Switching provider

eastcorkram

When you do bank account switch, you basically contact the new one, give them all the information, and they do everything for you. 

Is there a similar way to do this with an energy account?

I'm with Eonnext for electric and Ovo for gas. Both have smart meters. 

Eonnext are driving me mad with constantly, every few weeks or occasionally, months, wanting a big increase in the DD. Even though it's current level is about 20 to 25 pounds above what gets actually used. I have the readings, they have the readings . I've no issue with the bills they create every month. Energy used, plus SC plus VAT, usually comes to around £60. The DD is £84. The account is £368 in credit today. They want to increase the DD to £124. 

I've never had any issues with Ovo supplying the gas. Readings , bills, DD all fine.

How easy, or difficult would it be for me to switch the electric from Eon to OVO? 

Netexporter

Just apply to your chosen new supplier. They do all the work. Have meter readings ready to submit. Make sure you don't have a debt on the old accounts, or it will be blocked.

x_raphael_xx

eastcorkram said:

When you do bank account switch, you basically contact the new one, give them all the information, and they do everything for you. 

Is there a similar way to do this with an energy account?


How easy, or difficult would it be for me to switch the electric from Eon to OVO? 

Speak to OVO (if that's who you want to change to), tell them your current provider and they will contact them and start the process.
Take end/start readings on your switch day so you can get your final billl from Eon

eastcorkram

Right. The final straw with Eonnext and the latest email conversation.

Short version. 
Our usage in £ is between £58 and £65 per month. That's including SC. 

The direct debit is currently £83. 
The account is currently £368 in credit. 

They want to increase the DD to £124. 

They say that needs to increase based on estimated usage going forward. I've no reason to think our usage is going to change. We use on average less than 6kwh a day. 

I asked them to tell me how much have they charged me in the last 12 months. They said £754. I asked them how much have we paid in the same period. They said £1008. 

If they leave the DD as it is, in 12 months time, we will be around £668 in credit.

If they increase it to £124, then in 12 months time we will be around £1100 in credit.

We have a smart meter, and all the readings within the online account are marked as smart. 

So, I want to switch to OVO. They already supply our gas. Which brings me to the other issue. They're obviously going to want an initial reading. 

@dolor can you help with this please? 
Do you remember the issue where the readings on the meter marked as Imprt or something like that, don't match the smart one collected by eon. There were R1 and R2 and then that Imprt reading. When I was manually putting in the total one to the online account, it was being accepted, and then being overwritten by the smart one  a day or so later,which was always less. So I believed I was underpaying. Anyway, you said I should be using R1. 

Now, looking at the meter, there are 3 readings . Export 0000, Imprt 4433, and £ so far this month £14 odd. 

There are two buttons , and no matter what order I push them, I can't find that R1 and R2 anymore. 

Eon latest smart reading is roughly 1000 lower than the Imprt reading on the meter. 
I can't get them to accept that reading , because they'll only use the smart reading. 

What reading do I give the new supplier? If I give them what's on the screen, that's fine, but having read about switching, it seems they then check with eon and the readings have to match, and they won't .

Any advice?

eastcorkram

Picture in case it helps with how to get the reading 

gefnew

EDMI-Smart-Meter.pdf (energyangels.co.uk)
Try this to help you.

eastcorkram

Does anyone have any thoughts about what to do in this situation? Is there a way I can escalate the issue, as I'm getting nowhere with the email conversation. 

The last exchange was me pointing out that in 12 months time we'll be £668 in credit, even if they left the DD as it is. But as increased it from £83 to £124, then in 12 months in we'll be over £1100 in credit. 
They're basically borrowing money , interest free, from me. Well not really borrowing, as I seem to have no say in it . 

When I explained that to them, and it was all using their own figures, the response was a one line email, that simply said.....Yes, that is correct. 

With switching, will the new supplier, OVO, be able to read the meter? If I give them a manual one, it won't match Eons final one, and apparently that means the switch will fail. Which means I'm stuck with Eon, and can never leave.

Is there another billing method I could switch to, that would avoid ever increasing credit ?

GingerTim

eastcorkram said:

Does anyone have any thoughts about what to do in this situation? Is there a way I can escalate the issue, as I'm getting nowhere with the email conversation. 

The last exchange was me pointing out that in 12 months time we'll be £668 in credit, even if they left the DD as it is. But as increased it from £83 to £124, then in 12 months in we'll be over £1100 in credit. 
They're basically borrowing money , interest free, from me. Well not really borrowing, as I seem to have no say in it . 

When I explained that to them, and it was all using their own figures, the response was a one line email, that simply said.....Yes, that is correct. 

With switching, will the new supplier, OVO, be able to read the meter? If I give them a manual one, it won't match Eons final one, and apparently that means the switch will fail. Which means I'm stuck with Eon, and can never leave.

Is there another billing method I could switch to, that would avoid ever increasing credit ?

You could switch to variable direct debit, which EonNext allow - you'll then only pay for what you use in a month and not build up any credit. Of course, that means larger winter bills and smaller summer ones.

eastcorkram

GingerTim said:

eastcorkram said:

Does anyone have any thoughts about what to do in this situation? Is there a way I can escalate the issue, as I'm getting nowhere with the email conversation. 

The last exchange was me pointing out that in 12 months time we'll be £668 in credit, even if they left the DD as it is. But as increased it from £83 to £124, then in 12 months in we'll be over £1100 in credit. 
They're basically borrowing money , interest free, from me. Well not really borrowing, as I seem to have no say in it . 

When I explained that to them, and it was all using their own figures, the response was a one line email, that simply said.....Yes, that is correct. 

With switching, will the new supplier, OVO, be able to read the meter? If I give them a manual one, it won't match Eons final one, and apparently that means the switch will fail. Which means I'm stuck with Eon, and can never leave.

Is there another billing method I could switch to, that would avoid ever increasing credit ?

You could switch to variable direct debit, which EonNext allow - you'll then only pay for what you use in a month and not build up any credit. Of course, that means larger winter bills and smaller summer ones.

Thanks  
Currently on a fix until April 24. There is no exit fee. 
Our usage doesn't really vary much between summer and winter. Heating and hot water is gas. So that might be a good option.

If I ask for that, and they agree to it, what happens to the existing credit?

bristolleedsfan

eastcorkram said:

GingerTim said:

eastcorkram said:

Does anyone have any thoughts about what to do in this situation? Is there a way I can escalate the issue, as I'm getting nowhere with the email conversation. 

The last exchange was me pointing out that in 12 months time we'll be £668 in credit, even if they left the DD as it is. But as increased it from £83 to £124, then in 12 months in we'll be over £1100 in credit. 
They're basically borrowing money , interest free, from me. Well not really borrowing, as I seem to have no say in it . 

When I explained that to them, and it was all using their own figures, the response was a one line email, that simply said.....Yes, that is correct. 

With switching, will the new supplier, OVO, be able to read the meter? If I give them a manual one, it won't match Eons final one, and apparently that means the switch will fail. Which means I'm stuck with Eon, and can never leave.

Is there another billing method I could switch to, that would avoid ever increasing credit ?

You could switch to variable direct debit, which EonNext allow - you'll then only pay for what you use in a month and not build up any credit. Of course, that means larger winter bills and smaller summer ones.

Thanks  
Currently on a fix until April 24. There is no exit fee. 
Our usage doesn't really vary much between summer and winter. Heating and hot water is gas. So that might be a good option.

If I ask for that, and they agree to it, what happens to the existing credit?

You can ask for the credit to be refunded, otherwise the credit gets used before any payments get taken.

TheElectricCow

eastcorkram said:

GingerTim said:

eastcorkram said:

Does anyone have any thoughts about what to do in this situation? Is there a way I can escalate the issue, as I'm getting nowhere with the email conversation. 

The last exchange was me pointing out that in 12 months time we'll be £668 in credit, even if they left the DD as it is. But as increased it from £83 to £124, then in 12 months in we'll be over £1100 in credit. 
They're basically borrowing money , interest free, from me. Well not really borrowing, as I seem to have no say in it . 

When I explained that to them, and it was all using their own figures, the response was a one line email, that simply said.....Yes, that is correct. 

With switching, will the new supplier, OVO, be able to read the meter? If I give them a manual one, it won't match Eons final one, and apparently that means the switch will fail. Which means I'm stuck with Eon, and can never leave.

Is there another billing method I could switch to, that would avoid ever increasing credit ?

You could switch to variable direct debit, which EonNext allow - you'll then only pay for what you use in a month and not build up any credit. Of course, that means larger winter bills and smaller summer ones.

Thanks  
Currently on a fix until April 24. There is no exit fee. 
Our usage doesn't really vary much between summer and winter. Heating and hot water is gas. So that might be a good option.

If I ask for that, and they agree to it, what happens to the existing credit?

Your existing credit will be used before they take the DD payment for the bill, so if the credit covers the entire usage no DD payments should be taken until all credit is gone.

As an immediate alternative if for any reason Eon is uncooperative, does your online account allow you to reduce the DD yourself? I’m not with Eon anymore but I recall that last year their system would allow you to reduce payments to whatever level you like so long as you do so in 10% increments. Of course that won’t prevent them from changing it again in future, so variable direct debit may still be your most suitable option.