switching electricity supplier without internet / smartmeter install

[Adrian Caspersz]

Today's task.

Getting a pensioner off her standard rate tariff, doing it over the phone. She tried, and got quickly flustered and annoyed.

Sticking point, all the fix rate deals from the current supplier require a smartmeter fitted - which she doesn't want (scared of because of the negative press).

Se we have to go shopping elsewhere. I'm bringing my laptop and may end up being a proxy to the deals, running an email address account for her.

I really shouldn't have to. Covid and all.

Is there a switching specialist out there for this market?

Thinking, many internet-less folks will be in the same boat, and paying full rate on standard tariffs.

[jon]

Try Symbio Energy.

[Spike]

Try Avro Energy, they don't mention smart meters in their T&Cs.

Phone

0330 0885 754 0800 6800 795

[Davidm]

I've been with them for 4 years (even after searching alternatives each year). You have to ask them about what new tariff they have for next year, don't just accept their change to standard tariff. Confirmed that they don't do smart meters yet, but have been warned by whoever it is that's responsible for smart meter roll out.

[Tricky Dicky]

Just as an aside to this discussion regards Smart meters. We booked an appointment to have my mothers meters converted to Smart ones as throughout the pandemic because of shielding I have not been able to read her meters and she continues to get estimated bills. On the day the engineer rang me to get instructions to access the flat. In the discussion regards the location of the meters which are electricity in an external box by the front door and gas in an external box at the back of the flat, he pointed out that the meters had to be within a certain distance of each other to communicate. He seemed 99% certain the distance would be to great although he had a meter to test communication and he would give it a go. I asked him if he could at least fit one meter but apparently if you have dual fuel you have to have both replaced. As my mother is 94 housebound and unable to walk, rather than go through a whole load of disruption when it was highly likely not result in an installation, I cancelled the appointment. So what happens now if companies insist on best tariffs for smart meter installs if you cannot have a smart meter through no fault of your own?

Richard

[Michael Chare]

+1

[Theo]

Do they offer paper billing?

It's all very well to switch over the phone rather than email, but someone without internet is going to need a paper bill. Some of the smaller providers don't offer them.

Theo

[Martin Brown]

Do any of the decently priced ones offer paper billing any more?

ISTR having dual fuel online billing and paying by DD were preconditions for getting the best rates nearly a decade ago.

Too bad there is no mains gas in our village.

Checking electricity tariffs is incredibly tedious since the suppliers all go out of their way to obfuscate the true price at every turn.

[alan_m]

Just request a new quote on-line to see their latest offer.

They seem to introduce a new 1 year fixed price tariff each month and when prices are falling the new contracts can be cheaper than the one you are on. As Avro have no penalties for early termination of a contract I swapped to one of their cheaper deals mid contract. I've just started my 3rd contract with them. Strangely Avro are not being shown for me in the cheap energy club list nor can I update my tariff information on that site as my Avro tariff (and some previous tariffs) are not listed. They are however paperless billing and during this lockdown customer service is a bit slow with replying to questions. They also require a DD in advance and the DD is a fixed amount every month, based on the annual usage data you give them. They require a meter reading each month - in my case supply the meter reading by the

9th of the month and my on-line bill will show this amount, usually by the 12th of the month. I have missed a few readings when on holiday etc. and the bill is estimated for that month.

They have been forced to join the smart meter scheme but having one is not a condition of having a contract with them.

[Andy Burns]

They're in the results for me, have you selected "green" in your preferences? Because they show as "not green".

[Dave Plowman (News]

I use Flipper. You pay an annual fee for the service, but they do absolutely everything for you. Look for a better deal every month, and do everything needed to swap you including setting up a DD with your bank. Only snag I could see is you have to submit meter readings every month. It might be possible to do this with a phone call, though.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Just who is going to be the best deal depends on area and how much power you use?

[Andy Burns]

Sure, but the MSE club shows me options from £26/year more expensive than I'm paying all the way to £476/year more expensive, and arvo are #3 in the list for me, at "only" £38/year more expensive.

Weirdly, this time it was actually cheapest for me to roll-off the end of my previous contract onto UtilityPoint's default tariff ...

[Peter Burke]

Martin Brown <'''newspam'''@nonad.co.uk> wrote in news:s13ebn$cnn$ [e-mail]:

Can I suggest an Energylinx search? I found them years ago and they have always been very up-front on avail deals, choice of Elec, Gas or both is on the front page. They used to show all deals by default but you now need to make a selection on the results page to show non-commission results. Full tariff info via buttons on the results page:

[alan_m]

I don't see any option for filtering on "green". My options are for all tarrifs, all suppliers, dual fuel, no preferences for customer service rating or warm home etc.

Cookies have been cleared and it's the same with 2 different browsers.

Even when i select to check deals from my current supplier I get "We were unable to find any tariffs of this type. You can amend your filters to reveal more tariffs."

[alan_m]

Update: If I pretend I'm with another supplier then Avro comes second in the savings table BUT the Avro deal is actually cheaper (by £1 per year) than the one at the top of the list which is being promoted by the cheap energy club.

I actually committed to a new contract with Avro in January and starting a few days ago and have tariffs cheaper than currently on offer.

[alan_m]

Isn't the problem that the OAP needs a paper bill. As some suppliers are now paperless how does flipper stop switching to suppliers who don't offer a paper bill.

[Michael Chare]

There is normally a £5 per paper bill but th charge can be waived for elderly and vulnerable customers. More details in T&C, which also says to contact them.

[Theo]

That's good. They seem to be a fairly minimalist outfit (which is fine by me). Billing is a bit unconventional but works out at the end (they estimate for the month ahead and then adjust the bill for the next month based on readings).

They are quite keen on monthly readings. I'm assuming they can be provided by phone, but would the OAP in this case be happy to read their meter every month? I have on occasion forgotten (when they didn't send a reminder) and the bill was estimated, so maybe it's OK not to provide every month?

Been with them a couple of years and they remain far and away the cheapest tariff.

Theo

[Dave Plowman (News]

Dunno. A bill is a bit pointless since you're paying monthly by DD.