Home Energy UK

Ommbiance

I recently had a fixed dual fuel energy tariff end. Having shopped around for a renewal I opted for Home Energy UK from MSE search. There's is currently a variable tariff, but seemed to be reasonable, at least in the short term based on my usage. So my supply began on 6.10.26. On 13.10 @ 13:30 pm I received an email telling me that due to increasing cost pressures both my gas and electric would be increasing with immediate effect - so immediate in fact that it was the same day. Now I appreciate I chose a variable tariff (and there are no exit fees to move), but according to Citizens Advice an increase should be notified in reasonable time (they say 30 days notice). Theeir email informed me of the increase after they'd gone up. I appreicate energy prices may be particularly volatile at present, but surely they would have known about their plans to increase when I signed up just a couple of weeks before, but there was certainly no communication or suggestion of this at the time (I signed up just before the end of Sept so maybe they waited for the cooling off period to end or am I being too cynical?)

Their email is quite long explaining the pressure on wholesale costs of fuel, but they are increasing their daily standing charges as well. Is that reasonable?

I contacted them to complain and after referring to a senior was put back on my original tariff (for 14 days).

The new tariff level will be a smidge below the price cap so I'm now thinking that a fix is a better idea; it certainly appears so when keying in the figures comparing thie new rates. I've always done that in the past but at the moment the only half decent fixes seems to be for a longer term than I'm used to. Do the experts here think it's sensible to fix for 24 months? Any thoughts please?

StevieP21

Any "expert" would be guessing unless they are a time traveller.

20-25% price increase Jan and from there we need no wars and some calm.

Shedman

Home Energy have been quite poor at informing new customers about the tariff increases. They emailed out to existing customers about the increases several weeks ago so really should have at least let new customers be aware of the impending rises. They used to be quite a way below the cap but that gap seems to have gone or at least closed considerably, so inevitably they will impose the full Jan 1 increase (albeit maybe a few weeks later).

It wouldn't be a bad idea to consider a fix that gets you through this and next winter so long as the exit fees are not extortionate (some are now £125 per fuel) if you can still find a reasonable one (Fuse has seemed to be the best recently) - sadly it doesn't seem like a return to pre Iran war prices are likely in the foreseeable future. You have to regard it as a form of insurance that at least prevents it getting worse for you, even if you might ultimately lose out if prices do fall back later next year. (My stepdaughter is currently with HE but unfortunately doesn't complete on her house purchase until mid November and I fear that by then there won't be any decent fixes around)