your's is metered at output of HIU.

It is not abnormal therefore to have upto 3 bills / 3 suppliers (2 if duel fuel with one for normal electric and gas) and associated standing charges etc

- normal electric (ring main, lights etc)

- normal gas (cooker, hob, fire(s))

- community heating

Was your old switch2 supplied flat also community heating - as seems to be a major part of their website.

Normal Supply / Supplies

Your builder may have registered all of the properties with EOn or another supplier as the default supplier for normal electric and gas (if you have it - for cooker, hob, LR fire etc) as well.

Or rather more likely EOn-Next - as they are normally the suppliers to domestic property these days.

But you also have to personally register with them - and normal to provide a move in meter reading - as you do so.

Community Heating

This is normally covered by a commercial contract with freeholders (housing associations, councils, builders etc rather than tenants if your renting / leaseholder) - so not covered by Ofgem cap/EPG discounts (which go to zero in July anyway - unless on pre-pay)

Also on the EOn Heat for Home site - it says the tariff is fixed for a year - and from above the unit rates have come down c5p inc vat with version 4.

Whilst the unit rates you are paying are higher than normal domestic cap levels for gas - they are cheaper than electric - now lower 12.94 ex vat (13.6 inc).

If were to assume heat and hot water were supplied by gas (current cap c10.3p).

But EOn make a point that is for actual heat - wheras that 10.3 is before losses due to efficiency of a gas boiler - which they quote as 80%. 

But many flats have no gas supply - and have to rely on electric heat only.

And your unit rate actually far less than normal electric (SR - currently 32.8p iirc - and even a p or 2 less than most E7 regions at suppliers like EDF who publicise their tariffs - and are more set for storage heating cf others (bigger difference peak vs off peak) at around 15p/kWh for off-peak.

But remember to get that sort of 15p off-peak (night), day units charged at a premium - say 45p vs 33p SR - which is a problem if end up using a lot of day units as well. 

And many new builders do not install full blown NSH set-ups to maximise E7 benefits - but far cheaper non storage panels.  Saw some last year that had E7 just for hot water - just not enough to justify it in most cases

So against an electric only set-up thats really not necessarily all bad - and likely to beat a poor heater configuration - even allowing for the sting.

The sting - as you say - standing charges are much higher - normal domestic gas ave c29p - electric ave c51p iirc - and your Heat 4 - now 139p ex VAT - c 146p inc. - and on top of normal supply.

But only 8kWh covers the current Q diff between ave SR pricing (32.8p) and your 13.6p. (146/(32.8-13.6). Even in summer you might be using more than half that - for HW/shower etc - in winter - easily 2-3x that for heat.

SO - if compare to gas - not brilliant - but if compare to electric - depends - but probably not as bad as you might fear overall.

Unfortunately in your case nothing you can do to move it to another supplier - according to the FAQ on the EOn Heat site.

https://www.eonenergy.com/heat/help-support/faqs.html

Brie

m344 said:

So the 16487 was indeed the meter reading at move in, it was in my inventory report.

I can't switch from Eon as they have some kind of contract with the building (standard for a new build). A normal heating and hot water supply from what I understand. Nothing is communal 

So did you actually check the meter reading was correct?  Just because a number is on a report doesn't make it real.

As for not being able to switch - read on the Ofgem website.

Consumer protection law says you must be able to choose your energy supplier if it is your responsibility to pay energy bills. 

and 

energy supplier clauses. Letting agents or landlords sometimes tie in preferred suppliers with a 'default supplier clause'. Ask if you can renegotiate it. If you can’t, you can still switch if you are responsible for paying energy bills.  

Switch supplier or energy tariff | Ofgem

Scot_39

Brie said:

As for not being able to switch - read on the Ofgem website.

Consumer protection law says you must be able to choose your energy supplier if it is your responsibility to pay energy bills. 

and 

energy supplier clauses. Letting agents or landlords sometimes tie in preferred suppliers with a 'default supplier clause'. Ask if you can renegotiate it. If you can’t, you can still switch if you are responsible for paying energy bills.  

Switch supplier or energy tariff | Ofgem

Not convinced any of that applies to community or district supply schemes - which is what the OP is querying the price - mainly I guess the standing charge for.

Gerry1

Scot_39 said:

Brie said:

As for not being able to switch - read on the Ofgem website.

Consumer protection law says you must be able to choose your energy supplier if it is your responsibility to pay energy bills. 

and 

energy supplier clauses. Letting agents or landlords sometimes tie in preferred suppliers with a 'default supplier clause'. Ask if you can renegotiate it. If you can’t, you can still switch if you are responsible for paying energy bills.  

Switch supplier or energy tariff | Ofgem

Not convinced any of that applies to community or district supply schemes - which is what the OP is querying the price - mainly I guess the standing charge for.

Unfortunately the right to switch only applies to conventional (direct) electricity and gas supplies, not District Heating.

To reduce bills the OP will have to use less (lower room and water temperatures), wrap up more or use a heated throw, switch to a cheaper E.On DH tariff (if available) or persuade the managing agents to find a cheaper DH supplier.

Improved insulation would also help, but probably little scope in a rented property.

Sadly, moving may be the only realistic option.

Spoonie_Turtle

Gerry1 said:

Scot_39 said:

Brie said:

As for not being able to switch - read on the Ofgem website.

Consumer protection law says you must be able to choose your energy supplier if it is your responsibility to pay energy bills. 

and 

energy supplier clauses. Letting agents or landlords sometimes tie in preferred suppliers with a 'default supplier clause'. Ask if you can renegotiate it. If you can’t, you can still switch if you are responsible for paying energy bills.  

Switch supplier or energy tariff | Ofgem

Not convinced any of that applies to community or district supply schemes - which is what the OP is querying the price - mainly I guess the standing charge for.

To reduce bills the OP will have to use less (lower room and water temperatures), wrap up more or use a heated throw, 

Though first they should check that their heating and hot water definitely is metered and not just split equally between all the flats.

Gerry1

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Gerry1 said:

Scot_39 said:

Brie said:

As for not being able to switch - read on the Ofgem website.

Consumer protection law says you must be able to choose your energy supplier if it is your responsibility to pay energy bills. 

and 

energy supplier clauses. Letting agents or landlords sometimes tie in preferred suppliers with a 'default supplier clause'. Ask if you can renegotiate it. If you can’t, you can still switch if you are responsible for paying energy bills.  

Switch supplier or energy tariff | Ofgem

Not convinced any of that applies to community or district supply schemes - which is what the OP is querying the price - mainly I guess the standing charge for.

To reduce bills the OP will have to use less (lower room and water temperatures), wrap up more or use a heated throw, 

Though first they should check that their heating and hot water definitely is metered and not just split equally between all the flats.

The OP has given meter readings, so it's not split equally between all the flats.

Spoonie_Turtle

Gerry1 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Gerry1 said:

Scot_39 said:

Brie said:

As for not being able to switch - read on the Ofgem website.

Consumer protection law says you must be able to choose your energy supplier if it is your responsibility to pay energy bills. 

and 

energy supplier clauses. Letting agents or landlords sometimes tie in preferred suppliers with a 'default supplier clause'. Ask if you can renegotiate it. If you can’t, you can still switch if you are responsible for paying energy bills.  

Switch supplier or energy tariff | Ofgem

Not convinced any of that applies to community or district supply schemes - which is what the OP is querying the price - mainly I guess the standing charge for.

To reduce bills the OP will have to use less (lower room and water temperatures), wrap up more or use a heated throw, 

Though first they should check that their heating and hot water definitely is metered and not just split equally between all the flats.

The OP has given meter readings, so it's not split equally between all the flats.

Ah yes I see that now (missed the readings the first time round, only registered the calculations).  That's good.

Scot_39

Gerry1 said:

Scot_39 said:

Brie said:

As for not being able to switch - read on the Ofgem website.

Consumer protection law says you must be able to choose your energy supplier if it is your responsibility to pay energy bills. 

and 

energy supplier clauses. Letting agents or landlords sometimes tie in preferred suppliers with a 'default supplier clause'. Ask if you can renegotiate it. If you can’t, you can still switch if you are responsible for paying energy bills.  

Switch supplier or energy tariff | Ofgem

Not convinced any of that applies to community or district supply schemes - which is what the OP is querying the price - mainly I guess the standing charge for.

Unfortunately the right to switch only applies to conventional (direct) electricity and gas supplies, not District Heating.

To reduce bills the OP will have to use less (lower room and water temperatures), wrap up more or use a heated throw, switch to a cheaper E.On DH tariff (if available) or persuade the managing agents to find a cheaper DH supplier.

Improved insulation would also help, but probably little scope in a rented property.

Sadly, moving may be the only realistic option.

"... any of that" less harsh than my original draft.

As I said - compared to a bad all electric set-up - it's probably not that bad a deal - even with a £1.46 SC.

On the face of it appears bad - is if one company (SwitchV2) can charge a third of another (EOn or is it EOn HEAT?) - but that is on the presumption that it was an exactly equal service.

The variables I suspect are many

Not all new builds and so their communal heating boiler installations will be sharing the costs over the same number of tennants / flats etc. 

A new system would have cost more to install than one say even a year or two ago etc.