MSE Poll: What puts you off / frustrates you about switching energy?

oldnewhand · 28 August 2017 at 12:16AM

The power we receive is the same whoever we purchase it from or whatever our postcode is so why is it so complex? I understand people have different payment preferences and so that reflects in admin costs. I get an alert to say I can get a better deal, I get a general quote. I read through the reams of choices and try to find the best deal for me, but why when I give my actual annual consumption and preferred payment method are they invariably unable to quote? I then have to ring and am offered a different deal that doesn't seem so favourable. I guess it is because we are careful and have alternative heating (log burner) so consume about 50% less gas than those properties we are compared with i.e. we're not such a profitable customer...

danny_x · 28 August 2017 at 12:41AM

It IS a hassle always having to switch.

I'm coming to the end of a fixed tariff, so I did my research and chose a new supplier. Prices have gone up a lot, so I want to choose my swirch date to be right at the end of my current contract. According to a post on another thread, one just has to phone the new supplier to request this. I phoned Economy Energy, who denied that this is possible, so I cancelled my switching for now, but will have to remember to switch next moth, otherwise I'll get moved onto an expensive standard tariff. ASccording to another post in this thread, one can switch very near the end of a contract and the current suplier must keep you on the existing tariff until the switch goes through, as long as it happens within a "reasonable time". We'll see. I don't see why we cannot specify the switching date as long as we give sufficient notice (say, 3 weeks).

When I ran my own business, I knew that retention of existing customers was crucial to success. The energy companies treat existing customers with contempt, and use misleading tricks to gain new ones. We are all paying for the inefficiency of the admin that goes into this constant switching. I wish that the energy companies would be renationalised. My time is more valuable than the few pennies that I might save.

Carrot007 · 28 August 2017 at 1:03AM

Waltonwonders wrote: »

I switch regularly but feel frustrated that I can't easily check how much energy I use over a year, or over the wInter etc. due to differences in billing dates. I'm sure a smart meters would sort this but I don'the want one!

Nothing stopping you taking reads and having a spreadsheet.

Woohoohouse · 28 August 2017 at 8:50AM

Haven't changed as we have a good feed in tariff from 2012 for our solar panels and don't understand if we lose that or get a lower rate

smileykt · 29 August 2017 at 7:49AM

I'd switch all the time if it wasn't for how much it messes up your monthly payments for 2-3 months. You end up paying both suppliers in one month, and while theoretically it all sorts itself out in the end, it's that upfront cost that screws budgets up.

Katie-Kat-Kins · 29 August 2017 at 10:31AM

Case in point, I am trying to get simple information, the unit price and standing charges for the tariff which applies for my "complex meter"

I have had a very frustrating conversation with EON via live chat who have told me that they cannot supply this information via email or live chat and the only option is to phone up during business hours. They also kept telling me that I could use their online quote service despite me explaining that it doesn't work for me.

EDF told me that they couldn't deal with this query by live chat but provided an email address that they said would be able to. Got a reply email to say that they can't deal with the query by email and referred me to live chat or their online tool or their phone line.

So frustrating, surely basic unit prices and standing charge information should be freely available and transparent!

I don't want to phone them, I can't spend ages listening to hold music during business hours and I want a written record so that I have evidence for when they inevitably mess me around down the line.

This really shouldn't be so difficult. Is it any wonder people don't switch!? If Npower didn't keep randomly changing my direct debit without notice I would have given up by now too!

mushypeaman · 30 August 2017 at 11:59AM

If, like me, you're an old fogy who's eligible for, and receives, the Warm Home discount, beware the companies who claim they can save you over £100 a year. Come Winter, you'll find they probably don't participate in the scheme so you lose the £140 you would have received from your old supplier. :mad:

Consumerist · 30 August 2017 at 1:26PM

danny_x wrote: »

. . . I don't see why we cannot specify the switching date as long as we give sufficient notice (say, 3 weeks). . .

I'm no expert but my understanding is that the suppliers are supposed to make sure opening/closing readings are consistent with a national database. I have no idea why it takes so long to verify these readings but carrier pigeons and tortoises come to mind.

Recently, a new national database has been rolled out which should make the process quicker but we've had promises of this kind before.

MSE Poll: What puts you off / frustrates you about switching energy?

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