My electricity bill has just tripled: how about yours? Alternative suppliers?

[Micky D]

All Starmer has to do is give some vague pro eco statement and you lot will vote for him in droves

 

[Puddy_Tat]

 

[two sheds]

if only there were some right-wing climate-change denying politician we could all get behind

 

[WouldBe]

Although (onshore) wind and solar are the cheapest forms of energy.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/911817/electricity-generation-cost-report-2020.pdf

page 25

They should put one in the HoC. Plenty of wind in there.

 

[teuchter]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the standard of edgelord trolls we get nowadays is very poor indeed.

Since when did anyone ever at any point say "By jings! the standard of edgelord trolls just now is actually pretty good"?

 

[SpookyFrank]

Since when did anyone ever at any point say "By jings! the standard of edgelord trolls just now is actually pretty good"?

It's a fundamental human failing that we never truly appreciate anything until its gone.

 

[Storm Fox]

There is no mess , armageddon is not happening its not round the corner or on the horizon yiuve been sold a pup

So you are a human caused climate change deiner
What about covid and the antivaxx movement?
Flat earth?
Freedom of the land?
Chemtrails?
The Great Reset?
Ringo was a great drummer?
Where is it end???

 

[existentialist]

Im reading the comments thats whats altering my opinion on most of you

Always encouraging when someone is prepared to allow their opinions to be altered.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Just updated my gas meter reading on OVO's website, still can't do the electric, because they have an estimated reading of over 17500, when it's currently on just 14270, so I've e-mailed a photo of it, FAO the lady in the complaints dept., that I spoke to 3 weeks ago.

Further to our conversation on 28th March 2022, I attach another photo of my electricity meter, taken this morning and currently showing 14270, which is up just 136 since the last photo was taken and sent to OVO on the 21st of March.

My three monthly bills from OVO have estimated my monthly usage at 375, 355 & 291, based on the crazy estimates they inherited from SSE, so basically more than twice my usage.

Also attached are my last 8 bills from SSE, the first four were sane estimating usage between 402 & 586 per billing period, a total for the year of 1937.

Then it went mad with bill no. 5 estimating usage at 2201 for just 3 months, more than my entire use the year before! Then bill no. 6 at 973, no. 7 more sane at 422, then another whopper with no. 8 at 1086.

It's so clear where it all went wrong, I can't believe it takes so long to get something so simple resolved, anyway they only have 4 more weeks now, before I contact the energy ombudsman if required, I wonder if they will get their act together with SSE in time.

 

[Leafster]

When I hear of a discrepancy like this it's usually the heating.

I spoke to them over the weekend. Although they weren't sure of the split between gas and electricity it does seem as though they have heating on higher than I do so I think you're right. There's is also 'all or nothing' rather than the zoned heating I have.

 

[StoneRoad]

I spoke to them over the weekend. Although they weren't sure of the split between gas and electricity it does seem as though they have heating on higher than I do so I think you're right. There's is also 'all or nothing' rather than the zoned heating I have.

I was wondering if it was down to differences in heating regime ...
See what happens to their consumption with the better [ha!] weather in the next few months.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Our electricity supply crapped out on Friday morning. After a whole day of them attempting to fix it they gave up and wired us up to a generator. The generator is still there, has run out of fuel twice now, and there's no news on when the normal power supply will be sorted. This is in the middle of a city.

If you go to report a power cut they keep telling you don't phone your electricity supplier, because all they do is sell you the electricity they don't own or maintain the infrastructure. At which point you start to wonder if maybe they're not really 'electricity suppliers' at all but just completely useless middlemen.

 

[WouldBe]

Our electricity supply crapped out on Friday morning. After a whole day of them attempting to fix it they gave up and wired us up to a generator. The generator is still there, has run out of fuel twice now, and there's no news on when the normal power supply will be sorted. This is in the middle of a city.

If you go to report a power cut they keep telling you don't phone your electricity supplier, because all they do is sell you the electricity they don't own or maintain the infrastructure. At which point you start to wonder if maybe they're not really 'electricity suppliers' at all but just completely useless middlemen.

Not sure if it's the same in your area but round here (under western power) you can dial 105 to report power failures.

 

[Elpenor]

Not sure if it's the same in your area but round here (under western power) you can dial 105 to report power failures.

Wp also have an App which does the same

 

[WouldBe]

Apparently 105 works anywhere in the UK.

 

[two sheds]

Unless you've got no mobile reception and your landline stops working when there's no power

so I bought an old phone that works when there's no power

 

[passenger]

I'm with bulb I was paying @ £1.25 per day, for electricity, so not to
bad its a small one bed flat, built in the 80`s I am now paying @
£2.60 per day about £40 a month extra living on your own its
worrying.

 

[cybershot]

Boss of collapsed Bulb Energy criticised for £250,000 salary funded by taxpayers

Labour MP asked if it was ‘morally justifiable’ for taxpayers to be funding salary of Hayden Wood

www.theguardian.com

 

[SpookyFrank]

Not sure if it's the same in your area but round here (under western power) you can dial 105 to report power failures.

Crap phone signal here and no wifi calling without wifi. Also the western power website is down more often than it's up. I have thus been forced to become one of those people who talks to customer service via a public twitter thread

 

[CH1]

Just updated my gas meter reading on OVO's website, still can't do the electric, because they have an estimated reading of over 17500, when it's currently on just 14270, so I've e-mailed a photo of it, FAO the lady in the complaints dept., that I spoke to 3 weeks ago.



My three monthly bills from OVO have estimated my monthly usage at 375, 355 & 291, based on the crazy estimates they inherited from SSE, so basically more than twice my usage.



It's so clear where it all went wrong, I can't believe it takes so long to get something so simple resolved, anyway they only have 4 more weeks now, before I contact the energy ombudsman if required, I wonder if they will get their act together with SSE in time.

A brief aside on Ovo - I got dumped on them because my previous supplier (Economy Energy) failed - in 2019.
I had a bit of a war with them, they wanting me to have a ludicrous DD even then - but I paid monthly on an own meter readings.
They twice tried to get my gas meter changed, and when I wanted to switch to another supplier they only allowed this after I sent in photos of my meter readings.

I didn't much like Ovo - but my current supplier Shell is not much better.

Shell seem to think I should be paying them £258 per month combined gas & electricity.
I don't know if they would accept quarterly in arrears on actual readings - like we used to do before switching & estimated direct debits.

I'm beginning to envy people who never switched in their life and still have British Gas and EDF.

 

[Cat Fan]

A brief aside on Ovo - I got dumped on them because my previous supplier (Economy Energy) failed - in 2019.
I had a bit of a war with them, they wanting me to have a ludicrous DD even then - but I paid monthly on an own meter readings.
They twice tried to get my gas meter changed, and when I wanted to switch to another supplier they only allowed this after I sent in photos of my meter readings.

I didn't much like Ovo - but my current supplier Shell is not much better.

Shell seem to think I should be paying them £258 per month combined gas & electricity.
I don't know if they would accept quarterly in arrears on actual readings - like we used to do before switching & estimated direct debits.

I'm beginning to envy people who never switched in their life and still have British Gas and EDF.

I'm also having issues with Shell and their ludicrously high DD estimate since they took over my supply. I don't think their estimate works properly unless you've already been with them 12 months. My current DD is too low but Shell won't let me change it to less than their estimate. What to do? Ignore?

 

[StoneRoad]

I'm also having issues with Shell and their ludicrously high DD estimate since they took over my supply. I don't think their estimate works properly unless you've already been with them 12 months. My current DD is too low but Shell won't let me change it to less than their estimate. What to do? Ignore?

Have a go at working out what you think the DD should be.

Then stash the difference somewhere so you won't spend it !

 

[Cat Fan]

Have a go at working out what you think the DD should be.

Then stash the difference somewhere so you won't spend it !

I'm wondering if it's worth making a lump sum payment to stop the deficit getting too large.

 

[StoneRoad]

I'm wondering if it's worth making a lump sum payment to stop the deficit getting too large.

Possibly - depends on how your supplier deals with such things.
and whether their admin system is efficient / effective.

If interest rates were better ... what I used to do was pay into my savings account at least monthly for rates, gas & electric, and draw out quarterly or whatever to pay the bills. I got the benefit of "some" interest as my payment quarters weren't quite the same ...
If the reduction for DD is greater than any potential gain by interest paid ... then the idea is a moot point.

 

[Chz]

A brief aside on Ovo - I got dumped on them because my previous supplier (Economy Energy) failed - in 2019.
I had a bit of a war with them, they wanting me to have a ludicrous DD even then - but I paid monthly on an own meter readings.
They twice tried to get my gas meter changed, and when I wanted to switch to another supplier they only allowed this after I sent in photos of my meter readings.

I didn't much like Ovo - but my current supplier Shell is not much better.

Shell seem to think I should be paying them £258 per month combined gas & electricity.
I don't know if they would accept quarterly in arrears on actual readings - like we used to do before switching & estimated direct debits.

I'm beginning to envy people who never switched in their life and still have British Gas and EDF.

British Gas are responsible for the most heinous customer service I've ever received in my life.
Ovo have been fine. Noticeably not as responsive since they swallowed (or attempted to anyhow) SSE. They were actually quite good before then.

 

[muscovyduck]

British Gas are responsible for the most heinous customer service I've ever received in my life.
Ovo have been fine. Noticeably not as responsive since they swallowed (or attempted to anyhow) SSE. They were actually quite good before then.

British Gas are good if you only engage with them by recorded delivery snail mail, and text. Takes a wee bit of back and forth while they try and get you on the phone but if you keep pushing back against that they back down.
That said I'm bearing a grudge with them from a few years ago before I learnt that trick and am going to switch as soon as I get the chance.

 

[MickiQ]

I'm sure we all have different experiences and different hates.
British Gas have given me excellent service however Eon who I used to be with were frigging hopeless

 

[CH1]

British Gas are responsible for the most heinous customer service I've ever received in my life.
Ovo have been fine. Noticeably not as responsive since they swallowed (or attempted to anyhow) SSE. They were actually quite good before then.

I have a friend who was on SSE and does not like the way Ovo are managing him as an SSE customer.

 

[CH1]

I'm also having issues with Shell and their ludicrously high DD estimate since they took over my supply. I don't think their estimate works properly unless you've already been with them 12 months. My current DD is too low but Shell won't let me change it to less than their estimate. What to do? Ignore?

Dunno. I have it on my "to do" list to plot the electricity and gas bills over the last year so I can see where we're going.
I was minded to cancel the DD and pay as I go - like I did with Ovo.
Some Sunday School teacher-like Director of Regulation at Octopus Energy claimed the energy companies are "entitled" to charge a £40/quarter service charge if you do do that.
None of the MPs at the committee hearing quibbled as far as I remember.

Ocvtopus didn't poach the Cheif Exec of OFWAT for nothing!

Octopus Energy appoints Ofwat CEO as director of regulation and economics

Octopus Energy has announced the appointment of Ofwat’s Rachel Fletcher as director of regulation and economics.

www.current-news.co.uk

 

[cupid_stunt]

I have a friend who was on SSE and does not like the way Ovo are managing him as an SSE customer.

Well that's me too, I know the problem was originally caused by SSE and that OVO has taken over a complete mess, but that's their problem not mine, I first contacted OVO on the 11th Jan., so still waiting now on it being resolved is simply not acceptable.