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

Gooser14

So has flowgas confirmed that the offers you refer to will apply to you as an existing customer? Those offers normally only apply to new customers & not existing customers.

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168706#Comment_119168706

SSE (electric only) have similar unit prices and standing charges with €250 welcome credit https://sseairtricity.com/ie/home/products/switch-to-sse-airtricity/.

absolutegroove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119170636#Comment_119170636

I rang FloGas and said my contract with them was ending and that I was planning on moving suppliers and they offered me the deal over the phone.

Dual Fuel 40%/35% offer with €440.00 Bonus Credit (€220.00 for Gas and €220.00 for Electricity) - 1 Year Contract

Bonus credit remains on the accounts until it is used up i.e. it's doesn't expire

absolutegroove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119170724#Comment_119170724

That is correct but because I was on a Dual Fuel Offer with FloGas already I didn't want the hassle of changing one and not the other.

I had a bad experience years ago changing one part of a dual fuel offer and I just didn't want the possible hassle!

realdanbreen

My head is wrecked! I've just been on the bord gais website looking at the possibility of setting up a 12 month contract, electricity only. All I want to know is what I might pay per month based on my previous 12 months usage . There are no ev's, no electricity heating, I'm not growing cannabis in the box room. I have a smart meter but it's not active apparently. Help!

realdanbreen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118887256#Comment_118887256

I'm looking at a bord gais bill and I don't see "unit price " anywhere. Do they call it something else?

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119173161#Comment_119173161

but but, potential penny savings!!

Gooser14

If you input your usage details & other pertinent information (such as meter type, Rural or Urban customer) into bonkers.ie or switcher.ie you will get an estimate of your annual bill for several providers.

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119173663#Comment_119173663

It will probably be next to the amount of units used on the bill.

Gooser14

If it is a BGE electricity bill you are referring to then the unit price is shown under the "Rate" heading.

realdanbreen

So I've just come off the phone with a nice lady in bord gais .can this be true. She tells me that if I choose to go with the smart plan I can never come off it,even I change providers. I can never go back to a standard plan or any other type of plan. Is this true, it almost sounds illegal!

gotz

lol

switched to iberdrola from EI and now Iberdrola pulling out. Their stuff is being switched back to EI. Could not make it up

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119174901#Comment_119174901

She is correct https://selectra.ie/energy/guides/meters/smart-meters-ireland

absolutegroove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119173919#Comment_119173919

I’ll turn down the thermostat to offset the costs - lol

Gooser14

Just switch back to EI who are now offering 30% on their electricity standard unit price(s). Their current ex VAT charges are:

Standard 24 hr Meter

25.80c per unit

Standing Charge

Urban €249.59 p.a.

Rural €313.50 p.a.

Day/Night Meter

Day 27.56c per unit

Night 13.60c per unit

Standing Charge

Urban €327.04 p.a.

Rural €398.54 p.a.

PSO Levy €56.24 p.a. irrespective of meter type or location.

Roberto_gas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178332#Comment_119178332

EI with 30 is best out there i have compared everything and cashback is where u save some money. But if your usage increases its the same.

breeno

EI seem to have cheaper individual rates on electricity and gas than on their dual fuel offer by my novice calculations.

Has anyone signed up for both individually instead of a dual deal? My bord Gais dual deal is ending in next few weeks.

Moving2017

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176074#Comment_119176074

I don’t see where on this it says that you can’t sign up to a non smart plan after moving to a smart plan with one operator.

I see where it says you can’t swop your physical meter back but not the plans.

I have a smart meter over a year and am on a regular (non-smart) tariff.

Gooser14

Do you know whether you can choose a Day/Night plan where the smart meter is fitted?

Is it correct that if you use the automatic meter reading function of the smart meter then you can only sign up for a smart plan?

Moving2017

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119179964#Comment_119179964

My meter reads are automatically sent to my provider and I am not on a smart plan. I actually don’t think it’s possible for them to not be sent automatically!

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182776#Comment_119182776

I know someone with a smart meter and they still call around to read it

Cape Clear

Nasty sting in the tail here.

Thousands face ‘extortionate’ energy price rises after shock Iberdrola exit - Independent.ie

foodaholic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119179964#Comment_119179964

I haven't had my smart meter fitted - im on a Night saver plan

Apparently they haven't fitted any smart meter's for people on night plan

Del007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119194704#Comment_119194704

That's ridiculous, I'm not surprised though

olestoepoke

I was with Iberdrola for a year, then I recently about 6 or 8 weeks ago signed up for another year as they were offering a lower unit rate. I got a letter from Bord Gais telling me I'm now with them. I phoned them up this morning and asked what rate they currently had me on and what was the status of my contract.

They told me I'm under contract now for 90 days at their standard rate, which is a lot higher than the rate I agreed to with the Spanish company. I told them I was not happy with this and wanted to switch today and they informed me I cannot and no other provider will take me until the 90 days are up.

Now I'm not a legal expert but this seems illegal to me, surely under contract law if one party Fecks off, the contract is then null and void. This has to be illegal right? I wanted to switch to electric Ireland today they were offering a unit rate of 6.5 for one year sign up compared to Bord Gais standard rate of 9+ and a higher standing charge. How are they getting away with this?

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119195584#Comment_119195584

No legal expert either. What was the cancellation fee under the contract you signed with Iberdrola. Usually it is €50 and the refund of any cash back given as part of the deal. The 90 days moratorium seems odd but it may be a thing under the transfer of customer rules. It might be worth you while talking to the Bord Gais cancellation department if you can get hold of one of them. I have always found you get better deals from those guys than the sales guys they seem to have more scope to offer deals to keep customers.

zell12

You had the opportunity to switch from Iberdrola before 08 June.

The Regulator decided that:

All Iberdrola customers will automatically transfer to EI and BG, on Wednesday 8 June and will remain with those suppliers until 1 September, customers can then switch from that date to another supplier. Iberdrola customers can also switch suppliers up until Tuesday, 7 June before the transfer to EI and BG. Given the volume of customers transferring (approx. 32,000) the standstill period up to 1 September will allow sufficient time for all electricity, gas and dual fuel Iberdrola customers to transfer successfully.

Iberdrola customers will transfer to the suppliers on their standard variable tariff.

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119195776#Comment_119195776

Iberdrola didn't announce they were leaving until May 31st so basically their customer had only 4 working days to shop around. Surely you would think it should be about 14 days. Where was Charlie Weston etc. that this one seemingly slipped under everyone's radar.

The following note is on bonkers.ie

Since 8th June, Iberdrola electricity customers have been automatically transferred to Electric Ireland, who will contact you shortly.

Unfortunately it is now not possible to change your supplier until the 1st September, at which point you can switch to a different supplier of your choice, without paying an early exit fee, if you wish to do so.

This process has been implemented by the energy regulator, the CRU.

EI's tarrif is about €320 per year dearer than the cheapest for electricity only.

Fann Linn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196022#Comment_119196022

The regulator appears to be at fault here, but like all regulators in Ireland they appear to be totally useless.

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196051#Comment_119196051

Regulator is probably an incorrect term given the role seems only concerned with how the energy market functions in a somewhat competitive way with no attention given to customer grievance and redress. Given how much the cost of energy is impacting on all of us maybe it's an ombudsman type role that is needed.