Energy suppliers DD

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have not yet delved into the detail of my bills for the year, to check the numbers, but my E&G DD has been increased three times now from £48 per month, to the present £92. My predicted consumption over the years has been near as matters spot on and its a one year fix, due to end in November.

My supplier has sent me a comparison, which shows the cost will be much higher for the next year. Might they be increasing my DD, so as to cover the cost, assuming that I will accept the much more expensive fix beginning in November? In other words - are they stockpiling my cash, in anticipation for next year?

It just seems so odd that they based the original DD on what my suggested consumption was, that my actual consumption is so close to that, yet the DD has been increased three times in the year..

[Brian Reay]

Are you on a fixed priced deal?

Certainly with all the deals I've had, you didn't have to accept the suggested change to DD. Also, any 'credit' could be reclaimed- once or twice we've ended up with money in credit due to periods travelling etc.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Brian Reay presented the following explanation :

Yes, fixed..

Their monthly bills keep showing me owing them, despite the increased DD.

There just delivered quote for next years DD for the new tariff, shows my present tariff DD as £75 per month, whereas I was advised it would be increased to £92 from last month. All very confused.

Its Bristol. They have just taken their consumption comparison pages (last year v this year) down, because they suggest it is confusing their customers. Not half, it has no relationship to my own spreadsheet (last year v this year) comparison.

[bert]

In article , Harry Bloomfield writes

If you have your consumption in a spreadsheet then just add the costs and you can check against your actual bills. Note your bill does not include VAT in the unit pricing but adds it on to the total at the end. Fir next year what are they basing their quote on? Best comparable tariff or their standard variable one? Comparison web sites use the latter as dictated by Ofgem but their prices do include VAT unless it says otherwise.

[misterroy]

Could the first few have been artificially cheap to create a good first imp ression? Then bigger amounts later to make up the total?

[Dave Liquorice]

They'll be basing their projected cost on you not doing anything when your current fixed term ends in November. For the 10 months after November they will be using their standard variable tarrif. They are simply following the rules regarding the assumption you'll "do nothing" and also the rules that say they mustn't let people run up big debts.

Rules that do nothing to make things clear.

[Brian Gaff]

I now do the following. I get a reading every quarter, and ask them to only take what the bill on the real reading is. I can still be on the EDF Blue tariff and can quit if I can get it cheaper. . However as you say, they used to say the price was fixed for two years, but this has dropped to one year,but still worth having The only fiddle room they do have is when the new tariff comes in and of course since we do not know the date exactly except its in June they do have to estimate the changed units. However so far its been pretty fair. I am not dual fuel and unfortunately most of the really cheaper deals only run if you have both gas and Leccy from the same supplier. There must be zillions of people out there with no gas who otherwise are paying huge amounts for leccy due to this discrimination. Brian

[Harry Bloomfield]

Dave Liquorice has brought this to us :

That is the explanation I have arrived at too. A change of supplier is due. E.On seem to be my cheapest option from MoneySavingExpert, with a one year fix, even cheaper than what I am paying at the moment.

[tim...]

I've got thoroughly pissed off with this method of account for and paying my bills

I'm going back to the quarterly credit billing, even if it costs me 30 pounds (or so) a year more.

It's too much aggro reconciling my bills for such a small sum.

tim

[Max Demian]

EDF usually ask you for a reading when the increase in tariff is due, so I exaggerate it a bit to save a few pence if I remember.

[Dave Liquorice]

There is a differential but I don't think it's that great. Less than a penny/unit? Got to admit I always tick the "no gas" box when looking at prices. if have a spare hour I'll do a few comparisons with gas and see what the real figure is. B-)

[bert]

Rules laid down by Ofgem and used by all the comparison web sites.

[bert]

In article , Harry Bloomfield writes

Given the above explanation are you sure? MSE are governed by the same rules and will claim savings based on those rules as explained above. I use comparison sites purely as a ranking system. For actual costs compared to what I pay now I use a spreadsheet.

[Dave Liquorice]

supplier is

Which works as all the calculation is done using the same set of rules, so the cheapest listed probably will be the cheapest. The calculated annual bill for a given tarrif will be right provided you have given the site an accurate comsumption figure. Any quoted savings are likely to be way off the mark.

The only way to do it with any measure of accuracy.