EBICO - EQUIDUAL - how good are they? Please Help

c0113tt3

I am new to this switching lark and never tried it, fear of switching just to find out that the switching / compare sites figures were out of date and / or finding that the new supplier is more expensive.Anyway Im currently with npower and live in yorkshire, I have both fuels with them on standard tariff and prefer to pay when the bill arrives in the post every quarter. I prefer to have a paper bill, and prefer Non - online tariffs.I am considering in switching to ebico - equidual as the prices seem rather good, or are they too good to believe?If you guys could help, it would really be appreciated to get different opinions and confirmations if this would be a wise decision or not.Thanks for your help in advance.

Cardew

Welcome to the forum.

If you search on this part of the website you will find literally hundreds of posts about Ebico.

I think almost without exception people like their service, and the simplicity of their tariffs - you pay the same rate regardless of your method of payment(DD, quarterly or pre-pay). You also don't pay extra for the first units each quarter or have a daily standing charge.

They are however far from the cheapest tariff available, unless you have very low consumption and/or are on a pre-pay meter.

For high consumption customers they are consideraby more expensive!

jimbo_the_jetset

I live in Yorkshire and I am with Ebi Co. Their customer service is good, they actually use southern electric to manage the customer service. Never had a problem.

I was thinking about switching a while ago as I could get £60 cashback, but most other suppliers have this two tier system which is often confusing. Ebi Co don't tend to change the tariff up and down as much as other suppliers so you know where you stand. (don't know if you see that as good or bad)

I prefer to do my own calculations before switching based on actual yearly consumption rather than relying on comparison websites alone. Currently Uswitch says I could save £17 a year by switching (3 bed, mid terrace, working couple)

c0113tt3

Thanks for your replies, really appreciated.I should have posted more information of myself and my partners useage.Generally we use 750 to 900 electricity units per quarter throughout the year, and gas is seasonal, summer / autumn months ranges from 30 to 40 units of gas per quarter, but winter / spring we use 90 to 110 units of gas per quarter. I am not sure if that is a low user or mid user? or even high, although I doubt it being a high user. Our circumstances are that we work the usual 9 to 5 monday to friday, so hardly any gas / electric gets used during that period. Could you guys be of great help and comment if I would be better switching to ebico with those figures / useage and situation?Thanks again for your help.

Farway

I have this weeks Ebico bill with me [I'm in Southern area so your figure may differ slightly]


Elect is 10.27 per Kw + VAT
Gas is 2.43 per Kw + VAT

There is a fudge factor built in as Southern computers can't handle nil discount or something, but the difference is only a few pounds, and it is downwards I should stress

From your figure I reckon gas would be cheaper, I use about 580 units PA, and it is cheaper for me, as you use less then guess same would apply to you

Elect you would need to do your own sums regarding your supplier

Cardew

c0113tt3 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies, really appreciated.I should have posted more information of myself and my partners useage.Generally we use 750 to 900 electricity units per quarter throughout the year, and gas is seasonal, summer / autumn months ranges from 30 to 40 units of gas per quarter, but winter / spring we use 90 to 110 units of gas per quarter. I am not sure if that is a low user or mid user? or even high, although I doubt it being a high user. Our circumstances are that we work the usual 9 to 5 monday to friday, so hardly any gas / electric gets used during that period. Could you guys be of great help and comment if I would be better switching to ebico with those figures / useage and situation?Thanks again for your help.

You are about an average user for electricity - the average is 3,300kWh(units) pa.

For gas you need the kWh you use. A unit could be apprx 11kWh if you have a metric meter(measures in cubic metres) or approx 30kWh if you have an Imperial meter.(measures in 100 cubic feet)

Are you sure you only use 240 to 300 units a year? That is low whichever meter you have. (2,600-3,300kWh or 7,200 to 9,000kWh)

You need to enter your postcode in one of the on-line comparison networks and see which is cheapest - use kWh not the price you pay monthly.

lisap4123

I have been looking for a new dual fuel supplier. I used some of the internet comparison sites and found that EBICO was not THE cheapest but cheaper than my current supplier – Atlantic, and I like the ethics of the company. The rates I was shown by the 2 comparison sites for them were both the same, and it was the Equidual tariff (2.55 p per unit for gas and 9.64 p per unit for electricity). However with both of these sites I couldn’t directly switch. So I went direct to their website, however I couldn’t find any dual fuel tariff at all on their website and no mention of the Equidual tariff, furthermore the prices quoted for the west mids are higher than on the comparison sites. Why is this? Do they offer the equidual tariff at the rates I was quoted? If not why are they advertised? If they do offer the tariff how is someone to sign up for it if it isn’t accessible from their website and isn’t possible to switch to from the comparison sites?. Any one got any advice or info or some secret squirrel method of signing up to them on the equidual tarriff? Otherwise NPower are showing to be cheapest on all sites and I will just go with them. Thanks in advance

Cardew

lisap4123 wrote: »

I have been looking for a new dual fuel supplier. I used some of the internet comparison sites and found that EBICO was not THE cheapest but cheaper than my current supplier – Atlantic, and I like the ethics of the company. The rates I was shown by the 2 comparison sites for them were both the same, and it was the Equidual tariff (2.55 p per unit for gas and 9.64 p per unit for electricity). However with both of these sites I couldn’t directly switch. So I went direct to their website, however I couldn’t find any dual fuel tariff at all on their website and no mention of the Equidual tariff, furthermore the prices quoted for the west mids are higher than on the comparison sites. Why is this? Do they offer the equidual tariff at the rates I was quoted? If not why are they advertised? If they do offer the tariff how is someone to sign up for it if it isn’t accessible from their website and isn’t possible to switch to from the comparison sites?. Any one got any advice or info or some secret squirrel method of signing up to them on the equidual tarriff? Otherwise NPower are showing to be cheapest on all sites and I will just go with them. Thanks in advance

Ebico prices have just increased(well they do on 01/04/2008) but not all comparison websites have the new Ebico prices, and the prices you give are the old prices.

There are some threads currently running on this subject.

lisap4123

Ahhhh that would explain it !!

lisap4123

What about Npower - does anyone know if their rates are up to date? Whats the point in comparison sites if they dont give up to date info - hardly comparing like for like are they !!?!?!?

A._Badger

Be very wary of NPower! They are right at the top of my list of worst companies I have ever dealt with - and they are only one where I have had to involve the regulator!

Even if NPower were half the price of someone else, I'd still think twice about dealing with them again.