Do you have an online energy account? Talk to E.ON for a chance to win a £200 voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

E.ON has asked us to find out about Mumsnetters' experiences with using online energy accounts.

Here's what E.ON have to say "Do you manage your energy online? We're keen to find out how we can make our online service more customer friendly, and tailor it to your needs."

So, do you have an online account? How regularly do you use it, and why? If you don't have an account, why not? Is there anything your energy company could do to entice you to go online with them?

Would you like to see an app for energy companies? If so, what features should it have?

Is there anything else that you would like to be able to do online with your energy company?

Everyone who adds a comment to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 voucher (a "Compliments voucher" - a multi-store gift voucher that can be spent at 130 retailers and 450 independent stores making up over 20,000 outlets nationwide).


Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

For prize draw terms and conditions please click here - by posting on the thread you are agreeing to these terms

[EstoyAqui]

One last thing, I promise.

I would like the app to identify a ridiculous number being input and warn you that this sounds wrong and should be checked. (I'm looking at you DH) If you are on 18975 and suddenly input 89751 it doesn't take a genius to know that this amount of usage is out of character.

[pussinwellyboots]

We have an online account with co op. Dh generally manages it and is very organised about it eg writing on the calendar when to input readings etc. I think it rewards us in points for giving our readings. We'd love an app with graphs and statistics about use and whether in credit etc.

[charlieandlola]

I have an online account with Scottish Power. I am one of those saddos who takes meter readings at the same time each Monday am.

I don't use an app but would love to be able to switch heating on/off via it without investing in a Nest.

Ability to swap to rollover products online wld be great ( and would have saved me hours in October)
Ability to ask for credit balance back would also be great.
Find SP usage tracker to be excellent - better than EOn sadly ( bet I don't win now as I have rated a competitor higher than the sponsor !)

[Willemdefoeismine]

We are on paperless billing but we now have so many online accounts that really it is beyond a pain having to go thro' the hassle of logging in etc...- can never remember which password is for which account...so instead of being a quick, seamless and paperless exercise it turns into a marathon... GRRRRRR

No can't say I've ever had a reminder from EON to do a meter reading...In fact they used to be very good at doing at least quarterly in-person meter-readings...the last one was virtually a year down the line from the previous one.....

An app would be brilliant!

[Flossiecrossie]

I'd love to see what energy I am using on weekly or daily basis and what it is costing me, rather than quarterly (when the meter readings are submitted). This would give me the chance to modify our energy use if I knew before it was too late.

[pocopearl]

We have tried to manage online with eon but its akways a polava with locking selves out of our accounts etc. So much easier still to do it by paper in our busy household. Love to see a user friendly app.

[MadamTwoSwords]

I am with NPower on prepayment. I also have the android app which is useful for doing monthly meter readings (I know it doesn't technically matter with prepayment but I was stung before on estimated readings so am in the habit)

What I would like is for the app to show me my usage without having to go out to the meter, check whats on and work it out.

There don't seem to be any "smart" gadgets for those of us on meters.

[micra]

I've very rarely used online energy stuff - mainly just to enter a meter reading rather than risk an estimated bill. Suppose I don't really care enough and am too busy to bother.

[deels]

yes we have an online account, we use it to submit meter readings and see our latest bills.

[Bubbles85]

I have looked at my energy bills online and input my meter readings using the online account. I use it about every three months to check my usage. Perhaps I would use it more if I was offered a discount on my account.

An app would be even more useful and I could use that to track our energy usage.

[strongurgetofly]

I have an online account and rarely use it partly because I don't understand the billing and the way that energy is measured.

I'd like to see an app for energy companies which clearly shows the value of energy used so that I can really work hard to save energy.

I would love clear and basic facts explaining how energy companies charge and this would enable me to make and informed decision about who is the best provider for me. At the moment they all seem to charge similar and charges are very confusing so I stick with the same provider because I don't understand the terminology.

[Lifeofatortoise]

I try and monitor our usage online and also use website to submit meter readings, recently they've added charts of usage last few years which shows we have reduced what we are using but paying more. I find that rather depressing as household income has decreased we've had to make cutbacks but still paying more.

[BreconBeBuggered]

I have an online account, which I use at least monthly to submit meter readings, book engineer visits etc. I only did it last year as it seemed the most straightforward way to freeze prices - TBH, I prefer to look back through paper bills for comparison. No interest in an app at all.

[Crumpledandcreased]

I have an online account and while it has many pros the main con is that I often forget to login and check it. I agree that an app would be useful as I would probably have it on my homescreen and therefore login more often.

I think that overall it is a good thing to move away from sending out paper copies of everything, from an environmental perspective and also as I hate filing paperwork!

[Uzma01]

Do you have an online account? How regularly do you use it, and why? If you don't have an account, why not? Is there anything your energy company could do to entice you to go online with them?

• My DH manages our energy accounts online. He uses it fairly regularly.

Would you like to see an app for energy companies? If so, what features should it have?

• Yes, should make it easier to input meter readings; flag up credit/debit amounts for the account. Also to provide any correspondence instead of posting letters.

Is there anything else that you would like to be able to do online with your energy company?

• A mechanism for web-chat to flag up issues instead of always having to call and potentially spend ages on the phone. (like O2 gurus.)

[c00k1e]

I have an online account but only use it for meter readings. Would love the capability to be able to see real time usuagr somehow. As would help me to decide whether to keep the heating down ;)

[narniasnarnia]

I have an online account - so much easier.
Yes would probably use an app if it came out.

[insancerre]

I am with eon and am paperless and do it all online.
i have the meter thing that monitors how much electricity we use.
it sits in the kitchen and i find it really useful to check when we are using the most energy, for example it shows how much is used during the night, so i know that DS has been on his ps3 during the night.
I submit my own readings and can see at a glance what my usage is.
I can also see how my usage has changed over the previous years. We have made loads of improvements, such as insulatuin, replaced windows and fitted a woodburner and this has menat my usage has decreased, although prices have gone up.

[xuntitledx]

I regularly use my Eon online account to manage my account and bills - always submit meter readings online to produce an accurate quarterly statement.

What I would like to see is a direct debit management tool. My direct debit is regularly adjusted but I find that it's usually under-calculated and the next quarterly statement shows a charge (sometimes of a couple of hundred pounds!) rather than a credit so I'd prefer to manage this myself.

[gladbags]

We have an online account, and I check it every couple of months. I have good intentions of submitting meter readings every month, but never actually do.
Yes, I'd like an app, with as many features as the web version, as long as it remains easy to use.

[MollyBerry]

So, do you have an online account? Yes How regularly do you use it, and why? I use it every three months to submit my meter readings

Would you like to see an app for energy companies? If so, what features should it have?
I'd like to be able to see my bills or just a summary on the app, at the moment the app I have is only for submitting meter readings

Is there anything else that you would like to be able to do online with your energy company?
I'd like to have all teh online functions on teh app, like seeing the usage graphs etc

[AngelieMumsnet]

Thanks for all your comments! The winner of the prize draw is InMySpareTime - congratulations :) I'll PM you for your details shortly.

[InMySpareTime]

Thank you