We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Hypocrisy of the Energy Companies

I live in a flat complex, which is electricity only, have storage heating and applied for an Economy 10 tariff and meter via SSE when I moved in 5 years ago.  Most people here are on Economy 7, but I prefer Economy 10 as it gives me 3 hours off peak afternoon and 2 hours off peak evening use, as well as 5 hours overnight which is so much more useful for washing, cooking, ironing, heating etc during the day as I am retired.  I have used Fixed Price Plan options in the past but was then migrated over to OVO about a year ago.  Since coming off my fixed plan earlier this year, I have had no choice but to be on their Simpler Energy variable tariff as they refuse to offer me any Fixed Price options unless I agree to having a Smart Meter.  However, if I do agree to have a Smart Meter, they then tell me I can only have access to one single tariff night and day.  This would increase my energy costs significantly and I have lost the Winter Fuel Allowance, along with many others.
Both Govt and Energy companies pretend they want clients to conserve energy and primarily use off peak if possible but they have given me absolutely no incentive whatsoever to do this - in fact, the opposite. They are penalising me and discriminating against me for having an Economy 10 meter so the majority of my use is off peak.  Because I'm on Economy 10, I cannot use any of the cheap energy clubs/switching mechanisms that other people can access.  Why are the energy companies so anti-Economy 10 and Economy 7 users?
«1

Comments

  • Netexporter
    Netexporter Posts: 1,639 Forumite
    1,000 Posts First Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 31 October at 7:22PM
    E7 and E10 were the best that energy companies could do with dumb meters. It is outdated technology that will be phased out. If you get a smart meter you will find many more tariffs with off-peak periods. Octopus Cosy might suit as I think it has a top-up during the day.
  • Scot_39
    Scot_39 Posts: 2,375 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 31 October at 9:03PM
    The demise of fixed TOU fixed peak tariffs has been talked about for many years - ever since New Labour revised UK domestic supply and proposed the smart meter roll out.

    In some of their minds - everyone would be on variable time of use - by now (think Octopus Agile) - not E10 / E20:20 - let alone the myriad of RTS - some fixed tmie some variable like weathercall.

    Ofgem only really strongly support E7 and single rate these days - older legacy tariffs barely get a mention.

    Ovo do have or at least did have an alternative - maybe almost as good as E10  - it also allows three off peak zone three hours - called E9 - and that with a smart meter.


    Not sure if still on offer. Or whether they will allow fixes.  But it might be worth asking even if the basic tariff is available and the pricing.

    E10 is very much legacy with many - I was told EOn - that was back before EOn Next split even - were only supporting legacy - mainly old RTS heatwise here in EM - customers with E10 meters - and another user was forced onto E7 when had a smets2 upgrade.

    Although a few posts suggests EDF might still support E10 or E20:20 to transfer - E2020 is not split but 10hrs then whole weekend iirc - but these were months / couple of years ago - like from an old THTC users went onto E10 single metering with them in one post.  If ring - try to talk to their complex metering team.

  • Scot_39
    Scot_39 Posts: 2,375 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 31 October at 7:37PM
    E7 and E10 were the best that energy companies could do with dumb meters. It is outdated technology that will be phased out. If you get a smart meter you will find many more tariffs with off-peak periods. Octopus Cosy might suit as I think it has a top-up during the day.

    Possibly not available to OP assuming he has conventional NSH panels - from Octopus site

    "You need a heat pump or electric boiler to be eligible for Cosy Octopus."

  • EssexHebridean
    EssexHebridean Posts: 22,613 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Yes, I was going to say that the OP’s form of heating won’t qualify them for Cosy.

    it shouldn’t be a problem for you to get E7 with a smart meter though - it’s just a case of making sure that you get the right sort of smart meter for your set up.
    🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
    Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00
    Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
    Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00
    SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculator
    she/her
  • Scot_39
    Scot_39 Posts: 2,375 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Not all e7 would give the OP daytime off peak slots though.

    Even in regions where historically split off peak supported - many seem to favour vanilla single block of 7 hrs.

    And many of the other splits wont by mid afternoon or early evening - and in a flat neighbours might well object to washing machines etc overnight.
  • EssexHebridean
    EssexHebridean Posts: 22,613 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    E7 is highly unlikely to give daytime off peak slots - but equally the supplier shouldn’t have been telling the OP that they couldn’t get anything other than a single rate tariff, either! 
    🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
    Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00
    Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
    Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00
    SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculator
    she/her
  • Scot_39
    Scot_39 Posts: 2,375 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 31 October at 9:11PM
    Ah I might have misinterpreted the bit about new smart - I just assumed the smart was e7 - single block day and night - not single rate applied day and night.


    A single rate meter may not even have ALCS - if NSH are old and rely on meter switched restricted cicuits - but many in normal CS don't in my experience at EOn understand the distinction between tariffs and meter types (4 port no ALCS will run E7 quite happily - but if need meter switching - need 4 port with ecternal ALCS / 5 port with built in ALCS etc).  Luckily when first moved off RTS they still had a customer facing complex metering team who did.
  • EssexHebridean
    EssexHebridean Posts: 22,613 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Yes - that is the thing that the OP will need to be very clear about - that it is not only the meter that is needed, but the means of energising the off peak circuit, too.
    🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
    Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00
    Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
    Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00
    SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculator
    she/her
  • Newbie_John
    Newbie_John Posts: 705 Forumite
    500 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    I've had the E7 meter and circuits, when switched to smart meter all remained the same - the night circuit is powered 0-7am unlike before a bit random time between 23:30-7:30 also changing with winter/summer time.
    So all will remain the same really - will just be set 0-7 unless you ask for 0-10 (or whatever but that wouldn't make sense as you'd be billed more).

    Question is down to OP wanting to remain on E10 tarrifs that's no longer supported, a bit like me wanting to remain on my 2% mortgage rate last year 😅 it's a thing from the past sadly, and we should choose what's best now - nothing lasts forever. On a good side, prices dropped a fair amount in the last year.
  • Ildhund
    Ildhund Posts: 156 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    ... if I do agree to have a Smart Meter, they then tell me I can only have access to one single tariff night and day.
    Whether electricity is available at cheaper rates at certain times of the day is up to the distributor, and the supplier has to go along with that. That said, OVO offer Economy 9 and Economy 10 plans in many parts of the country; if you told us where you are, we might be able to spot plans you could ask about. The first bit of your postcode is enough.
    I'm not being lazy ...
    I'm just in energy-saving mode.

Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 346.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 238.7K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 614.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 174.7K Life & Family
  • 251.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.