Energy Comparison Sites

[Maroochydore]

I was looking at alternative energy suppliers today. I used the Which? comparison utility.

I checked my previous annual usage via an old spreadsheet knowing they usually ask one to enter such data.

Put the house address and current supplier in as requested and the various quotes came up as requested but instead of asking me how much energy I used, it was pre-entered. It was more or less the same as my spreadsheet figure for both gas and electric.

I was a bit taken aback. I can't believe it entered a random average figure so close to the actual figures so my usage data must be available somewhere, obviously with my current supplier.

So, do energy companies centrally share this data per address or is there something else going on?

[modellingman]

I was looking at alternative energy suppliers today. I used the Which? comparison utility.

I checked my previous annual usage via an old spreadsheet knowing they usually ask one to enter such data.

Put the house address and current supplier in as requested and the various quotes came up as requested but instead of asking me how much energy I used, it was pre-entered. It was more or less the same as my spreadsheet figure for both gas and electric.

I was a bit taken aback. I can't believe it entered a random average figure so close to the actual figures so my usage data must be available somewhere, obviously with my current supplier.

So, do energy companies centrally share this data per address or is there something else going on?

For gas there is something called the Gas Enquiry Service whose users can include price comparison websites. See https://www.xoserve.com/products-servic ... rvice-ges/

I am not sure if there is an equivalent service for electricity.

modellingman

[DrFfybes]

So, do energy companies centrally share this data per address or is there something else going on?

I think they do - I had the same thing last time I did it.

Did you actually get any savings? - All I could see is they were all bouncing off the govt cap and the only differences were the odd fixed ones, which were all more expensive.

Paul

[Maroochydore]

Did you actually get any savings?

Short answer is No.

However I did find one supplier - can't remember who now - whose units rates were only slightly more than my present deal but their daily standing charge was much lower (something like 36p v the average 56p for electric) however the kicker was they included boiler cover insurance at £20 per month and it was not optional. That made it much more expensive.

[Dicky99]

Based on Cornwall Insights latest forecasts energy unit rates will fall next quarter, 19% in the case of electricity, but for people who are low energy users the benefit is entirely eradicated by the criminally high forecast 31% increase in the electricity standing charge.

So someone who can't afford to put the heating on at all will face a hike in their bills whilst someone who can afford to heat their dwelling toasty warm will get a saving.

Why is their not more fuss made about this progressive injustice?