Gas/electric standard charge rip off

[laura2346]

Does anyone feel like they are being robbed by paying standard charges on their gas and electric.

Thought I was saving in the summer weeks untill I topped up and paid £6.00 standard charge.

This was because I hadn't topped up for 3 weeks.

 

 

I researched and there is a utility provider utilita.

They don't charge you any standard charge and you get a new smart meter.

Top up by phone/online.

I worked out you can save over £100.

A year just on standard charges.

Anyone joined them yet.

[ThedaBara]

When I complained about having to pay £1,500 a year for electricity, EON wrote back and said they had a tariff which would save me more than £400 per year... so I asked to be put on the new tariff and they wrote back and said, oh that tariff has been withdrawn now...

[removed]

TB

Edited August 12, 2016 by honeybee13
Pejorative term removed.

[colin11]

Standing charge has always been a bug bear of mine, During the summer months, More of my bill for gas is standing charge as apposed to gas used

 

 

As you can see from my last bill

[AndyOrch]

Thread moved to the appropriate forum..please continue to post here.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[unclebulgaria67]

Take a look at Ebico to see if they are competitive. They don't have a standing charge, but their tariffs may be higher, so you need to check whether it works for you based on your usage over a year.

[Stigman]

I have been moaning about standing charges for years, they say it is for the cost of supplying your home with electricity/gas that we purchase but...

 

Supermarkets provide us with food to purchase but do not charge an entry fee. Just one example.

 

Stigman

[Mr.P]

Take a look at Ebico to see if they are competitive. They don't have a standing charge, but their tariffs may be higher, so you need to check whether it works for you based on your usage over a year.

 

Doing a comparison of Ebico v Utilita for my postcode, Ebico are slightly more expensive per unit of energy. But as with all "zero standing charge" tariffs, the unit cost is higher than say EDF. If you are a moderate to high energy user, then neither Ebico or Utilita would be a sensible money saving supplier in my opinion.

 

Where they do win is if you are a low energy user or leave the property unoccupied for extended periods of time. Both offer a Pay As You Go service, although Ebico appear to have a much wider range of options when it comes to paying for energy used and you don't have to be on a smart or prepayment meter to switch.

[ThedaBara]

Take a look at Ebico to see if they are competitive. They don't have a standing charge, but their tariffs may be higher, so you need to check whether it works for you based on your usage over a year.

 

Some companies don't take part in the Winter Warmth discount… I am on (guaranteed) Pension Credits. TB

[Mr.P]

Some companies don't take part in the Winter Warmth discount…

 

It might be worth giving them a ring to see if/when they accept Warm Home Discount applications. Utilita are currently accepting applications on a first come, first served basis and Ebico have yet to announce their window.

[oleg]

some move from the big sharks to the minnows in the hope of a friendlier service; be aware, however, that u will usually be shunted back, for day-to-day administration, from minnow to shark, eg from ebico to sse.and if u achieve ur aim of a lower bill, sse write hideously nasty letters, triggered automatically by low readings, saying there is [sic] a fault in the meter, so they are coming to replace it .thereby hangs another cautionary tale but a bittoo off-topic for this thread.

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go to a comparison site such as "which? " that includes all providers, not just those that pay the site commission, or enter a google search for "utilities/electricity/gas" "no standing charge".

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if ur bills are moderate-to-high, u are unlikely to benefit unless perhaps u use no gas for one half the year and spend most of the other half on the turks and caicos rather than turkey and stuffing.

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advance warning : the CMA in its infinite wisdom intends to allow comparison sites each to arrange exclusive deals so that the consumer will have to compare the comparisons to find which is cheapest - in the interest of more competition, lol

[BendyWill]

Standing Charge is im sure the suppliers way of making a tariff look more attractive

for example:

 

if british gas is offering a rate of 4p per unit

and EON is offering 2p per unit with as standing charge of 27p per day

on the face of it EON is half the price!!!

 

not true it is all about your annual consumption for example:

if you are using 4000kWh a year

then BG = 0.04 * 4000 = £160 a year

and EON = 0.02 * 4000 + 0.27 * 365 = £80 +£98.55 = £178.55 a year

 

BG wins

 

however on the flip side

 

with a consumption of 8000

then BG = 0.04 * 8000 = £320 a year

and EON = 0.02 * 8000 + 0.27 * 365 = £160 +£98.55 = £258.55 a year

 

EON Wins

 

so its best to do your sums before you switch (my maths teacher would be proud)

btw sainsburys energy won for me 2.1p no standing charge!!!! thanks energyseeker