Desperate, please can someone help

[Silentbarking]

Hi,

New here, have been reading the money forum, particularly the threads regarding energy bills.

I’m feeling so lost and don’t know how to deal with this mess. Is ignorance an excuse for being mis sold a very high tariff? Not sure where to start but I was on a very high tariff from March last year, desperate to leave but had no option but to go for a slightly less one (mere pence) and I feel completely trapped. Had I understood last March I would never have accepted those prices. There’s nowhere to go now is there?

I thought most of the tariffs were similar now.?
Ours has gone from 200pm to nearly 500pm

I'm not very good at any of this and I'm always asking for help, but is it not capped? Are you in the UK on a household tariff?

What are you paying? Most trafifs are all the same price across the board, it's going up again on the 1st April by 40 percent:

Ignorance is not a get out, no. You would have to prove you were mis sold to have any legs here. I didn't know is unfortunately not a defence.

And like @FavouriteSlippers my bill has increased massively since 2021 it has gone from £77 to £150 to £240 and now £350 per month and we have been frugal and spent most of the winter cold.

@SamBeckettslastleap some people would have paid to fix at a price higher than the cap. All the fixes I was offered were way higher and I can imagine some people signed up without understanding.

What are your charges like (units and standing charge) compared to the standard variable tariff that most people will be on? Is there an exit fee for your tariff?

Unless these were extremely high then the energy price guarantee would bring these down to the same as everyone else.

British Gas for example, at the moment allow you to switch to the standard variable tariff without exit fees if you are on a higher fixed tariff.

Hello and thank you for your replies. I don’t know how to respond individually so will reply here. I was with an energy company that was being taken over and panicked so moved. Since March 2022 my tariffs were: elec - day rate 49.862P standing charge 44.270p. Night rate - 32.608p. Gas - 17.951p. Standing charge 27.490p. They ‘estimated’ my annual cost - elec + gas = £3,053.73. This is from paying £79.00 per month direct debit and always being in credit with my previous supplier for 15 months. I am very, very frugal with everything.

Same. Was 90 to 130 to 160 and now 275

forgot to say. I live alone in a two up two down semi detached house.

Dh and night

You have economy 7?

Prices are higher daytime

Get off that tariff and go on a normal one

Blondeshavemorefun. How? I was desperate with these prices so moved to Utility warehouse in December who took £400 down payment. If I leave I lose that money.

The utility warehouse prices are a mere few pence cheaper. That’s what I mean, I’m trapped forever now.

No you're not trapped forever. Why would you lose £400? What kind of down payment was it?

Rosiesinthehospital. They said I had to pay £400 upfront, £200 for elec and £200 for gas to join. I hardly saved on the tariff but was so desperate to leave the other company. I sent email after email to the other company to get my meter checked, to query the bills etc., I got nothing back. The customer service was awful, so intimidating, bloody nasty men. I just couldn’t take it anymore.

There are no cheaper tariffs anywhere anymore. I missed the boat when I was locked into the other company. It all feels so awful.

If you switch to another supplier you may have to pay an exit fee (likely to be £75 for elec and the same for gas, but you will need to check your specific tariff info). Any credit balance on your account, so whatever remains of your initial £400, will be transferred back to you. They can't keep it.

Utility warehouse was the cheapest I could find though. Do you know of any cheaper tariffs please?

You haven't missed any boat. There are no cheaper tariffs at all, that boat sailed long ago, you haven't just missed anything with this recent change. I had a fixed tariff that was good value, but it ended in March 2022 and I went onto the standard variable tariff because that was cheaper than any fixed deals. All the available fixed deals for the past year or so have been more expensive than the standard variable tariffs.

When ai was with bulb I paid £79 pm and was always in credit. I know the prices have gone up but that went from that to £245.00 pm. My summer bill was £450.00. I never use my heating in summer! Something isn’t right.

Why are you on economy seven. Do you have storage heaters?

Prices have gone up significantly, hence the government enforced price cap and the government enforced monthly rebate. What you need to check is your actual usage if you want to compare this year with last year, not the amount you paid. Your bill for each month will show your usage, and that's what you need to look at.

I'm assuming that you are sending in regular monthly meter readings, or have a smart meter?

sambeckettslastleap - this is the straw that broke the donkeys back. I’ve been so cold, too afraid to put my heating on. Took all the advice, wearing 3 layers. Using torchlight. I’m literally camping in my house. For these prices? .