I`ve read so many pages of gas and electricity questions I now have brain ache!

katies_mum

Thought sitting here and reading up on all the questions and answers would be a good starting point but sorry to say I`ve confused myself even more.

Just got current bill from British gas and they are putting our DD up from £42 to £74 (it seems we still owe £151.93 so this has to be taken into account at £13 a month and our usage price increase is £61 from £42). They were not very forthcoming or helpful with anything better despite waiting for 20 mins to be connected. Our annual consumption is 22323 kw hours a year. (I appricate if we swap then we will have to pay the bit that is outstanding)

Rang Scottish Power as we pay our bills quarterly about £700 a year and we use 6343 units or whatever they are called. They wanted to put us on £69.50 a month.

Not really sure which companies to try for a fair comparison, if we should lump them together and do duel fuel (does that work our cheaper) and if we should try and capp the amount. (we live in the North West if it makes any difference)

I am on a mission to get this sorted over the weekend. Do I just put in the 22323kw hours and the 6343 for electricity? and then see what comes up?
It seems Atlantic have quite good reviews!

Sorry but I am getting baffled by it all, just want to reduce the amount we pay like everyone else.

Many thanks for any little bit of help and advice you can give to me.

Cardew

katies_mum wrote: »

I am on a mission to get this sorted over the weekend. Do I just put in the 22323kw hours and the 6343 for electricity? and then see what comes up?
It seems Atlantic have quite good reviews!

Sorry but I am getting baffled by it all, just want to reduce the amount we pay like everyone else.

Many thanks for any little bit of help and advice you can give to me.

Yes that is exactly what you do. Enter the amounts as annual consumption in kWh.

Use several of the comparison websites and they should give the same result - but often don't.

Dual fuel normally gives you a reasonable discount, but it is sometimes cheaper to get gas from one company and electricity from another.

The cheaper tariffs are internet based - you give them the meter readings, pay by DD and get accounts on-line.

Some of these internet tariffs will not let you get gas alone(they want them to be dual fuel). However you can get electricity alone as you might not have gas.

As for capped tariffs; the prevailing wisdom is they will save money over the longer term. It is a gamble - but I would take it if I were not already on a fixed price tariff(from 2005)

All you can do is try permutations on the websites as there is no 'one size fits all' solution.

Premier_2

You seem to already have a good understanding about usage and equally understand how amounts collected by DD can be very different to confusing as they are not necessarily related to the cost being charged for consumption (e.g. in your case there is a sizeable addition at present due to an accumulated debt)

You could just try various supply companies as you are currently doing. But
at the top of this page there is a Gas & Electricity Resource Bar. Within that there are 7 price comparison sites.

I would suggest putting your consumption figures into one or more of those sites - do all 7 if you have the time. That should give you a good indication of the best offers currently available and should narrow down on the huge possible range of available tariffs and suppliers available.

Note, prices could be about to change and if they do it'll be upwards for sure. So perhaps think about a fixed or capped price tariff - that's Martins view. But it has to be about risk vs reward. There's not much point simply choosing a fixed or capped tariff if you are going to be faced with a 100% premium as soon as you sign up (unless you really do think prices are going to go up steeply) but then again a fixed or capped price with little or no premium from day 1 has to be a good bet, doesn't it?

Dual fuel prices are generally cheaper (as are monthly payments by DD), but not always. Once you input the figures, the comparison sites give you the option of seeing dual fuel prices or prices for gas and electric separately. Do a quick check to confirm you are better of with 1 supplier (dual fuel) rather than 2 different ones.

Looks like you could be having a busy weekend - good luck!

moonrakerz

I find the comparison sites to be good for only one thing. That is to get quickly into the utility company's sites where their actual prices are shown.

You have some good accurate figure for your annual consumption. I would suggest you make up a spreadsheet, then using Uswitch or similar, go to each supplier site and enter their actual costs per kWh, their discounts and any other "sweeteners".
Make up your own mind which is the best value for you, then switch using Quidco.

katies_mum

Hi,

Thanks all for your replies.

So far I have come up with for duel fuel

uswitch - with e.on price protection until Oct 2009 at £1283.15 which is approx £106 per month.

or ukpower.co.uk - British Gas click energy 5 - £1142 which is approx £95.17 a month (really strange as this is who we have our gas with and they want £74 a month for gas and didn`t suggest anything else!! when I rang) this isn`t fixed though.

I`m struggling to find anyone to fix longer than Oct 09. Any ideas please.

I`m still so confused, as never done anything like this before.

Also will I have to settle the outstanding amount on our British Gas bill (seems DD havn`t covered the amount of gas used, before the new company can accept us as customers, should I be doing this now? we have never owed anything before as DD has always covered the amount)

Many thanks, I appreicate all your advice.

katies_mum

~Sorry another question:

Is E.on a good company to go with? seems I can get tesco points as well.