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Price cap confusion

vikkimcd
vikkimcd Posts: 96 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker

Hi. Apologies for sounding ignorant, but I am a bit confused as to whether I need to switch or not. I am with Octopus currently, and they have been fine. My current tariff runs out in May, and i have been offered a choice of fixed or flexible rate by them. The flexible is currently coming in at slightly under the price I pay now, with the fixed as about £20/month more. I am unsure whether I should switch now or wait until May, or whether to just stay as I am on a flexible rate. I understand that the flexible will be subject to change, but not sure if should wait until May to change, or go with another supplier. I have been with British Gas and EDF before and they were absolutely appalling. As you can see, I don't fully understand what the best thing to do is…

Comments

  • Scot_39
    Scot_39 Posts: 4,524 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper

    if your ondeal to May, is that really flexible - or fixed but will default to flexible.

    the current flexible is quite low and expected by many to rise 10-15% plus in July. Mse uses 13.5% from an aver of estinates below

    the current mse page on fix deals and advice is here

    https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/are-there-any-cheap-fixed-energy-deals-currently-worth-it/

    The list of deals is short - just 3 - and was updated Fri 16th.

    theres several other rece t posts with same basic question. Fix now, wait etc ?

  • vikkimcd
    vikkimcd Posts: 96 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker

    I am on a fixed tariff, they have recommended I go to a fixed 12 month tariff. It is about £20 more than I am paying now, so I guess that would be a good thing to do if the prices are guaranteed to be going up?

  • Qyburn
    Qyburn Posts: 4,184 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper

    It's not literally guaranteed to rise, but that is the expectation. It doesn't get set/published until late May.

  • EssexHebridean
    EssexHebridean Posts: 25,906 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic

    It seems very unlikely that prices will not increase in July now, I would have thought.

    🎉 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 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
    £100k barrier broken 1/4/25
    Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
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  • vikkimcd
    vikkimcd Posts: 96 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker

    Do you think staying on a flexible tariff would be too risky?

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