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Gas and Electricity Prices

I think you missed my point, Funk. I was given the 24 m fix, but it starts only when my current 12m fix ends. Surprised this option, which would be a win-win situation for you, wasn't either available or (as in my case) automatic.
Ah, OK yes I see what you mean. My quote was only valid for a few days and for immediate switch; I guess the fact they wouldn't defer the start date to the end of my current fix speaks volumes about their potential concerns re. volatility.

Running out the existing fix and locking in the next would've been, as you say, a win-win for me but I think I've made the best choice with the options that were available today.
 
Bugger - had confirmation from Eon that my switch has happened, this was a couple of days ago.

Just heard the morning news, my previous supplier has gone under taking my account credit with them - I was up by about £175, blx.

Obvs it's upsetting for everyone at the company - I could still with the £175 in my account rather than the administrators.
 
Hassle with a credit of £175 is annoying but price rises will be a much bigger headache. My fix expires early Dec. We have an edwardian semi, 6 bedrooms, 4 floors. Current cost £211 per month. New 12 month fix £433 or variable at £344. Will prices ever come down again...they could be used by the government to scare us into ground source heat pumps.
 
Thanks @Sue Pertwee-Tyr I think that's the case if the firm collapses and you're still a customer, then you're protected.

I actually initiated my switch a couple of weeks back and switched a day or so ago - they keep the money in credit to pay the final bill if that makes sense?

As I'm no longer a customer, I imagine I'll be back the queue behind creditors :(
 
We used to burn surplus wood in our living room fire but this hasn't been done for a decade as my wife thinks it a faff to clean out and probably unhealthy from a pollution p.o.v., though we always had the window open (necessary to assist draught anyway)

This winter would be ideal to reinstate an open fire as we still have plenty of wood, assuming a chimney sweep isn't needed. I there any real concern about the negative breathing effects I've read about over the years? Admittedly this mainly concerned wood-burning stoves if I remember.
Reading that New Scientist article put me right off anything like that.
 
Thanks @Sue Pertwee-Tyr I think that's the case if the firm collapses and you're still a customer, then you're protected.

I actually initiated my switch a couple of weeks back and switched a day or so ago - they keep the money in credit to pay the final bill if that makes sense?

As I'm no longer a customer, I imagine I'll be back the queue behind creditors :(

I was with Avro, and had £200+ balance. Seems this will be refunded by Ofgem, not applied to any transferred account.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/n...n-ceases-trading---here-s-everything-you-nee/

Not sure who I will end up with? I hope it's not Scottish Power, they were dire when I was with them, and a pain to sort correct meter readings when leaving.

Think I will look to switch to the beast variable rate with another supplier as soon as I can (maybe stick to a big one for now), then hope by spring prices may have settled so fixes make more sense?
 
Hassle with a credit of £175 is annoying but price rises will be a much bigger headache. My fix expires early Dec. We have an edwardian semi, 6 bedrooms, 4 floors. Current cost £211 per month. New 12 month fix £433 or variable at £344. Will prices ever come down again...they could be used by the government to scare us into ground source heat pumps.
Surely you mean air source.
Most of us don’t have enough land to sink a ground source heat pump.
 
Another Avro 'victim' here. I renewed with Avro new fixed price 30th May 2021 as after using comparison sites they were still the best option of anything but new and unknown companies with no feedback history.
I used Moneysavingexpert's 'Cheap Energy Club' to find the best deal. I had initially used this tool when I moved to Avro in 2019.
My deal that started in May was already a £13 / month DD uplift then. I was at the time in credit so wasn't too happy to have this uplift.
Their website is no longer accessible (unsurprisingly I guess) so I cant find out how much credit I have exactly and will have to rely on ofgen / whosoever takes over my account to provide a truthful reflection of my credit. Do I trust them? Who knows, but whatever happens we are all (well mostly) going to get 'burned' (pun intentional) by this.
I used Avro's website to check my statements but never downloaded them - perhaps I should have done. Hmm hindsight!
I dread to think who will be taking over - I got rid of British Gas who were completely useless so hope it isn't them.
 
We have an Edwardian semi, 6 bedrooms, 4 floors. Current cost £211 per month. New 12 month fix £433 or variable at £344.

Okay, Clive, you have a large multi-roomed house but it's not detached. I find those figures (£211 p.m. & doubled for new contract) amazing. Admittedly with only two inhabitants (but always occupied), I currently pay £58.56 p.m. for dual fuel (going up to £90 odd) on my nearly expired 12m fix with Octopus on my detached 60s 3 bed house and am in credit.

I've decided to take the view that I've been underpaying for quite a time in order to ameliorate the shock of rocketing prices. Helps a little ! :)

I hope it's not Scottish Power, they were dire when I was with them

Initially via Sainsbury's Energy about 15 years ago, I was with Scottish Power for about 14 years and noticed their decline in latter years. Before I went with Octopus, I went onto their website to check renewal options and was so totally confused by the myriad accounts, some of which seemed identical, that I gave up. Just giving meter readings quarterly involved negotiating the log-in process.

Not for Octopus, which send you a monthly email with meter reading link; simple ! Unlike Scottish Power, I'm now able to log monthly consumption and costs via their clear and accurate invoice' email the next day.

However, they phoned me twice in July and August with some super cash-back deal; maybe I should have listened, as they didn't call back mid September as requested !!!!;)
 
My MIL recently moved into a retirement appartment and I have had to take over the existing Electric supply (no gas). Its with Eon from when the apartment was built (not been previously lived in). Thought it would be easiest to just take the account over (with suitable meter readings) but it was a nightmare.
OK so I understand that I am not really allowed to speak for her but just wanted to take the account on. Well after discovering that Eon were not the supplier (it is Eon-energy) after an endless wait on the phone I tried the new number and got the same useless automated phone voice that I had initially had from 'Eon'. 'Tell me more about your reason for contacting us' New account I say. 'Sorry I dont understand that can you repeat it' New account I say. and so it went on for several questions until the voice finally said they were putting me through to someone who can help me. Great! Yeah right. Now an Indian voice in an obviously busy call centre starts asking me for details etc. and when we got over that not insignificent hurdle she then told me that they were having system problems currently and I should try again tomorrow - two hours waisted! This was beginning of September too. Anyway I tried again the next day and this time I was told immediately that I should try again after the weekend frustratingly. Well I left it until the Tuesday and the systems were still down. I finally got through on 10/9/21 and was again confronted with issues that I wasn't the account holder. Yes I said but we just need to take the account over and yes they could send out a letter of authority for my MIL to give me access. I did say that she was 86, had never (nor ever will) used a computer or even a mobile phone so I was helping out. They took all the details including the meter readings and said they wouldn't progress until they had written to the MIL and had confirmation. In the meantime, they started emailing my MIL (on the email address I had given them) about setting up the online account. The emails also stated that this was an 'online only' account so pretty useless for the MIL unless I drive it!
Well I checked this morning and I can access her account but there was no initial meter readings. So I had to contact Eon-energy by phone today to check they had received the letter of authority. Well same old process talk to the 'voice' and wait until I got through to a human. Finally got it sorted so gave them the initial readings plus the new readings they had also requested. What a hassle!
 
Okay, Clive, you have a large multi-roomed house but it's not detached. I find those figures (£211 p.m. & doubled for new contract) amazing. Admittedly with only two inhabitants (but always occupied), I currently pay £58.56 p.m. for dual fuel (going up to £90 odd) on my nearly expired 12m fix with Octopus on my detached 60s 3 bed house and am in credit.

I've decided to take the view that I've been underpaying for quite a time in order to ameliorate the shock of rocketing prices. Helps a little ! :)
The £211 includes some “catch up”. The true average has been around £160 to £180 pm. High ceilings, cellar to heat, open chimneys, it’s 4,000 sq ft. It’s expensive but moving house would cost more…I am however £512 in credit but this is to be expected going into the winter.
 
@Mike Reed - I owe you a virtual pint Mike; following your comment, I called Octopus and they've appended the new fix to start at the end of my current one so I have the best of both worlds. If prices come down again by Dec I can switch, if they go up I've managed to lock in at the best rate available currently.

Win-f'kin-win! Cheers fella!
 
I can't work out quite what I should do at the moment. I'm with Igloo who seem likely to be one of the next to fall, but if I make the move to changes suppliers now and then Igloo go bust before the switch has been completed, where does that leave me? With an interim supplier until the switch is complete (I can foresee complications over meter readings and who owes what to who), or could the switch to my chosen supplier even be cancelled? I'm almost tempted remain where I am and wait for Igloo to fall and be allocated to a new supplier, and then look to change again once that first stage is complete. I've already submitted a new reading, downloaded a bunch of statements and taken various screenshots of my account (currently comfortably in credit), just in case.

Any further advice?
 
I can't work out quite what I should do at the moment. I'm with Igloo who seem likely to be one of the next to fall, but if I make the move to changes suppliers now and then Igloo go bust before the switch has been completed, where does that leave me? With an interim supplier until the switch is complete (I can foresee complications over meter readings and who owes what to who), or could the switch to my chosen supplier even be cancelled? I'm almost tempted remain where I am and wait for Igloo to fall and be allocated to a new supplier, and then look to change again once that first stage is complete. I've already submitted a new reading, downloaded a bunch of statements and taken various screenshots of my account (currently comfortably in credit), just in case.

Any further advice?
I have heard that Igloo has gone under. The consumer advice chap from Radio 4 said wait until it collapses and your bill and any credit will be moved over to a new supplier and when you leave them you can get your money back
 
Mike Reed,I owe you a virtual pint Mike; following your comment, I called Octopus and they've appended the new fix to start at the end of my current one so I have the best of both worlds. If prices come down again by Dec I can switch, if they go up I've managed to lock in at the best rate available currently.

Win-f'kin-win! Cheers fella!

Good 'eavens and thanks. Not used to being useful (in Off-Topic, anyway). Does show that Octopus are flexible, which they need to be to survive, which I really do hope they do. The thought of being thrown onto the mercy of the big six is unthinkable.
 


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