It depends on your usage. I tried two different suggested consumption figures and the cheapest suppliers changed. Also best to have gas and electric from the same supplier for a better (well, cheaper on the surface) deal.
Well, I'm on Powergen (Standard), and it is currently costing me £73/month against £46.50 for British Gas Click (green).
Of course, Powergen puts up the premium, so that you pay up front (I expect BG does the same at the first review point). OTOH, I put in the actual kWh used for Gas and Electricity, and BG was a lot cheaper than Powergen (of the order of about £150 per year for my 3-bed semi).
a while ago, and although the transfer period wasn't as quick as I expected, I was sent several notifications at various stages to let me know it was in progress.
They're a non-profit organisation that started off as a way to get cheaper electric / gas to churches, and they widened their net to encompass lower-income families who aren't using enough to heat their outdoor swimming pool all year round. They will work out more expensive after a certain usage, but if thats the case, you probably aren't in their target market.
Their prices are up-front and available direct from their website, and you can also see them on uswitch - but you have to jump through the "we don't get a backhander off them so we hide it" hoops - namely, when you go through the process, there's a "show social tariffs" option, as well as "show companies you can't switch to from uswitch" - tick them both.
All their call handling and billing is via Southern Electric, and while I haven't had to speak to anyone, I have been impressed with their kick- ass update service for meter readings - you call them up on a freephone number, enter the account number, then the reading - then they get clever and recognise if you have another account with them (i.e. gas) and give you the option to update that at the same time.
The bills are also the clearest i've ever seen - and IIRC, the gas price did go up recently, but it was the first time in 18 months.
Uswitch do list cheaper companies, but they're usually the "online" accounts only.
I've got scans of the bills online to give you an idea of the readability:
no messing about from them. Emails answered within a few hours and a personal response not a computer one. Same for phonelines, answered promptly and not kept holding on. Far cheaper than Scottish Power and British Gas. No standing charges, no extra for paying by cash/cheque. I am saving £300 a year by not being with Scottish Power and British Gas. A lot of comparison sites will only prefer the companies that pay them to advertise. I had to complain to OFGEM as BG were refusing to let me transfer and it took 2 months. Once OFGEM got involved they give in. I refused to phone BG to get a final bill and they refused to send me one unless I did. After OFGEM spoke to them I got the final bill in a few days. Why do people bother staying with BG and paying far more? Are they mad?
Phone on 0113 3381022 and ask to speak to 'customer relations' - they are very helpful, and if the first person can't help, their supervisor will. It always helps to know the correct name of the department that deals with problems - makes it sound like you've spoken to them before. BG are about the best of the utility companies I've dealt with - had problems with all of them, but BG actually sorted things out without making any more of a mess. Scottish Power are good too.
Alternative numbers are on
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- any of the switchboard numbers are good. They answer fairly quickly and will put you through to the right departments.
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Eventually someone did but I didn't like their letter full of bland platitudes, so I stayed gone.
I still get them knocking on the door every three months or so. I'm thinking of writing to them asking them to stop - and if they don't I'll send 'em a recorded devilry note explaining that if they call again I will charge them £50 door opening fee and that they have the option not to incur this charge by not bloody calling again.
IIRC someone did something similar to a cold-calling firm and the magistrate upheld it.
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