60% of Mumsnetters have never switched energy supplier. Have you?

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Hi all,

We recently asked our Insight panel about their experiences of energy switching for collective bargaining site The Big Deal. We wanted to understand how you’ve found energy switching; if you’ve managed to save any money and, if you haven’t been able to switch, why not.

It turned out that 60% of the Mumsnetters we asked had never switched. The top reasons why not included:

1. It’s difficult to know what the best deal is over time, since offers are always changing
2. MNers are too busy to take the time to switch
3. Price comparison sites are hard to understand, with hundreds of options, tariffs, kilowatt hours, etc
4. Switching won’t make a difference because prices keep going up

In response, The Big Deal have created a site which they say is specifically for people who don’t switch, in order to make it easy for you to move providers. You fill in a simple form (which they say takes less than 60 seconds), then they go to work to find the best deal for you. More than 10,000 people have signed up in the five weeks since the site launched, and The Big Deal says that by negotiating on behalf of so many consumers at once, they’re able to offer the best savings, and offers that aren’t available on other switching sites.

If you’d like to try it, click here, and meanwhile, please do tell us what you think about energy switching. Is it worth the effort? How much can you/did you save?

In the meantime, what are your experiences of switching energy supplier?

Would not recommend utility warehouse, asked them for an accurate bill based on my readings and they point blank refused, very poor service.

Now with scottish power, no issues so far.

I've had bad experiences of trying to switch utilities of all sorts. British Gas were abysmal and needed constant chasing not to mess up tariffs and payments. We simply do not dare change phone/broad band again after being repeatedly cut off or left without connection, which happened with BT and with a small supplier.

I switched once, to Scottish Power when they had a very good deal, now each time my deal comes up for renewal I ring them up and ask to be put on the current cheapest one again, which is normally within about £50 of the cheapest on the comparison sites. I have a spreadsheet and check the tariff rates against my actual metered usage so there's no "Did you know we could save you on average £200 Madam?". They have been OK with the direct debit amounts so far. It still takes a couple of hours to sort it out each time.

I WOULD say, do check insurance though. I have halved my house and car insurance by changing provider in the last 12 months. Is there anything left to switch?

I've switched loads of times - can remember being with British Gas years ago (just for gas) & someone else for electricity (Norweb maybe? which changed to Powergen?)

Have also been with ecotricity & Ebico

Currently with Scottish Power who I'm quite happy with re meter readings, understandable bills, changing tariff etc.

Have had few problems switching providers.

I'm signed up to a thing with moneysavingMartin where they email when I can save more than £x by switching again, & I did get an email from them recently but hadn't time to follow through then - must look into that again...

We switch every time the current fixed rate comes to an end. Our energy bills have not risen significantly in the last three years. Currently paying about £600 a year each for gas and electricty for a 3 bed house with five of us living there.

We are paying '000s a year in fuel. Our supplier is utterly incompetent, and largely thanks to that incompetence we owe them several K too. Our bills are ridiculous. Apparently we cannot switch until we've paid the debt (that's what dh says) so we're stuck with numpties who get our bill wrong every month and who periodically forget to take the money even though we have had DD set up for years.

When we got married - 17 years ago - we were with BG. After some years we switched and we switched quite often; it was always a hassle and half the time we found we were paying our new suppliers and our old suppliers for a few months, then got refunded, yada yada yada.

We have had a few suppliers in the last 8 years, at this house, and none have been as idiotic as our current one. It will take us some time to pay the debt but then we'll be off.

After my edf 2014 price promise expired switching was not cheaper for any supplier, so much for competition.

I've just switched to a 100‰ planet friendly, future friendly energy supplier who isn't one of the monopoly companies and they are great! They are cheaper than British gas and if you join now. You will get £50 of credit on your account free! Use this link:

bulb.co.uk/refer/ashleigh8138

I switched to bulb and so far so good saving £30 a month and no contract or exit fee so no ridiculous price rises because they no you can just go. I also got £50 into my energy account when joining. If anyone is thinking about leaving feel free to use my link and get £50 credit in your energy account bulb.co.uk/refer/amber1101 (Don't be put of by smart meters it was still just as easy to switch)

Yes I have switched to cheaper suppliers and I checked the rates per kW before I switched. I also provide regular meter readings so that I keep tabs on what I use and what I pay. My supplier is a green from source of water and wind. All my switches have been easy, with no exit fees