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Gas and Electricity Prices

Yes, if many more fail perhaps the government could take them all under it`s wing and call them, say, Electricity and Gas boards.

I suspect the Tories will let it bottom out completely then some of their Bullingdon Boys and pals will step in with a nice juicy incentive to save the UK energy market. Remember, Team Boris need to extract cash from the UK public purse somehow. It’s like oxygen to them!
 
Update on our transfer to British Gas
Set up a direct debit - when I did so it said the monthly amount would be £131, when they confirmed a few days later they'd set it up at £209.45 which was meant to go out on the 9th of this month. Logged onto my account online - it said that £209 was paying too much gave me the option to reduce the amount but that the initial payment would still go out at the higher value. Changed the amount to the one they suggested - it then said this was too low. Unable to contact them by phone or chat so thought I'd wait for the first amount to go out and then readjust. That payment still hasn't been taken. Checking my bank account there is a DD set up for British Gas but showing as unknown amount and date. Today I got a letter dated the 18th " You're move to us is nearly complete, We've set up your payment as quarterly cash/cheque as we haven't been able to set up your direct debit. But you can set up one right away" Check the online BG account and DD showing as set up. Still not able to get through to them by phone or chat.
We had a smart meter installed by the supplier before last - for PE we just submitted a monthly reading - BG said the smart meter was compatible for them. But latest meter readings on the online account are dated the 27/10 and one of them is an estimate. A bit worrying is that it gives the consumption on the Electric as equal to the total meter reading.
 
" You're ......move to us is nearly complete, .....We've set up your payment as quarterly cash/cheque as we haven't been able to set up your direct debit....... But you can set up one right away"

What a shower; can't write correct English either! I'm a shareholder too (in shame). Still, can't be as shambolic as (the late) Bulb. Suggest you let things settle down but keep regular (monthly (?) meter readings. If the dd is showing on your acc't, they've set one up; haven't yet put in an amount, which might be variable. With fixed periods, the amount is also fixed unless you sufficiently exceed or undershoot your normal consumption. You'll be covered by the cap, however that works.....!

It'll all come out in the wash; even with B.G.
 
One of them, Pure Planet took over the supply to our new place without our authority and we had a devil of a job getting them to relinquish the account. They refused to respond to the existing legitimate supplier and it had to be escalated to the regulator. They had signed up a neighbour then mistakenly attributed it to our close address.
 
I'm with OVO on combined Gas & Electric. Last year, on a fixed contract, I paid £143 per month & was always in credit, in fact, towards the end of the contract, we reduced the direct debit. This year (before the big increase in gas prices), they offered another fixed contract at £158, which I accepted. Recently though they have increased the direct debit to £174, whereas I though I had fixed the price for a year. I'm still in credit btw.
 
Apparently we have £310 credit. As long as we don’t get British Gas I don’t really care which bunch we end up with.
I doubt you’ll go to any of them for some time.
The govt are running bulb for the time being.
 
This year (before the big increase in gas prices), they offered another fixed contract at £158, which I accepted. Recently though they have increased the direct debit to £174, whereas I though I had fixed the price for a year.

Don't follow this. On a fixed contract, the monthly dd is pre-calculated, so should not change unless usage increases considerably beyond the norm. If you're in credit, maybe it's an idea to check that your kWh rates haven't changed, because that's the fix in a fixed contract.

Having set up a new 24 month fix with Octopus in September, I still wonder if going on a variable rate which is covered by the cap would be better. Trouble is, I've no idea how this cap works, as it's supposedly calculated on average usage (or not?) However, we are not high users of energy, and the supposed security of a regular monthly outlay together with the increasingly parlous nature of energy costs make me stay as I am.
 
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The govt are running bulb for the time being.

Doesn't seem to influence their incessant badgering (by automated phone as well) for a small standing charge amount for a flat I've recently sold. I've written that they should respond to my emailed complaint about appalling service connected with the demand before settling, which of course I shall have to eventually. They were an absolute shower nearly 2 years ago in a void period but at least they did acknowledge that and paid compensation. This time around, the shower seems more precipitate (understandably?).
 
I am with OVO on a fixed deal that started way before this energy crisis. It is still working swimmingly - the app works, the billing is correct. I will use more energy this winter as I am not well and need to keep the house warmer for longer than usual - but we can cope with that. So far though we are still in credit after the summer build up.
 
I'm with OVO on combined Gas & Electric. Last year, on a fixed contract, I paid £143 per month & was always in credit, in fact, towards the end of the contract, we reduced the direct debit. This year (before the big increase in gas prices), they offered another fixed contract at £158, which I accepted. Recently though they have increased the direct debit to £174, whereas I though I had fixed the price for a year. I'm still in credit btw.
That was my only issue with OVO when I was with them, their tendency to automatically adjust up my monthly payment even though I was already comfortably in credit. Eventually they turned it off for my account after I had a little moan at them, asking them what was the point of having the facility for customers to adjust their own monthly payment and then overriding it constantly! I was happy to build up a small credit buffer but beyond that really just wanted to cover what I was using, and no more. I was on a variable deal though.

Back to the present day, my switch from Igloo to EON seems to be grinding its way forward. I now have an EON account and they've taken a previous reading I gave to Igloo for my opening reading with them, and I've set up a DD etc. but I've not yet had a closing statement from Igloo (if there is to be one). My Igloo account remains accessible so I can still see the balance (well in credit), though that should reduce quite a bit when they account for the final/closing readings.

It's a slow process!
 
Don't follow this. On a fixed contract, the monthly dd is pre-calculated, so should not change unless usage increases considerably beyond the norm. If you're in credit, maybe it's an idea to check that you kWh rates haven't changed, because that's the fix in a fixed contract.

Having set up a new 24 month fix with Octopus in September, I still wonder if going on a variable rate which is covered by the cap would be better. Trouble is, I've no idea how this cap works, as it's supposedly calculated on average usage (or not?) However, we are not high users of energy, and the supposed security of a regular monthly outlay together with the increasingly parlous nature of energy costs make me stay as I am.

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/gas-and-electricity-prices.259330/page-15#post-4477498

Put in your relevant info., and compare with your fix.

However, as you have a fix, I'm not sure if you could switch to SVR (as opposed to 'rolling onto it' at the end of a fix)?

SVR is effectively a fix until 31.3.22
 
Yes, I will do that; I'll post an update once I've checked.

OK, so I checked my plan, phoned OVO & was told it was a mistake and that I could reduce the DD to £152! I opted to go back to the original DD of £158 & I'll keep an eye on it.
 
However, as you have a fix, I'm not sure if you could switch to SVR

No, nor am I, though there are no exit fees on my fixed account, so presumably I can leave, but internally switch under present conditions? Think I'll see how it pans out. The other way of dealing with this energy cost situation is to reduce consumption. Easy to say when the first blizzard conditions are looming but I've 2 drawers of unloved pullovers to be amorous to.

It is unusual for us to put the heating on before 5 pm, and then for only a couple of hours or so, though we're nearly always in situ. Marrying Eskimo Nell might have its advantages but I'm no Inuit.
 


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