Changing elec/gas supplier - End of term.

[un1corn]

I've never done this before because it's always seemed too complicated, but i suspect this is what companies want so you dont leave them.

Anyway, I'm with eon on a fixed plan, which ends in 3 weeks.

I've found (using uswitch) that SSE (opinions please) charge 50% less per kw/h for gas and elec than eon. Is switching easy? There's some suggestion all i need to do is sign up with SSE and not even speak to e-on as they will do everything for me. Is u-switch not having me over, because when i try to buy a plan through sse's own website, the prices are similar to my e-on price. I want to make sure that going through u-switch is as presented, and there's no nasty surprises with price changes or something.

If anyone can offer advice or assistance, that'd be great, but if the kw/h is 50% cheaper, i could be saving ab out £1200 a year!

Edited by un1corn on Tuesday 9th August 13:30

[8-P]

Its a doddle, just sign up, they do the rest

[Sheepshanks]

It is easy - if it goes OK. But you've got to keep an eye out for emails telling you to set up your new account, submit readings etc.

I'm doing a switch at the moment and they moved the electricity OK, but the gas just stalled. I had to email them several times to get it moving.

I would strongly suggest you take regular meter readings (at least once a month) so you've got fairly up to date reference points in the event of any problem.

[8-P]

I suspect this will get harder soon with the smart meters. I just had mine done with SSE. I said to the guy what happens if I change supplier in a year which I will do it it makes sense - he said they would need to get you a new meter! What a joke, but if they are paying I dont really care.

[Sheepshanks]

8-P said:

I suspect this will get harder soon with the smart meters. I just had mine done with SSE. I said to the guy what happens if I change supplier in a year which I will do it it makes sense - he said they would need to get you a new meter! What a joke, but if they are paying I dont really care.

You can change supplier but the meter probably can't be read remotely etc. So it just reverts to being a standard meter.

[FiF]

Be interested to hear how you get on. I'm with eon too on the money-saving expert deal that ends at the end of September. As there's an early exit fee have always wondered how you manage this and assumed it means you spend some time on your existing supplier's standard variable tariff. Is this why there's such a big reduction?

[Sheepshanks]

FiF said:

As there's an early exit fee have always wondered how you manage this and assumed it means you spend some time on your existing supplier's standard variable tariff.

I forget the exact number but they can't charge the fee in last 40 days or so of your term.

FiF said:

Is this why there's such a big reduction?

Watch for this in comparison sites etc - they often compare against your current suppliers standard rate so it looks like you're going to get a big reduction.

[8-P]

Sheepshanks said:

You can change supplier but the meter probably can't be read remotely etc. So it just reverts to being a standard meter.

The device is a waste of time, needs charging every 2 days. I use what I use anyway. Handy not having to submit any readings though.

[FiF]

Sheepshanks said:

FiF said:

As there's an early exit fee have always wondered how you manage this and assumed it means you spend some time on your existing supplier's standard variable tariff.

I forget the exact number but they can't charge the fee in last 40 days or so of your term.

FiF said:

Is this why there's such a big reduction?

Watch for this in comparison sites etc - they often compare against your current suppliers standard rate so it looks like you're going to get a big reduction.

Cheers, didn't know about the 40 days thing, looked it up and it's 50 days for my deal.

Agree about the second thing, it's why they can show such big savings, they assume that at the end of your fixed you revert to standard rate for the rest of the year.

One that doesn't do that is the calculator in MoneySavingExpert energy club.

[stewjohnst]

8-P said:

The device is a waste of time, needs charging every 2 days. I use what I use anyway. Handy not having to submit any readings though.

You're confusong the in home display and the smart meter.

The smart meter replaces the old meter and will send the readings to the supplier regularly and but the in home display is the thing that (depending on supplier) needs charging every couple of days.

The in home display is useful for a day or so to get your head round the energy use but other than that it isn't a great deal of use other than checking your current consumption just before bed is down to about £0.01 an hour.

The early smart meters the suppliers are installing at the minute are not able to be read by other suppliers, you'll need to wait until 2017 for those to be available. in the meantime even having an early smart meter doesn't make that much difference to your ability to switch, I you'll just have to go back to sending readings in yourself.

As for changing supplier.

1. Submit some reads to your old supplier now so they have something to work with.

2. Make sure you're not in massive arrears with them.

3.Talk to u switch or your new supplier to start the switch and provide them with a meter reading when asked.

4. They will then send this to the old supplier and as long as the reading is in line with what they expect (which if you've given them readings as per point 1 it will be) they will progress the change of supply.

5. The old supplier can object on a few grounds but generally if you've done point 2 unless you've called them to say you've been coerced into a contract or otherwise hoodwinked then it will progress.

6. You'll get a letter or call from your old suppliers saying "sorry you're leaving" and they may try to keep you. I it's up to you to decide if you want to (generally just ignore this bit).

7. You'll get a supply start date from your new supplier and from that date your energy is with the new supplier.

8. If you pay by DD, I keep an eye on payments to the old supplier for their final bill. (if you've been giving reads - point 1) this should not be a big shock and in line with your DD but don't forget to allow that for a month you may have a new DD come out from your new supplier and your old DD from the old supplier.

9. Once you've been on supply for a month, submit new readings to supplier again so they can check your DD is set to the right level and you're not racking up a large debt balance. (it's actually OK to run a small debt balance - why should the money sit in their account not yours?) to avoid any future payment shocks.

10. Keep an eye on contract end date and rinse repeat annually...