We've been lax over the past few years but got a horrible shock when we opened the latest electricity bill. :( Spurred me into action: last 2 years of electricity and gas bills dug out and analysed. Wow! 5%+ decrease in gas and electricity usage but 25%+ hike in billed costs. Interestingly current (for the last 4 years) supplier of gas and electricity (Southern Electricity) has never bothered to tell us that if we'd even opted for a 'dual fuel' rather than separate 'standard' rates for our gas and electricity supplies, we'd have cut our costs considerably. We therefore feel fully justified in switching to another supplier, having found out that we'd save more than £300 per annum by so doing. Just wondering why the hell we waited so long to do it and whether anybody else has had the same experience.
checking with any of the switching sites is a good idea 8)
Hi Lish, yes totally agree (now!). I used Which?, being a member, but then got similar results from www.energyhelp.com and www.uswitch.com. Just wish I'd done it a few years ago :)
It's remarkably easy to switch and hassle-free.....all the paperwork, setting up DDs whatever gets done for you......would urge anyone to go online and have a browse.
I switched and now I wished I hadn't.
Cost me £400 in arrears before I could switch (I know I know, keep up with the payments) and I'm now caught in a fixed scheme for lordy knows how long and fuel prices are apparently dropping.
If you're going to jump, then jump, but make sure you do your homework and try and work out all the figures before you do (no mean feat).
I now know that if you're a regular household, having a standard charge is preferable as the no-charge accounts are better for homes that use next to nothing i.e. holiday homes.
It's all a big con anyway.
Our costs have doubled in 2 years.
Can't switch because we're on a non-standard regime for the off-peak heaters.
I was quite shocked when I got my autumn gas bill, which was for essentially 2-3 weeks of the heat on a bit in November. So I've been living in a wooly hat, jumper and blanket on the sofa. :) A big ol' tray of candles can help heat a room remarkably.
Fortunately I don't have to pay electricity, my landlord covers that because we only have one bill covering his office and the flat (but there's no gas usage in the office), but I'm always very good at turning off lights, etc anyway. But it's frustrating not being able to find a better tariff because I only have one utility! They all seem to be dual-fuel.
Tina.