Add your feedback on energy supplier Powershop

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  • fewkeste
    fewkeste Posts: 534
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    EachPenny wrote: »
    I just have, comes to more than I pay with Ebico :D

    Yes but are you on a tariff that is no longer available to new customers? Out of curiosity I did a quote on Ebico (interestingly they use Robin Hood Energy - the supplier I am leaving) and for my annual consumption (8000kWh) Ebico would be approx £1207 per year compared to £832 with Powershop (assuming I take maximum advantage of discount Powerpacks)
  • EachPenny
    EachPenny Posts: 12,239
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    fewkeste wrote: »
    Yes but are you on a tariff that is no longer available to new customers?

    No, it is open to all still. But is only worthwhile if you are a low user. My annual electricity consumption is around 1100kWh, under 3 units a day - so the standing charge if I paid one would be a significant percentage of my total bill, regardless of unit price. My gas consumption March to November is normally zero, so again that would be a lot of standing charge paid for zero cubic metres of gas.
    "In the future, everyone will be rich for 15 minutes"
  • fewkeste
    fewkeste Posts: 534
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    EachPenny wrote: »
    No, it is open to all still. But is only worthwhile if you are a low user. My annual electricity consumption is around 1100kWh, under 3 units a day - so the standing charge if I paid one would be a significant percentage of my total bill, regardless of unit price.
    Yes I see that for you (and other low users) that a daily standing charge is a problem. It just shows the importance of taking account of all relevant factors when getting a quote in that what suits one (low usage) consumer, may be totally inappropriate for another (higher level) consumer.:)
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    I have just had a long online chat with Powershop which was suddenly curtailed due to tech issues ( I hope). I raised the question of their tariffs. I asked what 'guarantee' I would have that I could achieve the Easy saver figure if I bought all my electricity via power packs? The answer was that power packs would be offered for varying amounts with varying discounts based on my usage AND, most importantly, based on the standard tariff price. I was told that the average achievable annual discount was 20%. The power packs apparently do not contain details of the actual prices within that package. We then lost contact.

    It would seem to me that only the more expensive Easy Saver Promise is guaranteed in the first year. Whether the PCW quoted Easy Saver tariff is achievable is something that only Powershop knows as there would seem to be no guarantees offered. I am not suggesting that there is anything untoward going on here but I confess the more I learn about this way of buying electricity, the more I am inclined to keep things simple: at least, with a fixed contract, I know precisely where I stand. Others can make up their own minds.
  • fewkeste
    fewkeste Posts: 534
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    Hengus wrote: »
    I was told that the average achievable annual discount was 20%. The power packs apparently do not contain details of the actual prices within that package. We then lost contact.
    This fits in with the prices I got from the Which comparison website. My 'standard' prices are Day 15.026p/kWh, E7 8.442p/kWh and standing charge 15.761p/day. If I join and do nothing and let them buy power at the standard tariff this is what I will pay. However if I take advantage of all the discount Powerpacks offered then (according to the Which comparison figures and Powershop) I will achieve effective rates of Day 11.739p/kWh, E7 6.594p/kWh and I think the standing charge stays the same at 15.761p/day. That equates to approx 21.8% discount (not including the standing charge.) My understanding is that by knowing how much power I will use/likely to use in a given time period they will then offer Powerpacks to buy which offer a set discount off the standard rate but the confusing thing is I think they will be described as either something like 'a day's worth of electricity for 80% of the cost of a day's worth of electricity'. I'm guessing here bear in mind - so in this theoretical example if this was a forward buy for use in say June, I would buy 30 days usage at only 80% of the cost of a day's consumption in June.

    Now the big question is (and I don't know the answer to this yet) what happens if I don't use all the power I've bought for use in June? Does any excess sit as a credit in my account (that's fine) or do I lose it (most definitely not fine.) I've got a call back booked to discuss my transfer to them (my old supplier is behaving like I'm not leaving) so I'll try and get to the bottom of this left over credit thing.
  • I came across Powershop through the energyhelpline.com comparison website and it is the cheapest provider. I think I might take the plunge and switch to them as they are the cheapest. If things get messy, you can leave them without an exit fee.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    I came across Powershop through the energyhelpline.com comparison website and it is the cheapest provider. I think I might take the plunge and switch to them as they are the cheapest. If things get messy, you can leave them without an exit fee.

    Look carefully before you do. Comparison sites, for some reason, are showing a price based on discounts that you may, or may not , be able to achieve if you buy power packs at the right time.

    For example, for my consumption and region, the site shows that I could possibly get my energy for £328.56. However, the only guarantee is that for the first year only ' my sit on my hands, do nothing' price is £377.679 (Easy Saver Promise). From then on, it is Powershops' standard variable rate that applies less any discounted energy that I buy. Looking at the AU and NZ websites, to get maximum benefit from this type of scheme, the consumer needs to be on top of his/her own consumption and be willing to provide almost daily meter readings.
  • Hengus wrote: »
    However, the only guarantee is that for the first year only ' my sit on my hands, do nothing' price is £377.679 (Easy Saver Promise). From then on, it is Powershops' standard variable rate that applies less any discounted energy that I buy. Looking at the AU and NZ websites, to get maximum benefit from this type of scheme, the consumer needs to be on top of his/her own consumption and be willing to provide almost daily meter readings.

    If I do nothing for the first year, it still appears to be the cheapest.

    What happens if I don't supply daily meter readings?
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    If I do nothing for the first year, it still appears to be the cheapest.

    What happens if I don't supply daily meter readings?

    I suspect, but I confess that it is difficult to know, that the discounted packs on offer may not match your consumption. They told me that offers/discounts are based on monitored consumption and are issued on an individual consumer basis. Presumably, the more information that they hold on file about your consumption then the more accurate the offers will be.

    Have a look at Facebook NZ and AU to see what long term customers think.

    It's not for me.
  • My household is a high energy consumer and I am always looking at ways to save on energy costs. I have been monitoring my gas/electricity usage for several years and know my monthly consumption and cost. I will give it 3 to 6 months and if the cost saving is not as they estimate, I will switch to a conventional supplier.
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