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

So, all you smart folks out there, tell me if this is a bad idea. I have a day / night meter and I use over 95% night rate. Should I just request a smart meter and go with this smart plan?

Huge saving even over the just closed again community Flogas offer. There are a few catches:

1 if you go over 1000kWh per billing period, the rate goes up to 11.7c

2 only valid between 2AM and 6AM (not a problem for me, I can charge my car and charge my battery then)

3 can never go back to day/night meter

Sorry, I completely misread your post. I see what you're saying. Thats crazy it works that way.

No rush @fits. Using zero gas nor electricity at the moment and my current contract with Energia is not up until 29th August anyway

One big elephant in the room though: after years of heating my water fully and my home mostly or partly with electricity, I would have to go back relying heavily on gas. Money was that's ok as gas is a lot cheaper than last year. Environmentally wise: not good. Also I have plans to go heat pump in the near future, air to water mini splits so maybe a COP of 2 or so and if a lot of that would be on the higher electricity rate, it would cost me a lot more than gas...

Starting to roll out next month. Could easily be a year before I got one. Not going to wait for that unless there was more certainty on the time scale of the rollout.

And I expect day / night plans as we have now, will soon be a thing of the past and won't be offered anymore for anyone renewing who has a smart meter (either type)

Why do you think D/N plans will be abolished when they're specifically replacing old type D/N meters with a different smart meter to the ones that replaced the old 24hr meter. I thought by doing this they were safeguarding the position of the D/N customer.

The only reason they are doing it is that they can't force D/N customers onto a smart plan while they are still in contract. So they have to change the meter first, the customer can continue with their D/N plan. Until renewal. Then they can renew again with a new D/N plan IF those are still available. But nobody might offer them anymore in the very near future. That is my expectation.

I have had to chase up with them multiple times due to several issues with both gas and electricity. Initially the wrong rates had been applied, one rate was corrected. They said they’d been resolved and some still haven’t. Despite submitting a meter reading when applying for the new electricity rate they didn’t backdate it (they did for gas), meaning a higher rate was applied for over two weeks before the contract kicked in.

Did you tick the box to defer the cooling off period? I've changed providers several times over the years and the reading I gave was always used by the new provider, Flogas being no exception.

For gas, Flogas used Bord Gais last reading and my reading for first bill. Second bill is an estimated bill of 0kWh :) No joke.

Switched mid June and haven't got an electric bill yet.

I dont think its in the very near future. I don't think the plan would be to stop offering them and forcing people onto smart plans that way.

Personally I think the following will happen. The 24 hour plans will be at peak time pricing. The Day/Night plans will have the same night rate but the day rate will be peak time pricing.

People with D/N meters are not the issue from a grid perspective as they are likely to use less electricity during peak hours.

The plan is to get people on ToU tariffs in the medium term future, in my opinion.

No, my gas was switched in three days. I was already a Flogas customer.

If the peak rate on smart plans was the same as the 24hr rate or the day rate on nightsaver, with night rates being the same on both, you'd see a lot more moving to the smart plans. You'd also need the ability to move back to a 24hr/Nightsaver plan if desired but I don't think anybody would take them up on that offer

Tried to sign up to Yuno but balked when they tried to foist a smart meter on me. Their tariff looks just like an ordinary non-smart one on their site but when you try to sign up they insist on changing it.

I got my meter in about a month ago and my contract was up a couple of weeks later. They didnt allow me renew electricity plans with them except to go on a smart tariff.

Here's my email from Flogas on the subject when I queried moving to a non smart tariff:

Hello loup

It is simply part of the transition of the whole network to smart meters and all new applications and renewals that have smart meters installed must have smart plans applied. Our sales team can inform a bit better on the subject if you give them a call on 0412149555; I am sorry I can’t be of more help.

Kind regards

SalesPerson Name

Customer Service - Back Office,

Flogas Natural Gas Ltd.