New home - energy bills

TNC28

I am moving from my parents house to a 2-bed flat and need to set up gas and electricity providers. It will be me living there with my daughter. I have never lived in a flat or in a household of just 2 people, so do not know where to start as to finding the best tariff/deal. ‘Normal’ usage won’t start for 2-3 months, as the flat needs complete refurbishment, so usage will only be that used by contractors in those first couple of months. Does anyone have any advice they can offer? Thanks 

MultiFuelBurner

How is the flat heated?

Gas Central heating or Electric heating maybe storage heaters?

With your contractors are you putting in new heating and what have you chosen.

Heating will be the bulk of your energy costs unless you mine bitcoin or grow exotic plants.

la531983

TNC28 said:

Normal’ usage won’t start for 2-3 months, as the flat needs complete refurbishment, so usage will only be that used by contractors in those first couple of months. 

None of that matters. You are in a deemed contract with the incumbent provider as soon as a switch is flicked essentially.

Register with them first.

TNC28

There are currently storage heaters in the flat but I am having gas central heating fitted as part of the refurbishment work.

FreeBear

la531983 said:

TNC28 said:

Normal’ usage won’t start for 2-3 months, as the flat needs complete refurbishment, so usage will only be that used by contractors in those first couple of months. 

None of that matters. You are in a deemed contract with the incumbent provider as soon as a switch is flicked essentially.

Register with them first.

And once you have done that, use one of the comparison web sites to look at historical usage - uswitch.com is just one that taps in to a national database and displays actual annual usage (or at least it does for my address).

It is doubtful you will find any fixed rate tariffs that are cheaper than the standard variable rate at the moment.

Gerry1

You must register with the existing supplier as soon as you take possession.  Make sure YOU take the meter readings, never let anyone do this on your behalf.

debitcardmayhem

And just in case you have one read your water meter.

victor2

Gerry1 said:

You must register with the existing supplier as soon as you take possession.  Make sure YOU take the meter readings, never let anyone do this on your behalf.

^^This^^

Photograph the meters showing their readings if you can.

Also, if the meters are not inside the flat, make sure they are the rights ones (don't just rely on labels) by doing a sanity check.

Robin9

You may well be on E7 or ,E10. Neither of which are right when you have gas heating - you need to be on the Standard Tariff.

Gerry1

Robin9 said:

You may well be on E7 or ,E10. Neither of which are right when you have gas heating - you need to be on the Standard Tariff.

And Single Rate !

macman

E7 to single rate may or may not  require a meter change: it depends on the supplier. So, if not already there, request smart meters and specify that they be set up on single rate. That way, no need to pay for a meter change.
But I'd wait until the CH is in and working, because the NSH's and immersion may not work once you migrate to to single rate.
On day one, register for an account with the deemed supplier and submit opening reads.