Switching electric/gas providers (see first post for links)

mailforkev · 20-10-2022 3:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119758986#Comment_119758986

It must have gone up half a dozen times in the last few weeks and is no longer fixed.

Thanks to the good people of this thread and the one in the EV forum, I was extremely lucky to scrape in at the 27.43/7.9 rates at the start of Sept (or one Liz Truss ago, if we need a new unit of measurement).

User142 · 20-10-2022 4:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119765710#Comment_119765710

Rang BG. They hadn't a clue what I was talking about with the OBS offer. They looked into it and said the exact same thing the email said which is smart meters are not allowed even if not on a smart plan.

20 minutes I won't get back.

And no smart meter plan works out anyway near as cheap as the 24H rates give the houses energy requirements in the evenings.

Smart meters are going to be a disaster for the average person.

Peppa · 20-10-2022 5:01pm

This might help to some of you. I rang Bord Gais who confirmed that my smart meter (which I knew) was not "activated" and therefore I can move to their standard tariff. The advice from CRU (who I rang first) is that you should be allowed to chose whatever offer you want once your smart meter has not been "activated". I get asked every time I log onto my current provider (EI) if I want to activate it but I have never activated it.

For those who got refused ring and check if your meter has been activated first and if not then go back to Bord Gais and ask on what grounds they are refusing as they don't have any legal grounds to do so if your smart meter is not activated. I also wonder if they are breaching any consumer leg by not giving you the option to chose on their website after you say you have a smart meter as all they redirect you to are smart tariffs and don't ask if it is activated or not. Thereby not giving consumers equal rights. CRU did confirm once you go smart you can't go back as you are moved onto a different system.

Cape Clear · 20-10-2022 7:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119771053#Comment_119771053

I believe it is in the EI terms and conditions that they can withdraw the cashback. Nobody has confirmed here if they actually go about clawing it back.

zell12 · 20-10-2022 8:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119772095#Comment_119772095

They do claw it back, it is added to your final bill

Bleating Lamb · 20-10-2022 9:36pm

Currently with Energia,plan runs out in next few weeks,was a ‘Smart Meter’ installed in last few months in house but to my knowledge it’s not activated yet.

Have I missed the boat on OBS deal with Bord Gais or is it possible to try and break deal tomorrow with Energia and go for the OBS deal if it’s better value.

Or was today last chance to get OBS deal?……if not how do I go about leaving Energia and applying for OBS plan?

Thanks for any replies.

con747 · 20-10-2022 9:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119772708#Comment_119772708

Offer still on OBS website. If your not on a smart plan just click no when asked. Not sure after that, others here might be able to help.

garlad · 21-10-2022 7:58am

Got a rejection email from OBS

“Smart offer is required”

what does that mean?

Is this only available to people with no smart meter?

that’s not clear at all is sign up

Cape Clear · 21-10-2022 8:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119772308#Comment_119772308

Proof please.

Gooser14 · 21-10-2022 8:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119773615#Comment_119773615

It's stated in their T&Cs.

Peppa · 21-10-2022 10:04am

Ring and quote MPRN to see if smart meter is activated. If it is ask by whom was it activated if you didn't have heard some suppliers have activated on behalf of clients. If it is not activated ring Bord Gáis about it as they cannot by law refuse any package offer (say spoke to CRU) if not activated. I have a smart meter that is not activated and rang them and made sure they knew they could not refuse me. I applied via One Big Switch then rang Bord Gáis to check meter activation yesterday. This morning got email to confirm setting up my account.

garlad · 21-10-2022 10:33am

Rang BG

they could tell me my smart meter was activated but not by whom.

I have never been in a smart tariff.

seems very unfair

21-10-2022 10:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774095#Comment_119774095

Ring ESB Networks, not the provider

garlad · 21-10-2022 10:47am

Rang ESB

She wasn't really sure what I was on about when I ask if she could check if my smart meter was activated.

They said if you have a smart meter thats connected to 2G and providers can receive meter readings then it is activated.

Is that right?

UID0 · 21-10-2022 11:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119769485#Comment_119769485

What was the cause in the delay between requesting the switch and the switch occurring? Usually, the switch is effective from when you request it and using the meter reading you provide when switching and the longest it has taken (excluding this year, when I moved to Energia at the end of August) is about 1 week. I move every year, usually requesting the move 1 year and 1 day after the previous move, and while some providers (EI included) have put an early termination fee in the final bill, when I call and complain, they cancel the charge.

L1011 · 21-10-2022 11:58am

Checked and I had 6 weeks left on my existing BGE -32% deal. Jumped on the OBS -33%, won't notice the saving now but I'm fairly sure there won't be a -33% available in December!

timetogo1 · 21-10-2022 12:52pm

I switched from SSE to Bord Gais using the OBS offer on Wednesday.

I got an email from SSE today offering 25% off electricity and 20% off gas. When I popped the numbers into my spreadsheet the OBS offer is still cheaper.

I just got a call from SSE asking me why I wanted to move. I told him I was moving to BG with the OBS offer. He asked me what the unit rate was. I told him I couldn't remember. He said, grand thanks, bye.

He didn't try at all to keep the business. I thought that was a bit weird. The companies don't seem too bothered these days about keeping the customers or maybe he knew he couldn't beat it and didn't bother. I'll probably switch back in a year anyway.

To those switching, put your numbers in a spreadsheet for proper comparison. Bonkers.ie don't seem to have all the rates and didn't (obviously) have the One Big Switch deal.

Bleating Lamb · 21-10-2022 4:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119773568#Comment_119773568

Did that rejection email come before or after an email saying your switch to OBS was complete from Bord Gais?

Am asking as we had a Smart meter installed in beginning of August but are on an ordinary plan with Energia. I rang ESB today to see if this Smart Meter was activated. The lady on phone said that the meters are automatically activated one month after installation so our Smart Meter is activated.I explained to her that I was hoping to avail of OBS offer and she understood the confusing thing about Smart Meters and BG offer.

She reckoned to apply for the OBS switch as while I have an activated Smart Meter I am still on an old style plan with Energia so I should not be precluded from availing of OBS offer.

I have applied and the Meter reading I put in has only 4 digits with Kwh beside it so maybe that or the MPRN will see Bord Gais reject me.....but for now I have successfully got the Bord Gais congratulatory email welcoming me and thanking me for switching provider.

Appreciate anyone's thoughts on whether my plan will go through or not:)

PS- Where can you check the breakage fee for leaving your last provider?......in my case Energia?

Gooser14 · 21-10-2022 5:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775873#Comment_119775873

In their Terms & Conditions available on their website. It was probably in the contract pack/email you got when you signed up with Energia.

”13.4 If this Agreement is for a fixed-term period (as specified in the Product Terms Sheet) and you cancel your service any time after the cooling off period and before the end of the fixed-term period, a termination fee of €50 per fuel will apply, unless otherwise specified in the Product Terms Sheet."

Wheety · 22-10-2022 4:53pm

Is the OBS offer over now?

con747 · 22-10-2022 4:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119779853#Comment_119779853

It's gone off the website so must be.

mailforkev · 22-10-2022 11:16pm

I was at a social event this evening where I ended up talking with a senior person from one of the largest energy companies in the country.

The first thing they said to me, after I jokingly mentioned switching as a crap ice breaker, was to under no circumstances move to a smart plan.

delly · 22-10-2022 11:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119781588#Comment_119781588

I think that cat's out of the bag for some time.

I've actually made my smart plan work pretty well with SSE, utilising the night rate for about a quarter of my usage. This months 2 month bill for gas and electricity was 315, and it's a 4 bed family home.

con747 · 23-10-2022 12:20am

What rates are you on with them.

delly · 23-10-2022 8:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119781750#Comment_119781750

See below. This was for August and September, with the bill issue date being 10th of October. I know the rates went up at the end of October and with my gas I have a new rate for the first few days of October, but there is no change for the electric which is interesting, so assume next months will be entirely at the new rate, but strange they didn't break it up on this bill.