Energy costs.

Incorrect, if your existing tariff is about to end. The comparison sites will assume that you will be paying the standard rate rather than the rate you are currently on or the rate you may change to if staying with the same supplier I've found in the past that the savings suggested on these web sites are rather optimistic. I enter my previous years energy usage. I cannot see how others get a sensible result when they enter monthly payment details when most companies will be taking too much by DD or else they don't provide accurate bills for years on end.

The utility companies are equally devious. I'm currently with Scottish Power and if I log into my account and go to the "are you on the best deal" page I'm told that the Online Fixed Price Energy April 2017v2 deal cost £68.42 per month saves me £276 per annum over my existing tariff. This is bollox based on some mythical average energy user. Last week Scottish Power gave me my annual usage figures and said I could be be better off on the above 2017 fixed deal _BUT_ by a figure of £17.21 per annum. My existing tariff has no exit fees whereas the 2017 deal has exit fees of £60.

I have been with SP for some time, and send my meter readings each month, which prompts a bill and indications of if a cheaper tariff is available. My spreadsheet includes the ability to compare tariffs, to see if their claim is accurate. The reduction in the April deal, which was significant, attracted me enough to sign up. I completely missed that they had introduced an exit fee, something they have not imposed on recent tariffs.

Devious bastards.

I suppose I should console myself that it should save me over £100 a year, which is more than the exit fee.

Chris

Cheshire East has Fairer Power which is in conjunction with OVO

Always assuming of course that the useless t**** actually manage to bill you correctly.

Can I recommend you read the small print.

Can I recommend you read the small print and also the OFGEM Code of Practice for Comparison Sites.

True

They tell you if you are on the cheapest tariff with them. Your experience is pretty typical.

Only a consolation if you don't find another cheaper deal elsewhere within the 12 months.

I don't think I really fancy allowing a third party (not regulated as a bank presumably) set up direct debits etc. for me.

Surely the 'cheaper' deal will only be for a fairly accurately predicted consumption, ours just isn't very steady so I doubt if the cheaper predictions will be very accurate.

... and that's the killer, "the consumption that you tell them", our consumption just isn't particularly predictable.

I moved to one of their cheaper tariffs about 6 months ago when they suggested that it was cheaper than the one I was on - but not by much and because there were no exit fees I could change easily without cost. Since then the newer tariffs they have introduced have been more expensive and its only in the last weeks that they have informed me that the fixed price April 2017 deal is cheaper by £17 per annum. The sting is that they have also introduced an exit fee if switching between tariffs or leaving within a year. I'm gambling the £17[1] that they, or some other company, may have cheaper deals soon. In the past, utility companies have introduced cheaper deals but also penalties for leaving early AND then a month later they have introduced an even cheaper deal. The market/regulator suggests that there is still room for price reductions.

No, missing field in your spread sheet. B-)

My local council is promoting a deal with OVO. When I've compared their tariffs I would be paying more than with my current supplier.

I suspect that your council is only promoting this deal because that's where they get most kick-back. Much the same as Age Concern(?) promoting move expensive tariffs than the cheapest deal from the same company and where they got money for each sign-up.

Today's "Moneybox" might be worth listening to.

Not surprisingly it's all a bit of a mess.

Not at all. It's one of the cheapest tariffs around. The only ones close at the time were Npower and First Utility neither of which I would touch with the proverbial barge pole.

There's little variation due to consumption. Any difference in day rate has little impact unless substantial. In my spreadsheet I can vary consumption of gas and electric independently to see what the effect would be.

They are not on Ofgems list of approved energy switching sites.

Already in the process of enhancement. ;-)

Chris

online-fixed-april-2017v2.pdf

"With Freedom - move to another of our available tariffs at any time without paying exit fees."

Chris