Gas and Electricity Provider

[Misscf81]

Hi, my partner and I are in the process of buying/moving house, and I have started to look into utilities and make a list of what I need to do (any tips appreciated). The vendor of the house we are buying is using Octopus for her gas and electricity - however we are using Scottish Power in our one-bed flat.

What is the best thing to do? Stick to who we are with or change to who she is with? Also we are paying £156 a month for a one-bed flat - that seems high - we are moving to a 2-bed house, but with a cellar that will be used as an office - will this be double? What do people pay so I can compare?

Also, what are the best G&E suppliers to use?

Thanks!

I switched from SSE to Bulb and my monthly bill dropped from roughly £220 pcm to £160ish. I've been with them over a year now and there have been some minor adjustments (not all up either) but it's consistently much cheaper.

If you do go with Bulb, they have a refer a friend scheme where both you and whoever refers you get a £50 credit so ask around your friends and family to see if someone can refer you before signing up.

Octopus are highly recommended by Which. Scottish Power are very much not.
So I’d stick with what’s already there (much less bother too)

We’re with bulb - approx £100pm for 3-bed Victorian mid-terrace with attic bedroom, combi boiler. Yours sounds very high (but we do keep the thermostat quite low)

If you know your usage you can compare on various sites. I use money saving expert and whatever comparison sites. They recommend.

Would also recommend bulb, good customer service, good prices. I'm paying less than £30 per month for electric on a three bed house (but heating is log which is separate) , with myself and two kids home all day.

Which scores.
Octopus is one of 3 recommended providers.
Scottish Power right at the bottom!

you take over her account with Octopus when you move in. Then you run a comparison and look at ACTUAL UNIT RATES and ACTUAL STANDING CHARGES to see what the relative costs are. The 'you could save xx' is babble as it assumes you are on the standard tariffs which are usually the most expensive.

comparison of payment is pointless as circumstances vary so much. You are probably on one of those super-expensive standard tariffs - when did you last switch? What are your rates?

That said I've just switched to Octopus, they just about came out cheapest (beyond the real fly by night firms) because of the £50 they paid me to join them. And their flexible tariff is cheaper than their fix.

don't expect this to last so I'll be gone within the year. I am electric-only so my prices are still going up.

Octopus has better deals than bulb who are now one of the dearest.. Yorkshire energy is now the cheapest supplier.

One of the best things about bulb IMO is that it has just one tariff - that’s one of the reasons I switched - it’s dead simple to understand! (Also their billing is nice & clear, & their electricity is “green”. And if you can get a few £50 referral payments it brings your bills down nicely!)

I just did a comparison thing & Octopus has loads of tariffs at different prices

yep, just one tariff - and in my area one of the most expensive.

the comparison engines make it all reasonably simple once you set it to 'savings compared to last year' and not the mendacious standard figure.

then a look at the actual unit price and standing charges makes it even simpler. These take a little finding (deliberately hidden) but they are there.

no such thing as green electricity. Onshore wind only happens because of massive subsidies, wrecks forests and neighbouring communities and needs diesel backup. Solar farms have enormous pollution and disposal issues. Coal and gas obviously are not low carbon. Nuclear power is the best bet but there are disposal issues with the fuel.

don't fall for the greenwash.

“but there are disposal issues with the fuel”
Indeed there are.
& that’s not the only issue, is it.
How do present & future wind subsidies compare with Hinkley C, present & future?

www.theguardian.com/news/2017/dec/21/hinkley-point-c-dreadful-deal-behind-worlds-most-expensive-power-plant

I prefer the non-nuclear options, present & future, thanks.

look at the actual unit price and standing charges makes it even simpler. These take a little finding (deliberately hidden)

This is bulb’s pricing page.
You put in your postcode & it gives you your unit tariff & standing charge.
They don’t do a very good job of deliberately hiding it

bulb.co.uk/tariff/?gclid=CjwKCAjwte71BRBCEiwAU_V9hwFVc1qfUQEYqqHPl86gzkfXp1_rVuWV2nEVi6qSEEGB0ip2-MZb5BoCkRQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds