Energy again - sorry - but a bit more complicated for me and I need help

[Graphista]

Partly I need help cos my maths is crap!

Situation is I am currently on prepay with a company that only does prepay and I wouldn't wanna stay with them anyway.

I think I can provide information on kWh energy usage from their data on me

Moving to a smaller place but similar building. I think I've found out who the current provider is.

With the energy price rises etc though I have no idea how to choose which company and which tariff to go with.

At the moment I am thinking to do a meter read when I move in and another a week later using everything as normal to get a baseline?

That will give me my kWh usage per week in winter I think?

Comparison sites are apparently useless at the moment?

And they always were for comparing prepay to credit anyway.

So can knowledgable/clever mners who know/understand this stuff PLEASE help me work out or signpost me to how I check prices to compare and what information I need to hand and what to look for etc I am SO confused at the moment by it all (as I'm sure many are)

I can't even check prices with the current provider to the new address as they only show them to existing customers! Wtf! I don't yet have an account with them will be calling them tomorrow

MSE advice is to stay on deemed tariff until prices can be checked?

I'm sure there must be energy industry people on mn - feel free to name change to help me I totally understand why you may want to do so in the current climate, pm if you'd prefer I won't out you in any way.

Just really need solid help/info on this as I'm on a low income and need to keep prices as low as possible - yea I know who doesn't!

I think that if you move to a new place, they have to accept you and they have to put you on the standard price cap. This is a variable rate.

You won't know your new usage - so it's going to be hard for them to work out what to charge you.

What kind of place is it and what heating etc does it have?
Electric showers or hot water cylinder?

That 1st paragraph - yea I knew that but I think I can only stay on that for a ltd amount of time?

Yea I know predicting the usage is really hard

It's a flat in a Victorian red brick so high ceilings, gch and electric shower no cylinder

@Graphista

That 1st paragraph - yea I knew that but I think I can only stay on that for a ltd amount of time?

Yea I know predicting the usage is really hard

It's a flat in a Victorian red brick so high ceilings, gch and electric shower no cylinder

You can stay on the price cap as long as you want as far as I am aware and leave when you want.

Electric showers are expensive if people have long showers.

Will it have a smart meter?

I would stick with whoever the current supplier is for now. You can stay on the standard tariff for as long as you want. I doubt you'll find any decent fixed rates at the minute, but once you have an account set up check what they can offer. Bare in mind the cap will go up again in October.
Once you've set up your account they may ask you some questions about your usage to estimate how much you'll use, or they'll base it off previous usage at that property.
Once you've been there a while, it can be adjusted based on what you a actually use.

@cakeorwine I don't mean the price cap I mean the deemed tariff which is what everyone is put on when they move house apparently

I don't take long showers and not even every day (disabled can't always manage it)

No smart meter but I have one here. I hate the prepay thing but I love the smart meter and app set up being able to check things without having to lug out a ladder and a torch and fanny about accessing awkwardly sited meters!

Can I request a smart meter at new place will that cost loads?

@Leftleg this is the thing apparently the advice at the moment (at least before 1 April!) is now to fix at the cheapest option available to you (but I dunno how to check this given the comparison sites have basically thrown their hands in the bloody air!) in order that you're still on a lower fixed rate when the rise in oct happens

Yep just checked - can only stay on deemed tariff for 28 days which isn't long really when you consider everything else you have to do when moving I've a ton of calls to make still changes of address etc

If I don't sort it sharpish I'm moved onto whatever tariff current providers decide to put me on which won't necessarily be the cheapest and may be the most expensive and from what I've read I'm then locked in for at least 12 months I want to avoid that

@Graphista

Yep just checked - can only stay on deemed tariff for 28 days which isn't long really when you consider everything else you have to do when moving I've a ton of calls to make still changes of address etc

You just move to the standard variable rate. There are no cheap fixes so its unlikely you will find a good one that beats the price cap rates per kWh

@dementedpixie You just move to the standard variable rate

Yes which you're then locked into a contract on possibly with early leasing fees if you find and wanna switch to cheaper

This is honestly maddening and maybe why the comparison sites aren't working - I've just tried to look at a couple of other providers to see what their tariff amounts are and again you have to ALREADY be a customer with them to view any amounts all you can see are the NAMES of the tariffs available

Why on earth isn't the govt making them display the prices?!

That's the very least that should be happening!

There are no cheap fixes so its unlikely you will find a good one that beats the price cap rates per kWh

I understand that - to a point - but they aren't all charging the same prices are they? So why aren't they making the prices public? It would at least give people SOME idea

They are charging crazy prices for fixed tariffs. There are no exit fees from the standard variable rate as you arent locked into a contract. I willshow you an example of the fixed rate offered to me from Octopus (I am declining it!)

In comparison the standard variable rates from Octopus (for me) are:

There's no locking in for variable rates.

When it comes to fixed rates, that's the 'fix': the price per kwh is 'fixed', and the length of contract is also 'fixed'. No contract for variable rates: rates can change, you can switch at any point (when another supplier will accept you; there's the difficulty at the moment). Your present supplier can demand nothing from you in the case of a variable rate except an end mater reading for settling up money due.

£4.5k!!!! Jesus how big is your place? Is it v cold? How many people in household?

I'm currently around £90 pcm for a 2 bed of the same style/type of building I'm moving into and that's on prepay. The new place is a 1 bed.

BUT I've not had ch on all winter cos it's only me, it's been a relatively mild winter and I'm pre/menopausal and tend to run warm these days!

Currently

Zero standing charge, but 1st 2 kWh per day are gas £0.21381 electric £0.3456 then after that gas 3.95 p and electric 20.04p

Supposedly going up the full 54% 1/4/22

Usage annually

Electric 2219 kWh

Gas 2812 kWh

I have no idea if my usage is high or low for one person.

Are octopus one of the ones going under?

@Precipice variable frightens me as can't it go up any amount any time?

See I'm hopeless!

The standard variable rate is covered by the price cap. My screenshots show what the price per kWh will be from April (roughly).

My house is not a mansion but the fixed rates are much higher than the price capped rates

No Octopus is not going under (as far as I'm aware). Are you thinking of Bulb?

@dementedpixie

The standard variable rate is covered by the price cap. My screenshots show what the price per kWh will be from April (roughly).

My house is not a mansion but the fixed rates are much higher than the price capped rates

I checked my prices from April and with my usage it works out as £1790 for electricity and £1169 for gas so £2959 in total per year

Variable can go up - not quite any time, since there's a necessary period of notice (hence why everyone got notified last months about changes coming in in April). Variable rates are the ones 'capped' by the 'price cap' (changed for October and April). Because fixed rates are for a longer period than to the next price cap, they don't have to be below the price cap.

Prices are currently high and we can guess that for October the crisis will continue and they will be increased again. If you think they will rise above currently offered fix rates, you might take the risk of fixing. Then you will pay more now and possibly later save on what you would instead have paid. Others say that because the fix rates offered now are so high, it's not worth it.

Plus we are a family of 2 adults and 2 teens in a 4 bed house in Scotland

Who is the supplier to the new place? Id think it unlikely they are allowed to make you move to a fixed or other tariff after 28 days...

You need to get put on the standard variable tariff. If the current supplier for the new flat won't keep you on one then move to someone who will. Octopus seem to be taking on new customers at the moment. Alot of the smaller suppliers won't- but depending on when you move I think that will release a bit on 1st April when the price cap increases.

You won't get lower than the price cap or much lower anyway - but if you are moving from prepay to credit then that will make a difference. From what I've seen you need to be expecting a price doubling from 1st April anyway - independant really of who your supplier is.

Whether you go fixed after that depends on your circumstances and how risk averse you are I guess. But there are alot of for and against that to weigh up depending on what you are offered.

Oh and yes you can ask for a smart meter whichever supplier you are on.

Standard variable tariff are variable (given the right notice) however the current situation means that the standard variable tariff are the ones hitting the price caps which are currently fixed till Oct 2022 - so in effect it is a fixed price till Oct '22.

If you go for an actual fixed tariff you will pay 30% or more higher in all probability.

The price cap from April is
Elec 28p per kWh plus 45p standing charge
Gas 7p per kWh plus 27p standing charge.

So on your figures
Electric 2219 kWh = 45p x 365 plus 2219 x 28p = £164.25 + £621.32 = £785.57

Gas 2812 kWh = 27p x 365 plus 2812 x 7p = £98.55 + £196.84 = £295.39

Which gives you a monthly charge of Gas £24.61 elec £65.46 total £90.07.

Which is fraction of what I pay and I'm jealous but hey.... I've no idea whether that's good for a flat. But do please check my maths!!

Do bear in mind though current rumour suggests up to 40% hike again in October which give we use 2/3rds of our fuel in winter months could see you paying £130 or even £180/£200 in October 2022...

but the fixed rates are much higher than the price capped rates

Ooooook I kinda thought these were the same thing?!

Are you thinking of Bulb?

Possibly

so £2959 in total per year

£247 a month roughly - I could NOT afford that!!

Prices are currently high and we can guess that for October the crisis will continue and they will be increased again. If you think they will rise above currently offered fix rates, you might take the risk of fixing. Then you will pay more now and possibly later save on what you would instead have paid. Others say that because the fix rates offered now are so high, it's not worth it.

I'm so so confused!

So what is it best to do does anyone know?

Plus we are a family of 2 adults and 2 teens in a 4 bed house in Scotland

I'm in Scotland too, both flats traditional Victorian tenements (I'm not sure non Scot's will understand what kind of building this is?)

The 28 days are up end of march, the advice SEEMS to be to find as cheap a fixed tariff as possible by 1/4/22 - which seems impossible to do when the energy companies are all only letting their current customers see tariff rates - seriously how is this legal?!

New provider is edf energy - I think - I haven't even been able to get that confirmed yet! Making a ton of calls again tomorrow (well tbh prob mostly be on hold again!) to confirm that

Is the thinking that on 1/4/22 the prices will be public and comparison sites will be usable again?

@LittleOwl153 I am VERY risk averse being on a low income (disabled and on benefits) I like to know exactly what I have coming in and going out and to keep costs as low as possible. Not a spender at all but as I'm mostly at home it not completely housebound then I need lighting at the very least.

Oh and yes you can ask for a smart meter whichever supplier you are on.

Is there a cost involved and does it involve a chap having to come out and change any equipment or fit any? Smart meter was already here when I moved in so I don't know.

Finding this all so stressful (I know everybody is with the price hike, but with the house move and my ltd budget etc I'm finding this particularly stressful)

If it helps I'm an EDF customer and they're not offering any decent fixed rate tarrifs. I'm staying on the variable and seeing how it goes.