Energy suppliers

[jackdaww]

I am looking to change from Extraenergy , whose customer service has been found wanting.

alternatives showing up are Octopus , People for places , and GB .

Any experience of these , or other good suppliers is welcome.

many thanks.

. -

[88V8]

I'm with Scottish Power, who were fine until I needed my meter moving. Months of chaos ensued, during which it became apparent that they have outsourced their spannerwork to Interserve, by whom it is woefully under-resourced.

I can't be bothered to change.
So I'm still with Scottish Power.
But I wouldn't recommend them if you live anywhere at all out of the way. Like most of Scotland.

V8

[Sussexlad]

Hi

So far I'm very happy with The Cooperative Energy people run by Mid-Counties Cooperative.
They appear intent on looking after their customers well. Only time will tell but so far so good.
Their website is a bit primitive though. I plan to stay unless their prices get too out of line.
Having said that, I've just switched my sister to iSupplyEnergy which was a decent deal for
the 12 months and so far the switch is going smoothly.

[quelquod]

I'm with GB Energy. Picked purely on pricing as they were cheapest at the time for a 1 year fixed deal. Not much of a website but you can enter readings on-line, read bills and communicate which is all I require. Switch (from Eon) was troublefree.

My only slight (?) niggle to date is that they notified me that my monthly payment was to reduce while they obviously had insufficient data to calculate it (and I know better ). Sorted I think but they're not big on feedback.

[newlyretired]

I have been with PfP (Places for People, not the other way round!) since March. I think that they had a very competitive offer at the time and signed up a lot of people so they started off being pretty slow to respond to queries, but better now.

I have an ongoing gripe that they insist on sending out an email "It's time to give us your meter readings" a week before the readings are actually due, and if you respond promptly then the readings you submit are pretty much ignored and they produce an estimated bill - this is something that they can't or won't fix.

newlyretired

[Midsmartin]

GoodEnergy apparently win awards for customer service, and of course are 100% renewable for electricity if that's a thing you like.
https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/about-us/o ... ys-awards/

[jackdaww]

.

thank you all for your helpful replies and info.

Of the smaller suppliers i have been with OVO and Isupplyenergy , both were ok but i found savings on shopping around.

Extraenergy were cheaper but poor practices - bumping up the direct debit without good reason and awful telephone response - i held on for one hour once before they replied !

so far i have found...

Economy Energy big savings but many bad reviews , and OFGEM have been involved.

Octopus competitive - some renewables - claim to respond by email within the hour - good reviews

Goodenergy more expensive - renewables - good reviews

I will look further at GB and placesforpeople (rwr) .

favouring Octopus at the moment.

[melonfool]

What is important to you?

We have Eon, they don't always come top on economy but their customer service is great.

They put our DD up from £56pm to £90pm when we were in credit. I got them on online chat and took about 5 mins to get it changed back (amid dire warnings of not being up to date...).

I have had other issues I have spoken to them about - you can easily get hold of them online, on Facebook or on Twitter.

Though, economy is more important to us and we've just come off their last deal so I am looking to move if we have to anyway.

Mel

[jackdaww]

What is important to you?
Mel

========================

finance is important - if i can save £100/yr , then why not - the electricity quality doesnt change...

but less hassle is very important - if that £100 saved costs me many man hours of time on frustrating communications.

typical issues have been --

direct debit bumped up so i am in credit - they have my money interest free .

after switching , continuing to debit my bank account .

delays in repayment of money owed .

poor communications by phone and email when having to chase them.

i will be leaving extraenergy on two of those counts.

sent an email to octopus this morning at 1130 - they did respond - well - within the claimed hour.

whether they will keep that up if there are issues i dont know.

.

[midnightcatprowl]

Goodenergy more expensive - renewables - good reviews

I am with Good Energy and they do have good customer service. N.B. They have good customer service rather than ultra fast customer service but I prefer getting a reply tomorrow from someone who read and understood my email than getting replies which are fast for the sake of being fast but display no comprehension.

[chas49]

What is important to you?
Mel

========================

finance is important - if i can save £100/yr , then why not - the electricity quality doesnt change...

but less hassle is very important - if that £100 saved costs me many man hours of time on frustrating communications.

typical issues have been --
...
direct debit bumped up so i am in credit - they have my money interest free .
...
.

Agree about the other issues being hassle! Just wonder if "them having your money interest free" is a real concern? With rates so low, how much does it really "cost" in terms of lost investment opportunity. Cash-flow might be more of an issue for some. And whilst the "principle of it" isn't always the best reason for having a dispute with a company, I can see that it's quite annoying when a company takes more of your money than they really need to

[jackdaww]

I have now signed up with octopus.

they dealt with my emails and a phone call well enough .

worth noting -- if you switch inside the last 42 days of your contract , ofgem dont allow a termination fee to be charged.

.

[quelquod]

And GB Energy has just gone bust!
I guess they couldn't service their low prices.
That's a bummer - not only will there be the hassle of changing again, but prices are well on the way back up.

[jackdaww]

And GB Energy has just gone bust!
I guess they couldn't service their low prices.
That's a bummer - not only will there be the hassle of changing again, but prices are well on the way back up.

Really? I was about to recommend them. We joined them when they first set up and were a little chaotic but it settled down OK. What is happening to the business, presumably our electric or gas won't be cut off?

=================================

there is no way anyone will be cut off .

if you were in credit you may have a long wait for your money .

it may be a good idea to take a meter reading today !

also perhaps cancel the direct debit ..

i'm not aware of one of these smaller suppliers failing before.

.

[quelquod]

Really? I was about to recommend them. We joined them when they first set up and were a little chaotic but it settled down OK. What is happening to the business, presumably our electric or gas won't be cut off?

Check the Ofgen site here

Code: Select all

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk

Apparently we will be transferred to someone else at Ofgen's discretion (likely someone expensive!) and left to sort it out afterwards.

[chas49]

Good idea about cancelling the direct debit thanks!

Martin Lewis is saying don't cancel the direct debit as it should be transferred to the new supplier. Also don't switch now before the transfer as it may delay the refund of any credit.

[Alaric]

Just wonder if "them having your money interest free" is a real concern?

I suppose not a major cost. But why not pay for your household electricity and gas the same way as you pay for the petrol or diesel in your car? Namely pay as you go.

[newlyretired]

But why not pay for your household electricity and gas the same way as you pay for the petrol or diesel in your car? Namely pay as you go.

...well the best deals seem to require a fixed monthly payment

newlyretired

[chas49]

Just wonder if "them having your money interest free" is a real concern?

I suppose not a major cost. But why not pay for your household electricity and gas the same way as you pay for the petrol or diesel in your car? Namely pay as you go.

A credit or prepay mater fits that analogy. Most people pay for household energy after they've used it....

[Sussexlad]

I suppose not a major cost. But why not pay for your household electricity and gas the same way as you pay for the petrol or diesel in your car? Namely pay as you go.

I think most people would find it better to budget a fixed amount throughout the year, rather than have great variation.