EBICO customers be aware.

Gavioli_UK

SwanJon wrote: »

I.
SSE (Scottish & Southern Energy) use 3 brand names (Swalec in Wales, Southern Electric in England & Scottish Hydro in Scotland) but are the same company. I assume you get the local brand to you if you phone Ebico.
How much they charge Ebico depends on exactly what they do for them - is it just call centres, or all the meter stuff, cash collection etc too?

If you change to or from EBICO to a SSE brand (you missed out Atlantic) it is actioned as a tarrif change, and you do not go through the supplier change process. Also you do not get any "Welcome Packs" as you are not regarded as a new customer.

Anyone know if they are a "real" supplier?

penrhyn

SwanJon wrote: »

I don't work for either company, but I doubt that Ebico have to buy gas and electricity from SSE just because they use them for customer service. There are between 40 & 50 generating companies in the UK, not all part of the 'big 6'. (The power station with the highest output is independent - Drax*). Similarly, other companies extract or delivery gas. As such there is no reason that Ebico cannot source using these companies as others do, e.g. BG does not own enough power stations to produce enough electricity for their customers so need to buy the extra in.

I agree (got half way through a similar post but got myself confused. The same effect would happen if the proportion of new customers was skewed towards low users/PP customers - as it was likely to be as that is where they are cheaper.

SSE (Scottish & Southern Energy) use 3 brand names (Swalec in Wales, Southern Electric in England & Scottish Hydro in Scotland) but are the same company. I assume you get the local brand to you if you phone Ebico.
How much they charge Ebico depends on exactly what they do for them - is it just call centres, or all the meter stuff, cash collection etc too?

* I think I'm right here - not too sure on numbers or if Drax is biggest, but it is big

Ebico use Scottish and Southern, doubtless they could deal with other suppliers but they don't.
From their website:-

Our supply partners

Ebico work in partnership with Scottish and Southern Energy (S&SE) as our licensed supplier. We chose S&SE as they consistently score the highest in polls of customer service amongst domestic energy suppliers. They also score well, compared to other suppliers, on the rate of renewable energy they supply.
Your power will actually be ‘delivered’ by one of several distribution companies depending where you live and whether you’re buying gas or electricity – S&SE incorporate Southern Electric, SWALEC and Scottish HydroElectric. If you need to contact your local distribution company, use the number for Scottish and Southern given on our contact numbers page.

1carminestocky

I suppose Ebico would really have to use a Big 6 to source their fuel from as AFAIK Ebico don't have their own dedicated billing/CS Dept (probably too small to justify the expense). This is why I assumed that they basically just get the whole package (fuel, cs and billing) from SSE and obviously get a discount for bulk ordering. If true, this is why they will never be uber cheap for most users as they are still part of the alleged cartel in that they source their fuel from one of the Big 6? That's my take on it but of course this could be totally wrong..

penrhyn

I think you have hit the nail on the head, they also benchmark their prices against SSE, in my case the price I would pay with SSE Discount 2010 would be exactly the same as I pay with the Ebico tariff.

armith

penrhyn wrote: »

I think you have hit the nail on the head, they also benchmark their prices against SSE, in my case the price I would pay with SSE Discount 2010 would be exactly the same as I pay with the Ebico tariff.

But the thing about Ebico compared with other suppliers is that it's really simple. You are charged one rate per unit you use - no 'first 200kwh cost x', no direct debit discount, no dual fuel discount - just one transparent rate. As far as I can see from the SSE website there's no rate like this on there?

I've never had a problem with Ebico themselves - switching was easy, prices are reasonable and there's a human being at the end of the phone. SSE has the usual issues though:

- I get unwanted phone calls asking me if I'd like to switch my phone to them (as soon as I tell them I don't have a bank account and can't pay by direct debit they hang up!)

- The summer gas bill was ridiculous - all our hot water and cooking is done using gas and they estimated total usage for 3 months to be 8 units (about £7). The real reading was more like 50 units. Now, it's easy enough to phone through a correct reading (to their robot service) but something approaching a true reading would be better. If I hadn't phoned in a correct reading presumably the 40 odd units would have been charged at the newly increased price on my next bill.

- All the bulbs in my house are low energy ones - and what do I get from SSE - yet more low energy bulbs! I realise that this is just a way of falsifying SSEs green credentials but it's hardly green that the bulbs go into a cupboard along with the dozen or so other spares that I've been sent over the years!

Ebico may not be the answer to fuel problems but it is a more palletable option for me than the 'big 6'. Having been a customer for quite a while now I do get the feeling that the Ebico people are in it not for vast reward but to actually try to do some good.

Ken68

Yes same here Armith, dozen or more in store, and 4 years left in the ones already fitted. So enough until 2024.
Plus of course extra they send.

Premier_2

armith wrote:

... SSE has the usual issues though:

- I get unwanted phone calls asking me if I'd like to switch my phone to them (as soon as I tell them I don't have a bank account and can't pay by direct debit they hang up!)...

Unfortunately this is a problem I encountered too, even though I am certain I asked for no marketing calls when I applied.

Anyway, I just called them up on their freephone number and told them very clearly that I did not want to receive any marketing calls. Unless you do this they will continue to hassle you. Eventually, once they actually got the marker placed on all my accounts (gas and electricity), the calls have stopped

Cozworth806

Problem is that unlike Electric it is very difficult to figure a total gas cost on any tarrif that uses A & B unit prices.
If you use a lot of gas all year round then it may be cheaper but in the 6 months when the central heating is off I pay most of my gas at rates far higher than Ebico's so I know that I really ought to switch but guess when I am in arrears on my gas. Oh yes!
Electric for me is far more stable, so the 4400KwH I use works out at about 80-90KwH a week every week.
Gas is hardly used in the summer, and loads in the winter.

The thing that is making me looking at moving is EDF's reintroduction of the IGT charge for dual fuel customers, namely £42pa. Not happy

iamesbo

1carminestocky wrote: »

Just purchased their accounts as Premier suggested. Panic over, I'm by no means an accountant but it looks like their total director emoluments (I'm assuming that is pay?? ) was less than £46,000 last year, so no fat cats in this company!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:I will eat my hat if that figure is correct!!

Do you seroiusly believe that???

[Edit] Well it seems they are a not for profit company so maybe....will look into it.

oldwiring

Has anyone considered that they may have substantial other income, and also be philanthropists?