Cheaper Tariff - the energy companies duty to advise
Comments
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With regards to the debt, here's my VERY crude calcs which I've had to base on 14 days of use across June/July:
Day Use @ 16.92p = 217 units / £36.72
Night Use @ 7.682p = 19 units / £1.46
Total Use over 14 day period = 236 units / £53.61
Total yearly cost calculated by multiplying £53.61 x 26.07 (the number of 14 day periods in the year) = £1397.61 / 6152.52 units
Single rate tariff = 11p per unit, therefore 6152.52 x 0.11 = £676.78
Econ7 cost £1397.61 - single rate cost £676.78 = £720.83
** I accept that this may not be the best way to calculate this but as I said, it was VERY rough - if someone's got a better approach then I'd be happy to use it **
How do you heat your house and get hot water? If it is electric heating them even your VERY crude calcs are totally meaningless, even if the arithmetic was corrected.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the In My Home MoneySaving, Energy and Techie Stuff boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
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Yes we have been on E7 for a few years and I think the standard rate for about 6-9 months.So you've been on E7 for at least a couple of years (been on default tariff for a year, and presumably were on a fix for at least 12 months before that)
even if you have not been taking regular meter readings yourself in that time, you would have received numerous (estimated) statements/bills that would presumably not only specify you were on an E7 tariff but would have the give away signs of 2 registry readings
And you say you are not trying to provoke an argument here.
If the jury are still out on that one, I'm sure it won't be too much longer before they reach a unanimous verdict :cool:
There's no arguments from me that I should have know we were on E7, but my wife was the one who originally sorted the electric out so last week was the first itme I had even looked at a bill.
As you say, I can see on the bill that there are 2 unit charges (very last page of the bill), but if I quickly glance at the bill to see how much I owe and what tariff I'm on, the first page of the bill gives me how much the DD is, how much I'm in debt, advises me I could save £44 a year by not being on the standard tariff and states the tariff that I'm actually on SPs "Standard Online" - no mention of E7 at all.
I just want to highlight that my post was about what the duty of the energy companies is in advising about cheaper tariffs, whether anyone had managed to have any luck getting any money back on the basis that they have never been advised they didn't use enough energy at night or any advise on how to approach the case with the ombudsman.
Although I appreciate the advice that I need to make sure I'm on the right meter and tariff or completely change my energy consumption habits by using 3 times more energy at night, I realise all of this now.
Finally, I am not after an argument, I am after people's expereinces and advice on the duty of the energy company.0 -
I appreciate you said it was only a rough, crude calculation but to get £53.61 as a result of the sum of £36.72 and £1.46 is very rough indeed! :eek:
And if you think you can get SP to supply you single rate at 11p/kWh on their standard varible tariff, then go for it! :cool:
As footyguy indicates, it's about 50% more than that no matter what supply region you are in.
(you can see that from uSwitch too)
My mistake - I was rushing the post inbetween meetings. I don't believe I ever said I expected to get 11p on the standard rate - this was a fixed until July that the advisor offered me0 -
Thank you! Not because you agree with me, just because your post is on topic.House_Martin wrote: »As a long time meter reader with a strong interest in Eco 7 meters I think the supplier should be warning every customer that they either bill them single tariff, or switch meters when the occupier clearly is at a loss on a multi rate meter.They have all the records and can easily see that they are paying too much..I have been seeing these Eco 7 meters fitted to entire streets and many areas of towns just to encourage night use so that power stations keep busy at night.Some towns were selected for eco 7 meters even when they were built with mains gas central heating..Towns such as Worksop and Retford and many others , usually close to large power stations.
The ombudsman should step in and end this nonsense and make suppliers toe the line or fine them. I hope the OP logs a complaint to the ombudsman.
My concerns are that the way SP word their tariffs it is impossible to tell whether it's an E7 tariff or single rate. The energy companies have all the figures at their fingertips to be able to tell whether you are using the minimum amount of energy at night to make E7 right for you.
Again, I'm stupid for not knowing exactly what tariff & meter I was on, I shouldn't have lapsed onto the standard rate BUT what I do expect as a customer is to be given the right advice by the professionals.
I will be taking it up with the ombudsman and will update if it goes anywhere, which I'm not hopeful of0 -
Thank you! Not because you agree with me, just because your post is on topic.
My concerns are that the way SP word their tariffs it is impossible to tell whether it's an E7 tariff or single rate. The energy companies have all the figures at their fingertips to be able to tell whether you are using the minimum amount of energy at night to make E7 right for you.
Again, I'm stupid for not knowing exactly what tariff & meter I was on, I shouldn't have lapsed onto the standard rate BUT what I do expect as a customer is to be given the right advice by the professionals.
I will be taking it up with the ombudsman and will update if it goes anywhere, which I'm not hopeful of
Before you do, I suggest that you have a read of the Supply Licence:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/licences-codes-and-standards/licences/licence-conditions
Schedule 1 to SLC31A: Could You Pay less? on page 280 spells out the level of detail required by Ofgem. The EO can only be guided by what is in the Supply Licences. It is not the Regulator and it is in no way linked to Ofgem. If you want to raise the matter with Ofgem, then e-mail them at:
consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk
Expect only a short and very polite reply. Ofgem will not investigate individual complaints but they are responsible for the content of what goes into Supply Licences. Changes to the content of Supply Licences requires an across the board industry consultation before any changes are made.
Best of luck.0 -
The energy companies have all the figures at their fingertips to be able to tell whether you are using the minimum amount of energy at night to make E7 right for you.
There are several points on the above statement.
Firstly SP cannot place you on a 'normal 24/7' tariff if you have an E7 meter. Some companies can aggregate the two readings i.e. 1,000kWh on daytime and 300kWh on night would be treated as 1,300kWh on a normal tariff(I have this arrangement with British Gas)
Let assume an energy company knew your consumption pattern and advised you to stop E7 and go on a normal tariff. Then the customer gets an Electric car(like yourself) and that advice is now redundant. Would you file a complain for the wrong advice?
Similarly many people switch off oil fired/LPG boilers in the summer and use the immersion heater for hot water. Should the Energy companies know you have oil CH and intend to take this measure.0 -
Further to the above highlighted, even with the new regulations covering restricted hours metering charged at single rate coming in September this will still be the case as E7 is specifically excluded from those requirements.There are several points on the above statement.
Firstly SP cannot place you on a 'normal 24/7' tariff if you have an E7 meter. Some companies can aggregate the two readings i.e. 1,000kWh on daytime and 300kWh on night would be treated as 1,300kWh on a normal tariff(I have this arrangement with British Gas)
Let assume an energy company knew your consumption pattern and advised you to stop E7 and go on a normal tariff. Then the customer gets an Electric car(like yourself) and that advice is now redundant. Would you file a complain for the wrong advice?
Similarly many people switch off oil fired/LPG boilers in the summer and use the immersion heater for hot water. Should the Energy companies know you have oil CH and intend to take this measure.0 -
Thanks, I am aware that SP cannot put me on a single rate without a meter change - I have requested the meter be changed.There are several points on the above statement.
Firstly SP cannot place you on a 'normal 24/7' tariff if you have an E7 meter. Some companies can aggregate the two readings i.e. 1,000kWh on daytime and 300kWh on night would be treated as 1,300kWh on a normal tariff(I have this arrangement with British Gas)
Let assume an energy company knew your consumption pattern and advised you to stop E7 and go on a normal tariff. Then the customer gets an Electric car(like yourself) and that advice is now redundant. Would you file a complain for the wrong advice?
Similarly many people switch off oil fired/LPG boilers in the summer and use the immersion heater for hot water. Should the Energy companies know you have oil CH and intend to take this measure.
I think in the situation you stated, no I would not raise a complaint - I accept that if my usage changes, it's on me to notify the energy company my situation has changed. I guess that I do feel like, when switching providers or taking a new service, they have a duty to advise you on what the right service is for you.0
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