Switching from npower - in credit

c0113tt3

premier, pls accept that what you have experienced is exceptional, and is generally not the normal.

Also to quote from energy watch, who also criticise and have stated this, that the process of switch is complicated, non transparent and full of red tape, who want this process to be quicker / more simplified. As for the meaning of "should" used by energywatch, it is a word used by many government departments and just about all statements that they ever make. It is a word used in the sense of ideally, it does not mean that it will / does.

Edit: (I took out the last sentence in the above paragraph, and was originally stated for the benefit of premier, although dont wish it to be publically known)

As for anything I have stated is from my experience / family / friends, and what I have seen stated from this forum. You have had an exceptional experience.

Premier_2

c0113tt3 wrote: »

...Also to quote from energy watch, who also criticise and have stated this, that the process of switch is complicated, non transparent and full of red tape, who want this process to be quicker / more simplified...

...and I would agree.

Why it takes 4-6 weeks, let alone up to the 13 weeks suggested, to switch suppliers seems crazy to me. Once the cooling off period has expired, I see no reason for such a delay if modern day communication techniques were employed.

In fact, if they really wanted to be on the ball, they could even make it possible to switch within the cooling off period, with a status quo applying in case of cancellation, but that probably would be expecting too much.

supersezzie

c0113tt3 wrote: »

1. should be accepted.

2. dont know.

3. there is something seriously wrong with those figures, an average household uses 3000 kwh electricity, I would expect you to use, nearly twice that with no gas. Heating is very expensive through electricity. Economy 7 is widely used if you do most of your useage over night, with what you describe I would have not thought that would be the correct tariff to be on

Cool, thanks for that info. I'm really puzzled about the usage now - I don't wanna be hit with a massive bill if it's wrong! We have our water heated only at nighttime and the heaters are night storage heaters (which we only use about 4 months a year) so it is a fair bit of usage at night. The only extra things in the day really are the tv and computers if we use them but we're both outfor most of the day, so it is possible I suppose that we don't use that much but I'm gonna look into that one a bit more.

I don;t really know much about electricity prices at all really - been sorting out my finances so it was the next thing on the list. Do you know how economy 7 works? Are the set times when it's cheaper set by the electricity companies or is it a fixed thing and when is it cheaper? I should really know this already lol!

Plushchris

Its always going to take at least 28 days to switch because thats the minimum notice period you have to give to end the contract. If you use a switching site there is bound to be a few days either side of this as information gets tranfered and processed.

supersezzie

c0113tt3 wrote: »

3. there is something seriously wrong with those figures, an average household uses 3000 kwh electricity, I would expect you to use, nearly twice that with no gas. Heating is very expensive through electricity. Economy 7 is widely used if you do most of your useage over night, with what you describe I would have not thought that would be the correct tariff to be on

ARGH! I have just checked my meter (didn't even realise where it was until yesterday!) and stupid me, it was only after compiling all the bills in order last night, I realised the meter reading actually DROPPED on my bill! On realising that, I dug out the meter reading my housing association gave me that they took when I moved in - it turns out, they applied this to my bill about 3 months down the line instead of as a starting reading. Hence why I am now in 'credit'. If the original meter reading from the housing association is to be believed, it turns out I owe about £430 instead of being in credit, and my average monthly bill is more like £80 rather than the £12 it was at.

ARGH! I feel so frustrated (and slightly stupid for not noticing before). I have finally been getting my money under control and now my budget is totally out the window. I thought it was cheap, but I have never rented from a housing assoc. before or had economy 7 before, and the leaflets they gave us went on about how it saves you money so I just didn't think to question it. If I had known earlier, I would have been making concerted efforts to reduce the amount I use. What do I do? I'm on a tight budget until October. Help!!!

Night-owl_6

http://www.uswitch.com/LandingPages/Energy/energywatch-v3.lp?ref=ppcgoogle~en~energy+watch&gclid=CIrgtK7F05MCFRSN1QodtRIDlQ