British Gas Price Freeze

jem16

isayoldchap wrote:

Jem16
A quick two minutes on energyhelpline from this site does the trick for me.I avoid 'Switch' as I find they are not showing the whole picture with all the available companies(because I guess some don't pay them a fee).This saves me time without the need for as you say a maths degree.

Selecting a good capped deal or even going for a much lower priced company than your current supplier may also avoid the monthly switch as you say.

Back in 10/2004 the Scottish Power deal worked for me.This actally was only £36 more for 3 years against there best online tariff for dd customers at that time.Also stick out the term and the £36 comes back to you as a bonus.

Of course come June 2006 I may have to get the firewood out to boil the water but then the sun will be out won't it?

I bet the departing boss at Centrica changes his fuel supplier away from BG

I tried energyhelpline and entered the my details as if I had chosen the BG 2010 price freeze. This is what I get back

Energyhelpline quote

Certainly lots are cheaper but the capped deals that I might consider e.g. Scottish Power & Powergen are only £46 and £11 respectively. Is it worth changing?

As for the other cheaper suppliers, I wouldn't touch Npower at all but any recommendations on the others?

jem16

trisontana wrote:

I think if you do think of switching you have to look at the bigger picture. I have my gas, electricity and phone service from British Gas. I get various discounts for dual fuel, direct debit and paperless billing as well as free phone calls (for no extra fee) evenings and week-ends. To switch just one element of this means losing some of these benefits. Also how do I know that the company I switch to won't increase their prices?

I agree with what you say about the new company possible also increasing their prices and I'd certainly want to know that changing wouldn't be too much of a hassle and having to be done often.

Wouldn't worry too much about the phone calls side of it though as you can get the same deal through JustDial Saver Lite ( run by One Tel ) - even ing and weekends free with the added benefit of capped mobile rates.

The price freeze deal looks interesting as does Scottish Power's capped deal. The only thing I'm not happy about are the penalties for leaving early.

trisontana

A couple of quotes from the Daily Mail's money web-site (This is Money)

"Savings for customers switching suppliers may not last long. Other companies traditionally take their lead from British Gas.

Adam Scorer of energy consumer group Energywatch, said: 'Customers will definitely leave but increasingly without any certainty of a better deal elsewhere.' "

And

"Joe Malinowski, chief executive of price comparison website TheEnergyShop.com, said: 'British Gas has gone to great lengths to try to stem the flow of defecting customers and in the process has introduced some very competitively priced electricity products'."

So, speaking personally, I am going to stick with British Gas. Better the devil you know etc , especially because of all the horror stories I have read of people switching and the whole process being messed up .

isayoldchap

jem16 wrote:

I tried energyhelpline and entered the my details as if I had chosen the BG 2010 price freeze. This is what I get back

Energyhelpline quote

Certainly lots are cheaper but the capped deals that I might consider e.g. Scottish Power & Powergen are only £46 and £11 respectively. Is it worth changing?

As for the other cheaper suppliers, I wouldn't touch Npower at all but any recommendations on the others?

Jem16
Surely you are not considering the bg deal when you have a yearly saving of around £280+ with Np.Just remember this is a yearly saving.
How about all the recommendations about customers who have been happy with them.It's the fear factor again.Honestly you would give up all that saving
which actually could cost you £1200+ for the term if prices stayed as they are(assuming 4years of conrtact,coul;d have 4.25 mths now)
London Energy also shows £263 if you don't like NP.Let prices go up by over the next 4 years you'll still save loads.
Everyones situation maybe different.If the energyhelpline quote shows massive savings (PER YEAR,sorry if I am shouting,there is no reason to go with Bg unless you use just Electricity.
Shame it appears that prices might go down according to the earlier posts.Remind me please the nice charges Bg will impose if you want to get out of the 2010 contract.MADNESS

isayoldchap

jem16 wrote:

I agree with what you say about the new company possible also increasing their prices and I'd certainly want to know that changing wouldn't be too much of a hassle and having to be done often.

Wouldn't worry too much about the phone calls side of it though as you can get the same deal through JustDial Saver Lite ( run by One Tel ) - even ing and weekends free with the added benefit of capped mobile rates.

The price freeze deal looks interesting as does Scottish Power's capped deal. The only thing I'm not happy about are the penalties for leaving early.

Jem16
Are having your cake.I forgot £280+ savings and no penalty.Go on score an own goal and join BG.I heard that the only goalie making all the saves is theirs.

isayoldchap

trisontana wrote:

A couple of quotes from the Daily Mail's money web-site (This is Money)

"Savings for customers switching suppliers may not last long. Other companies traditionally take their lead from British Gas.

Adam Scorer of energy consumer group Energywatch, said: 'Customers will definitely leave but increasingly without any certainty of a better deal elsewhere.' "

And

"Joe Malinowski, chief executive of price comparison website TheEnergyShop.com, said: 'British Gas has gone to great lengths to try to stem the flow of defecting customers and in the process has introduced some very competitively priced electricity products'."

So, speaking personally, I am going to stick with British Gas. Better the devil you know etc , especially because of all the horror stories I have read of people switching and the whole process being messed up .

Trisontana
Again your circumstances maybe different.An energyhelpline quote of yours on here would help.Not at the moment though as I am still falling of my seat to the massive savings British Gas are making PER YEAR,again sorry for shouting,from Jem16 quote.
I had thought we were here to save money.
I realise you may say that others will increase their prices over the next four years but Bg are prepared to give you that massive increase now followed by
a penalty for trying to get out.Which incidentally should be added to the savings they have already made.I say they,it's them who are making the savings not you,when There are other companies much cheaper.
I have managed to fix my chair to the table now.........I'm ready now

isayoldchap

trisontana wrote:

I am afraid you misheard that report Isayoldchap. It was a million customers in a year . This might sound a lot but is in fact less than 6% . Also, as I said above, over the last month British Gas have reported that there are more people coming back to them than there are leaving , because they realize that all the other companies are either raising prices now or will have to in the very near future.

Trisontana
Silly me but then who knows they could loose 1m accounts in a month if word gets round.Lets hope that alot of customers they loose are pensioners being advised by their families.This of course providing they have the up to date details from energyhelpline.Let's hope they are on a direct debit payment too.

It's nice that saving feeling.

Gambler

I have been reading about their "price freeze" with interest. It doesn't look like other "capped deals" as I presume if prices come down in the next 4 years BG will hold their prices at the current rate................!??!

jem16

isayoldchap wrote:

Jem16
Surely you are not considering the bg deal when you have a yearly saving of around £280+ with Np.Just remember this is a yearly saving.
How about all the recommendations about customers who have been happy with them.It's the fear factor again.Honestly you would give up all that saving
which actually could cost you £1200+ for the term if prices stayed as they are(assuming 4years of conrtact,coul;d have 4.25 mths now)
London Energy also shows £263 if you don't like NP.Let prices go up by over the next 4 years you'll still save loads.
Everyones situation maybe different.If the energyhelpline quote shows massive savings (PER YEAR,sorry if I am shouting,there is no reason to go with Bg unless you use just Electricity.
Shame it appears that prices might go down according to the earlier posts.Remind me please the nice charges Bg will impose if you want to get out of the 2010 contract.MADNESS

Yes you're right - I'm not considering changing to the BG price freeze deal as I don't like the penalties for leaving early, especially as it goes up to 2010 and prices are "predicted" to come down.

An energyline quote based on my normal tarriff ( new prices ) still shows a saving but less.
Energyline Quote

Yes I could save £133 with Npower or £109 with London Energy if I changed today but a 10% hike by them tomorrow would negate that. MSE Martin says in his most recent money saving tips email that right now is not the best time to switch as he feels others might follow BG's lead.

MSE Martin's rant

At the moment I'll hang fire and keep an eye on things.

jem16

Gambler wrote:

I have been reading about their "price freeze" with interest. It doesn't look like other "capped deals" as I presume if prices come down in the next 4 years BG will hold their prices at the current rate................!??!

Yes that's how I read it and severe penalties for coming out early!!