Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

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rosy
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Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by rosy »

I had an email today from Ikea's Big Clean Switch campaign, which prompted me to log into my npower app. I'm in credit by £190 (last bill less than a month ago) even though they refunded £45 to me in June. So I rang them to ask if I could have the credit balance back or lower my payments, and also told them that I have a log burner so won't be putting the central heating on so often. They said no. It's my money! :flo:

So I've set in motion a switch to another supplier which apparently uses 100% renewable sources of electricity, will reduce my monthly payments and more importantly will mean npower have to refund my credit balance once I've paid the final bill.

So, do you regularly switch to get better tariffs, or is your supplier holding onto loads of your money?

Edited to add: I've just noticed there's a referrer ID on that link. I'm not trying to make money out of anyone (I don't think I get any even if anyone follows that link) so google Big Clean Switch instead if you are interested.
It’s like a normal midlife crisis only with more chandeliers and foreign languages.
smalex
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by smalex »

We changed about 6 months ago. S works for a fairly big energy company who do lots of green energy tariffs so we swapped to them, but tbf when I compared them they were pretty much the cheapest (out of any of the companies who I'd heard of anyway). We get 3% interest on any credit, which is better than my bloody bank accounts :lol:

I don't switch particularly often.

It's obviously worth shopping around but some of the very small companies are a shambles and regularly go bust, apparently. S's company have absorbed quite a number in the last year.
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Kenickie
Kenneth Attenborough
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by Kenickie »

Wow, that interest is really good! I currently just pay for what I use but I'm minded to switch to them and over pay any money I've got free for savings.
If your back's against the wall, turn around and write on it.
smalex
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by smalex »

There is a maximum cap I think (I did suggest to S we overpaid by the equivalent of our life savings :lol: ). I used to be very strictly anti paying via DD because I hated them holding my money, but earning interest won me over. I *think* you can get it back any time you like but don't quote me on that.
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Glint
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by Glint »

The DD thing is what stops me from switching. Why should I pay for something I haven't used yet. I get my gas and electricity bills quarterly, and pay for what I've used. Every time I get the bills in or price increase notification I always say I'll switch but never do.
Starry
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by Starry »

I switch regularly. Get the promo rate for a year and switch to a new provider. I pay by direct debit but it’s only for what you use. The occasional bill is estimated but I can send in the readings through an app. I think it’s very different over here, the idea of a set amount being taken regardless of use is only on a few plans.
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Gizmo2000
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by Gizmo2000 »

Be careful about running up any kind of credit on your account. I am another that switches each year but i am currently in a battle with my old energy company. I was with Green Energy Network and ended up with a credit of about £200. My new company, Green Energy, sent through the opening readings which would be the closing ones to Green Energy Network. Green Energy Network decided to use estimated readings for my final bill. I rang them and told them they were wrong but stated they were the readings my new company had sent so they were using them to close my account and if i had a problem to go back to Green Energy.

When i rang Green energy they said they had sent the correct readings and just to be sure they would send them over again. I have now had to take out a formal complain against Green Network Energy and as per their complaints procedure they will resolve it in 5 days, that was 3 weeks ago. They are still saying they have the correct readings so now i have to wait 8 weeks i think it is to take it to OFGEN.
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Lily
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by Lily »

I switch yearly. I'm with Green Energy Network at the moment and prefer to go for the greeny companies if I can. I am a bit anal about checking my bills to ensure that I am not missing out on anything! I tend to switch through a cashback site.
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Tsu
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Re: Dullness Personified: Switching Gas and Electricity.

Post by Tsu »

In our rental we have District Heating through e.On and we can't switch. It's expensive, too.
When we move I will go back to British Gas who I was previously with and gas been with since I left home in 1984.
My mum regularly switches and is always moaning about how much she pays. I find they're all the same basically and switching saves you peanuts in the long run (in my experience).


https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/blog/w ... ct-heating
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