Staywarm and Eon - help please !

Maz

If this is on the wrong board, please move but I thought it might be more appropriate on the 'Silvers' board.

Does anybody use Eon as their supplier for gas and leccy under the Staywarm scheme they have? I am trying to find out what unit prices they are currently charging for gas/elec. Also, is it a tiered scale?

I rang the customer services but they just kept parroting that usage is 'guestimated' by the number of bedrooms and number of occupants in a property and not on unit price. This estimate is then split over 12 equal direct debit payments for the year, any extra used over that amount is charged. So, if you use over that amount you get billed but if you under use you're paying for energy that you're not using. This is my understanding, please correct me if I have misunderstood.

Anyway, my question is,how does the consumer know if they're getting the best deal if they don't know the unit price???? Seems bonkers to me!

Edinburghlass_2

I'll shift you over to the Gas and Electric board as I think they may well have the answer for you there.

space_rider

If you are already on StayWarm they can give you a comparison based on their other tariffs.

londondulwich

Hi,

I am with the Staywarm Tariff. I have a three bedroom house with 1 occupant. I pay £66.50 a month for both electricity and gas. This works out at £33.25 for each utility.

In order to see if I'm getting a good deal or not I worked out how much I would have to use on the cheapest provider to reach £33.25 a month.

With Ebico I would have to go through 41 units of gas (Imperial units) to be charged £33.50, over the winter I average 100 units a month.

Again with Ebico, I would need to use 250 day units of electricity and 150 night units to be charged £33.25. I tend to use about 200 day and 100 night.

So although I am overpaying for electricity, the savings I make on the gas more than compensate.

Maz

Thanks for your replies but can you tell me what your unit price is for your energies, presuming you've had itemised bills/statements?

Maybe I'm missing something crucial here but aren't you paying the same amount all year round even though in the summer months say, you wouldn't be using the same amount of energy? i.e. would you be paying for energy that you're not actually using?

If you under use, do they credit you with the difference?

I can't get much sense out of Eon's customer services tbh, surely they must know what unit price they are charging people in order to make their estimates for direct debit payments?? How can you predict what people will use?

All I want to know is what they are charging people per Kwh/unit (whatever you call it) if someone could please let me know. Many thanks!

space_rider

I don`t have staywarm but the way I understand it is they just have a standard monthly amount you pay based on how many people are in the house and how many bedrooms. They still get meter readings which is how they know if you are using more than they estimate that you will use in the year. When you first ring to apply for it they ask you how many kwh you use for gas, electric, they then use this to work out if you use too many units for it to be viable for them. This is worked out using their standard tariff.

londondulwich

The monthly cost is fixed for 12 months.

However, if you use more than a medium user, 24,500 KWhs of gas per year, (roughly 680 imperial units), they may choose to refuse to put you on the Staywarm tariff.

The same goes with electricity, a medium user on an economy 7 meter uses a maximum of 6,600 KWhs per year.

Biggles

Maz wrote: »

I rang the customer services but they just kept parroting that usage is 'guestimated' by the number of bedrooms and number of occupants in a property and not on unit price. This estimate is then split over 12 equal direct debit payments for the year, any extra used over that amount is charged. So, if you use over that amount you get billed but if you under use you're paying for energy that you're not using. This is my understanding, please correct me if I have misunderstood.

Anyway, my question is, how does the consumer know if they're getting the best deal if they don't know the unit price???? Seems bonkers to me!

The original Staywarm scheme was based purely on number of bedrooms and number of occupants, as they told you. They set the monthly DD for the year and that's it.

There's no question of making a recovery afterwards for any extra used (there can't be, as there isn't a tariff), but these days the monthly DD takes into account your current usage based, I understand, on three bandings in addition to the bedrooms and occupants.

If what you are after is to compare Staywarm with other tariffs, you need a) a quote from Staywarm and b) your gas & electricity usage to feed into the comparison websites (or to work it out yourself from each company's tariff).

Ken68

Keeping tabs on usage isn't necessary on Staywarm, once you have been accepted. Wouldn't have thought that was a good thing.

uksenior

I have been with staywarm for 13 years and have never regretted it. I was a it optomistic at first, but I am glad I decided to change.. No worries about how much my bill will be and I just never think about keeping the house warm or cool in summer. Just go for it....:j

Airmike23

There are not unit rates on staywarm. To qualify no more than 4 occupants, with at least one occupant over the age of 60, no more than a 3 bed property, and you will need usage figures, depending on no of bedrooms and no of occupants consumption to be accepted on to staywarm varies, but if using more than 4000+ kwh elec and more than 24000kwh gas then it will be dicey as to whether you'll be accepted, best bet is call Eon and get a quote on staywarm for your circumstances