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

babyducklings1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119526711#Comment_119526711

Here’s an example of what happened a pensioner, metre not read in over two years and bill shot up to over three thousand euros. The arrears were then charged at the current unit rate. Shocking. Can’t understand why they can’t come out and read the metre, especially when we pay so much.

https://www.thejournal.ie/pensioner-electricity-bill-5750364-Apr2022/

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119526884#Comment_119526884

Two years unread, and the mention of a card, would indicate the meter is indoors and the readers weren't let in. So they did come out to read it; and weren't let; and no alternate arrangements were made. This is not the networks fault, at all.

My meter has been read twice in the 10 years I've had this house. The meter in my holiday house was read once - by sheer chance - in three decades when my parents owned it (it now has a smart meter). I just submit readings myself.

Physical readings (for electricity) will mostly be a thing of the past quite soon due to smart meters. I don't know about gas - my gas meter is a remote read meter but I still get estimated bills so they obviously aren't doing remote reads.

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119526884#Comment_119526884

Estimated bills can be avoided by submitting the reading yourself about 56 to 60 days after your last bill date.

Shauna677

https://www.bordgaisenergy.ie/campaigns/best-dual-fuel?gclid=CjwKCAjw3qGYBhBSEiwAcnTRLl7PbnBGMo2x5um8yioaeJU6L8Do_6IiXzxKtZUg9a9RbDxDT4vwFRoCjXEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

cant beat that offer

walterking

Interesting that they don't say the age of the pensioner!

I'd bet €1000 she's under 70 and a belligerent old cow.

Naughton is known for his cheap publicity stunts

babyducklings1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119526893#Comment_119526893

Yes you are probably right the person wouldn’t let them in or were away. It raised an interesting point though about the revised bill being priced at the current unit rate even though all the electricity had not obviously been used at that unit price.Another reason for people to submit meter readings at every turn.

I do think some people are not clued in about reading the meter though.It will be more important than ever this winter with the way prices are going. With my provider it’s about ten days before the bill is due that I need to submit the reading. They also have a facility where you can pay any amount online in advance so that when the bill when it arrives is at least partly paid.

I don’t have gas but am surprised that even with the smart meter the bills are estimated. Whatever way you look at it things are going to be tough this winter I’d say.

Drumpot

How exactly does this 33% offer work with airtricity? So they can just put up their prices whenever they want , so your 33% year one offer means nothing ?

Im with bord gais and had just signed up to move (what’s the cooling off period?) to airtricity. So if I cancel and stay with bord gais and they move up their prices the seem as airtricity how am I any better off?

callaway92

Officially that is now 5 (five) price rises from Airtricity since Jan 1, 2021

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119526884#Comment_119526884

because they are not granted access. I had a tenant who moved out after 10 years, their final bill was about 10k as they had being ringing in meter readings of about 50kwh per month. So when it comes as real read the true usage came out.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527638#Comment_119527638

Yes, you basically have to make a 12 month decision based on a snapshot in time. The provider can and will increase prices from the day after you join them, and you’re effectively stuck for 12 months.

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527638#Comment_119527638

You are still getting 33% discount on the new unit price which is likely to be a better deal than paying the standard unit price being charged by your previous provider (assuming they didn't offer you a discount to stay with them}.

Cooling off period for online sign up is 14 days. Most providers charge €50 if you break the contract outside cooling off period.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527638#Comment_119527638

Yeah thats basically whats happened with Airtricity, I switched to them Monday with the 33% off discount on unit rates and by today they had walloped that out of the park with a 35% increase on electricity.

The cooling off period is 14 days so Im going to bide my time and see which other companies arrive with their price increases next week. I had a missed call from Energia today so they want my business back. I might even re-sign with them but then surf another 14 day cooling period and see the state of the market then. Whatever happens one thing is for certain, we're getting reamed.

dinneenp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527653#Comment_119527653

How?

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527933#Comment_119527933

Because they can

wheres me jumpa

Same boat, literally just signed up for them from Electric Ireland.

suirway

I agreed a new contract with Bord Gais for electricity about a month ago. During the week I received an email from them claiming that they made a mistake in their rates - the rate they gave me they say was wrong. They have now put me on a new much higher rate that I would never have agreed to. I have a screenshot of the rate I agreed to and signed up to. I have complained and am awaiting a response. What are my options? Surely they have to agree to the rate I signed up to? They made the mistake so why should should consumers have to suffer? They have given me €30 credit to apologise! I reckon this won’t cover a month of the new rate.. advise be grateful

Dubstar07

Check out the CRU website and lodge a complaint. If they won’t stand over the original rate, then contract is null & void I would think

SuperBowserWorld

Need to switch. Being really lazy about this.

Thought airtricity was green energy or something.

What a joke.

The whole switching every 12 months thing is like a circus, but we clowns have to participate. Bullshit to be a"loyal" customers.

I don't drive much and have had 2 second hand cheap cars between me and my partner over our lives. Fly very rarely. I've done my green bit.

Being loyal, green, prudent is a joke here. Best to burn baby burn and get lots of cheap credit.

The entire system is based on bad debts.

suirway

Thanks, I have already done that. I am awaiting a response from bord gais which they have 10 days to do. Joke..

KildareP

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119528064#Comment_119528064

Double whammy for me, got the same rate error email from BGE after signing in June. Corrected rates are exhorbitant and when I complained they released the contract term on me as electricity contracts are variable rate contracts (to be honest it would have paid to pay the €50 break fee but feck them making any more money off me).

Switched to SSE during the week who were only about 1c more in the difference of BGE "incorrect rates" and now those SSE rates are going to be as bad as the correct BGE ones!

At this stage, Electric Ireland's 24-hr smart tariff is far cheaper overall compared to the mad day and peak rates of BGE or SSE without the hassle of having to shift usage around to night hours (joined up thinking there) and my hope is EI hiked rates recently so although I suspect another hike it won't be to the same extent as BGE or SSE.

Holding off reverting to a day/night meter as supposedly they are starting to migrate day/night meters onto smart meters shortly - wait and see how that pans out as smart to day/night is free but apparently going back to smart again is not...

Drumpot

When does the cooling off period start? Is it the day you sign up on bonkers or the day you get the official docs to show it’s switched?

breeno

I'm a month or so in with Airtricity so I'm outside of the cooling off period. Given the rises should I consider sucking up the exit fee and go somewhere cheaper? Obviously other companies will increase too but I'd hope not as much.

namloc1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119526198#Comment_119526198

I've done all that. Been switching every year for years. Literally cannot find a better deal than my current one. The best I can find is €112 more.

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119528164#Comment_119528164

The date you initiate the switch.

Sam the Sham

The Energia EV plan (not at all clear you have to have an EV) is by far the best deal for anyone who sees further price rises on the horizon. €0.27 day and €0.079 night including VAT. And those unit rates are fixed for the duration of the contract. In a context of 35% increases that can be imposed at any time, it’s a no brainer.

I have no connection with Energia other than as a customer.

Drumpot

Would it be better then to cancel the switch and wait and see what happens with other providers?

dinneenp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527940#Comment_119527940

I don't get you. How is it only officially a 5% increase since Jan 1st, 2021?

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119528300#Comment_119528300

There have been five separate SSE price increases since January 2021. These are the previous four

Drumpot

He, I just looked over my aitricity switch deal and I was going to cancel but

electricity 20.42 versus my current with BG is 30.34

Gas 6.04 versus my current with BG is 9.02

Even with a 40% increase the rates would be lower then my current rate.

Am I missing something? Do we think all other providers will push up their rates which sort of still makes this offer worthwhile?

Gooser14

Why would anybody opt for a Smart Plan given the unit prices quoted at the link below:

https://www.sseairtricity.com/news/sse-airtricity-announces-price-change-in-response-to-sustained-increases-in-wholesale-energy-costs-26aug2022/

Moving2017

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119529753#Comment_119529753

I’ve found this across a Lot of companies. The rate for a smart tariff during the day is a good bit more than the standard rates which negates any potential benefit of cheaper rates at other times.

TheDriver

I found the same re smart meters, the old meter plans are better unless you do a lot at night eg EV charging.

I note on bonkers that after SSE increase, they're not a lot more than bge which is cheapest at mo

Sam the Sham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119529916#Comment_119529916

Even though the Bonkers listing for SSE says they've taken the 1 October price rise into account, the rates they are showing don't reflect that, only the annual cost. After 1 October the 33% discounted day rate is €0.33/kWh. The night rate is €0.2048/kWh. In other words not competitive until everyone else puts up their rates.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119528204#Comment_119528204

You should hold tight on Airtricity until the week before the actual 35% increase comes in to effect (October 1st). By that point all the other companies will have put up their prices too and you can see if there are any better deals about. Then do the maths on your annual usage and figure out if paying the 50 euro contract exit fee is worth it to go elsewhere for cheaper unit rates. If you're an above average user it likely will be with the only caveat being that we could see another round of price increases in January or at least that is what they are predicting will happen in the UK.

KeRbDoG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119528164#Comment_119528164

I just kicked off a switch 2 days ago to SSE and I'm now gonna cancel the move with their 14 day cooling off period. Will stay with Electric Ireland and shift to a different tariff with them and see what others do with rates.

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119531277#Comment_119531277

It will be interesting to see whether EI offer you anything other than their standard 5.5% discount. Keep us informed.

delly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119529753#Comment_119529753

But no one (should) be on those rates, the smart meter plan is discounted by 33%. I'm on it and it's quiet good if you can get your washer/dryer/dishwasher on the go before 08:00 or after 23:00. But the new peak rate is bonkers, even with the 33% discount.

2forjoy

My energy supplier advised me to stay on 24 hour . Smart meter does have cheaper units from midnight to around 7am. But nobody in our house is going to stay up all night to use washer , dryer , dishwasher , boil kettles , cook in the oven .

So smart meter is useless to us and mainly used only for automatic meter readings .

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119531423#Comment_119531423

But the Smart Meter day & night unit rates are higher than the day & night unit rates with the standard Day/Night meter. However, the Smart Meter standing charge is lower.

With my usage figures the Smart Meter plans work out dearer than the standard Day/Night meter charges notwithstanding the difference in standing charges.

Jarhead_Tendler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527653#Comment_119527653

Almost half the amendments of R Troy. Impressive

delly

Here's the other thing, when I signed up and had a smart meter, I had no choice but to select a smart plan.

leaveitwithme

Just switched to Bord Gais electricity only plan. It looked the best deal in the market but having doubts after finding this thread, current provider is electric Ireland and we are on the value reward plan, current rate is 0.2580 with annual standing charge €302.92

We don't really do the night rate or smart so best kwh rate and standing charge is important. Bord Gais is 0.2017 with annual standing charge of €281.12

Is this the right move ? I still have 14 days cooling off but just having some doubts, like I'm missing something

Sarn

There is no requirement to move to a smart plan, we’ve had a smart meter for over two years and always stay on a standard plan when switching.

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119532819#Comment_119532819

Can you opt for a Day/Night price plan with your smart meter or are you limited to the 24 hr pricing plan?

Gooser14

I see fro the Sunday papers they are talking about the need to introduce a "blackout levy" of about €45 per year. So they they are scrapping the PSO levy and now talking about introducing the blackout levy.

SnuggyBear

Who has the lowest standing charge?

Sarn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119532841#Comment_119532841

Not something I’ve checked out. We’re on a 24 hour plan.

KeRbDoG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119531466#Comment_119531466

They are useful for those who want to charge an electric car or have a heatpump heating system which can do the morning house warming and hot water tank filling during the night. Also, dishwashers can have start timers, along with washing machines and dryers.

TheDriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119532781#Comment_119532781

Im the same, might bide my time for a few weeks

Tango One

I only switched to sse at the start of the month it's criminal what they are doing. Have the biggest discount get people locked in and jack up the price.