Gas and electricity suppliers!

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Bob Russell — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:13:13 GMT

Looks like today is going to be spent on the phone getting the best quotes for gas and electricity! The accountants have given us the same advice but they take 45% of the savings so I will have a go myself today. It looks as if it is going to be quiet as the grave so may as well take advantage of it!

Hopefully by saying that I will jinx the day and we will become very busy later on!

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Bob Russell — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:48:31 GMT

Ebico do not do business tariffs and pass you across to Scottish and Southern!

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Julian Earl — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:02:52 GMT

You could try here: https://utilitywarehouse.co.uk/

They do electricity, gas as well I think, mobiles/landlines and other stuff besides.

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Tim Mainland — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 13:18:32 GMT

Utility contracts are no way as straight forward as residential, wherein one has "rights" which are unheard of in the commercial sector. We had a good deal some years ago on electric & gas, and when it expired we just let it run for a while until we found time to look for a better deal. We expected we'd just pay their default rate for as long as we did nothing. How wrong we were! Once a contract finishes you have to give notice in order to change to anything else. If you don't, you default into their chosen contract. And have no way out of it until it gets to the other end AND you then give notice to quit.

In short, managing utility contracts nowadays is HARD WORK! and made worse by the inefficiency of newly chosen suppliers, who don't necessarily meet the transfer deadlines set by the notice which you may have given. If they don't take you over by the due date, the old company's default contract kicks in yet again. And you are stuffed for another year or 2 or 3.

We were advised by John Sower/accountant to try Beaconplus. They act as an agent on our behalf, and manage our utilities. They hawk round for best deals, and make sure contract deadlines are met, and transfers made. They cost a percentage of savings made. Overall they do take a lot of the pain out of it.

Ah, the old days....it was so easy back then.....

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Clive Ansell — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 11:21:52 GMT

I just had a quick look at uSwitch comparison site, and I cannot find gas or electricity any cheaper than with Ebico. I'm not sure whether they will supply businesses or not.

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Bob Russell — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 10:51:03 GMT

I will phone them on Monday. The website is unclear if supply is only for domestic customers but in a way I am willing to pay slightly more to get away from this pay in advance and not be able to understand the bill farce!

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Clive Ansell — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 10:35:20 GMT

Try Ebico.

I am with them and find it makes life easier. There is a single rate for electricity and gas, no tiered systems based on usage, no standing charge, and there is no discount for direct debits or extra charges for paying on receipt of a quarterly bill.

Previously when paying by fixed monthly direct debits, I found they kept creeping up the charges despite the fact I was overpaying and was several hundred pounds in credit. Imagine if they do that with every household, interest free money - seems almost like a scam to me?

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Bob Russell — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:28:29 GMT

The market is impossible! The standing charges v's unit rate. Proper comparisons are impossible. Even price comparison sites are giving me a headache - do I pay 10.23p per unit plus 7.14 per day standing charge or 8.6p per unit plus 21p per day or ..... it goes on and on.

I am determined to change as the bank of Bob appears to be lending them £424 for gas and £180 for electricity interest free. I wish our clients would be similarly generous!

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:22:23 GMT

Utility companies have got us by the short hairs. I've given up worrying about it, change and the new company will put its prices up next month, you can't win so I just go with the staus quo. However there is a company called BCR Associates who will apparently review your utility needs, find the cheapest deal and let you keep all the savings for no charge. Sound like too good to be true. Possibly but London Veterinary Forum recommend them - apparently they make their money by being paid by the companies they recommend. Give it a try and let us know if it's true

Re: Gas and electricity suppliers!

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:19:37 GMT

Simple answer is it depends what you use. Fish out some old bills and put the info into a comparison site.

We knocked our personal electric bill down by 20% keeping the same supplier. It depends what you use as to who is best value.