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

You do not need a smart meter plan if you have a smart meter. Our smart meter is still on a standard 24 hr plan.

Are people with smart meters finding their electricity usage seems to be greater than when they had their standard ye olde electricity non smart meter?

I'm hearing a few people saying their consumption seems to be up month on month with last year and previous years since they've got it.

Maybe not the biggest issue but we switched recently and have been told that we'll be billed for both gas and electricity at the same time every two months whereas Bord Gais used to bill me one per month on alternative months. Just one to be aware of but could be standard practice in the market. It's the same amount of momey ultimately but the double Bill at the height of the cold season will be a big one.

Good to know. Aside from that are you finding overall price cheaper given the quoted rate on bonkers even tho the bill itself is larger combined?

I cant comment through experience but I'll be avoiding these smart rates for as long as possible. I dont like the idea of paying more for electricity between 5 and 7pm as thats when Im cooking dinner and I might be using the oven and hobs for an hour or more.

For those who dont cook during that time or that arent even home between 5 and 7 then it should work out cheaper overall.

If what was replaced was a very old mechanical meter, the meter was likely under reading significantly due to worn springs.

When you sign up for a 12 month contract and it says 33% discount, etc. Are the rates at the time of signing up fixed for the 12 months or just the discount from their standard rates? So if they put up the standard rate during the 12 months, your rate will go up too (with the 33% off)?

Discount is fixed amount but unit cost and fixed charges can increase.

How does the standing charge compare?

What was the annual standing charge with Energia & what is it with Airtricity?

It is not very easy to figure out what last year's actual switch date is ? I have looked through emails and it seems I signed up on 16 July but my first bill with Airtricity seemed to have run 5th of August till 26th.. Does it really take 3 weeks to actually switch ?

Anyway - on the switcher sites Bord Gais now comes up as cheapest for me with unit rates that are about 5% lower than the second best - Electric Ireland.

But...

Electric Ireland prices are as of 1 Aug, they recently increased their prices , whilst BG prices are as of 1 May- when they last increased their price ( and EI also had an increase 1 May)

So one could hazard a guess that BG will have another imminent rise in the cards - of probably a bit more than 5% or ?

These price hikes really make this infuriating yearly exercise even more difficult..

ah balls my Energia contract is up soon and I was hoping to just ring up and retain the 41% discount like a poster here did around a month ago. Will have to go deal hunting now.

Thanks, I'll try giving the sales line a ring rather than the general customer service. Would prefer not switch but only if they let me retain the 41% discount off the standard rate. I had a look at Bonkers and I can get SSE Airtricity for around about what Im paying now on the discounted Energia rate. Only problem is both Energia & Airtricity are likely to jack up their rates soon as their last increase was April/May respectively. At least it looks like the Govt. will be lobbing us a further 200 euro off our bills in October so that will take the sting out of it somewhat.

Have noticed standing charges across the board have gone bonkers. 280 a year is now considered cheap with some companies charging just shy of 400 a year. Two years back my standing charge was 128 for the year with Glow Power. Would love to see an explanation from the Energy Regulator as to why standing charges have more than doubled in the last couple of years.