Confusion on comparison site ( Energy)

Phones4Chris

Phones4Chris said:

I've had no problem with the clarity of BG bills!!

Endof.

I don't think you understood.
I was not referring to back in the day when smaller providers were going bust and the problems that came with suppliers-of-last-resort where information wasn't transferred correctly nor billing where inaccurate/estimated readings were used. FGS leave these irrelevancies out of it. The OP was already a BG customer and wasn't expressing any desire to leave because of billing issues!
Again ENDOF.

teddysmum

OP, there is no shame in having problems with maths and/ or English. It's not uncommon and there is help to be had from your local further education colleges and it's free. Classes are very small and are aimed at a qualification or just specific things you want to learn about. Lessons vary from one-to-one to group work, depending on need.

The highest level is just below GCSE, but there were ( I used to teach classes, but am out of touch, now ) also free classes for actual GCSEs in Maths and English, for anyone who only achieved lower grades at school or worked their way up through the college levels.

EssexHebridean

Hey @firsttimeever - I will echo the earlier comments about there being no shame in asking for - or indeed needing - help. We all have strengths and weaknesses in particular areas of our lives, and I bet you can effortlessly do some things that send my brain into a flat spin!  One way of turning a weakness into a strength though is to identify areas where our knowledge is lacking, and then work to fill in those gaps. This sounds like an area where a bit of work to learn some stuff might really empower you when it comes to making choices in the future. 

I would agree with Gerry that Octopus bills are extremely clear and easy to understand. No energy provider is ever going to be perfect for every consumer - but in my experience having been with a few different ones I have no complaints with Octopus’s clarity of billing or customer service. For transparency I have recently had an issue with them relating to something entirely different, but this too is being dealt with efficiently by them, so far at least, hence I would still recommend them - that is often a good measure of whether a supplier is “good” or not. People having never had issues with them saying their great is of limited use, but where people are saying “I did have a problem, but it was sorted out quickly and helpfully” gives more confidence, IMO. 

If I were in your shoes now, I would think about just having a very quick Look at a straight comparison between the Octopus and the BG variable rates from 1st October - I find it helpful to revert back to good old pen and paper when I am dealing with stuff like that! I’d note just the unit rates and the standing charges for each (if you need links to find the 1st October rates for Octopus then shout, but they will probably by in a recent blog post on their website) so that you can see the differences. If there is little difference, or Octopus’s variable rates are slightly cheaper, then that would be a low-pressure easy to manage switch to give you confidence in the process - and your ability to manage it - without also having the added complication of comparing fixed deals as well. If that all goes smoothly, then you could make your next project considering fixes and their value for your particular circumstances. 

Some of this stuff honestly looks more complex than it is - maths is not my strong suit either - but it really is a good feeling when you master some of the detail and start to really feel in control of your energy bills!

just remember if you do consider a switch to 🐙, to have a chat around family and friends to get a referral code from them as that will leave both you and your referrer each £50 better off. Worth having! 

Oh - and if you want any more help or input, then just pop back here and ask - you’ve already seen that folk are really willing to help others learn more about this stuff! 

powerful_Rogue

Another vote for Octopus here. Just put your figures through that you gave and worked out how much it would be if you swapped.

Standard Variable Rate - £2085.06

15M Fixed (No exit fees) - £1986.61

Plus you get all the other benefits that Octopus offer.

Phones4Chris

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81002988/#Comment_81002988

firsttimeever said:

Thank you for advice . I wasted two days on comparisons sites and will stick on variable with my current provider . 

It's blunt but basically your saying ' there's hardly any difference '. That's all I needed to know !.

@firsttimeever
I cannot believe that is the best option. There are Fixed deals around right now eg. which I have from Octopus, that are cheaper than the current Variable Rate (which goes up on the 1st October).

Who is your current provider? What are your current standard rates? What region are you in?
Are you on Economy 7 (ie. got storage heaters etc) or on a Standard Tariff?

When doing comparisons you should be using the actual amount of energy you use in kWh (Day & Night if on E7) , not the yearly cost.
You should also compare the Standing Charges and the Unit rates and double check by doing your own sums based on what you use.

In most cases Octopus will be cheaper than most but it does depend on your region.
If you are not currently an Octopus customer, if you use a referral code (from someone who is), you and the person who gives you the code get £50 account credit.

The OP has obviously chosen differently and probably doesn't want this either

Phones4Chris said:

........

It should be plainly obvious to you that the hassle of changing provider is not something that @firsttimeever really wants considering what they've said. It may be relatively easy for geeks like us to cope with, but not so for such ordinary folk!

Let me list the points of hassle - true even for us - 
Making sure you've got accurate meter readings on the day of change (might be different days for Gas & Electric).
Making sure that the correct readings are on the new opening bill(s) of the new provider(s).
Making sure that the same readings are on the closing bill of the old provider (which may be weeks later).
Setting up a new direct debit with the new provider(s) and making sure it's at the correct level and one that was expected.
Making sure that the new direct debit is taken as and when expected.
Making sure that the old provider hasn't incorrectly taken a Direct debit that wasn't due, if so we are then into the game of making sure you get a refund - can take weeks sometimes.
When one get's the final bill from the old provider, making sure it's correct and making sure the final DD is taken correctly (or refund given). When that is complete, cancelling the old provider's DD with the Bank.

powerful_Rogue

@firsttimeever , changing supplier is a very simple process. There are plenty of helpful members on here which will be happy to assit you should you chose this option.

Spoonie_Turtle

powerful_Rogue said:

@firsttimeever , changing supplier is a very simple process. There are plenty of helpful members on here which will be happy to assit you should you chose this option.

Echoing this, you don't actually have to deal with numbers per se, just check on the bills that the old supplier and new supplier agree on the meter readings when you switch.

(Which I didn't actually know at all when we switched ~4/5 years ago, but the final bill from our previous supplier wasn't anything out of the ordinary so we assumed everything was fine.)