Watch your energy supplier

[bensherman]

Be on your guard if you are switching just as a matter of course or perhaps after the demise of your supplier.

We have seen one supplier, as well as making big increases in gas and electricity, push up standing charges. The former I can understand, but the standing charge one seems to be simply taking advantage of people who are braced anyway for rises.

1p a day on the standing charge nets them £3.65 per account per annum.
So if they have a million customers it's £3.65m to the bottom line as their costs have not increased.

[Alikado]

Be on your guard if you are switching just as a matter of course or perhaps after the demise of your supplier.

We have seen one supplier, as well as making big increases in gas and electricity, push up standing charges. The former I can understand, but the standing charge one seems to be simply taking advantage of people who are braced anyway for rises.

1p a day on the standing charge nets them £3.65 per account per annum.
So if they have a million customers it's £3.65m to the bottom line as their costs have not increased.

The advice from Martin Lewis & his Moneysavingexpert website is to sit tight as nobody can offer a better deal than the capped rate, I don't doubt that as soon as one becomes available he will let us know.

[Toodles McGinty]

The advice from Martin Lewis & his Moneysavingexpert website is to sit tight as nobody can offer a better deal than the capped rate, I don't doubt that as soon as one becomes available he will let us know.

I've always been a bit nervous about moving from British Gas in case something went baps up. Wasn't sure what it was that might go that way, and it's been tempting to go to one of the smaller greener suppliers. Never made the switch though.

I guess there's a fair amount of money to be made by switching at the right time, but now is definitely not the time.

[Alikado]

I've always been a bit nervous about moving from British Gas in case something went baps up. Wasn't sure what it was that might go that way, and it's been tempting to go to one of the smaller greener suppliers. Never made the switch though.

I guess there's a fair amount of money to be made by switching at the right time, but now is definitely not the time.

There is no risk to swopping, you've probably be ripped off for thousands over the years.

[Toodles McGinty]

There is no risk to swopping, you've probably be ripped off for thousands over the years.

I don't doubt it.

[bensherman]

Switching to another supplier does not change your physical supply. In effect all you are doing is getting someone different billing you.
If your alternative supplier went out of business, there are arrangements for the supply to carry on.

[gsgsgs]

I was with AVRO who ceased trading on the 26th September, I was switched to Octopus Energy with no issues. My DD was setup, my credit balance with AVRO transferred to Octopus, no inconvenience to me at all.

[MICK/GILLY]

I have just had 2 days of fun with British Gas. For a long time now ( many years ) I have pre pay meters it suits me and gone are the days of big bills to worry about I top up online and it works well for me.
Last week I saw the credit on the gas meter was low and I never let it actually run out but I went to bed thinking sod it, it will last until morning.
In the morning I woke to find it had run out so I topped it up, now normally if it ever did run out after topping up it would make a quick hiss noise and come back on saying ON, it came back on saying ON but with no hiss and no gas.
I called British Gas and it was a nightmare trying to get through but about an hour later someone answered and around 4pm - 4.30 pm an engineer arrived he decided there was a blockage ( burp ) of soil in the pipes, that the supply was blocked/weak and cut it off. He then called Cadent ( like the national grid emergency folk ) who came and immediately and said it’s not the pipes or dirt ( burp ) and that’s a cock and bull story the BGas engineer hasn’t tested it properly it’s obvious to anyone that had done their job properly and had tested it that it’s the meter that has failed and the problem could have been sorted straight away by replacing it as they carry spares in their vans , he then went on to show me the supply was strong he changed the regulator and basically showed me how a gas meter works and how this one had failed so he cut it off again, explained only my supplier could change my actual meter and left.

So now I tried to call British Gas again but no one answered and at two mins to five when the lines close the call went dead. I tried to reach them on txt talk but the advisor said they couldn’t send anyone out at this time ( AROUND 5.30 ) but they promised faithfully that an engineer would appear at 8am the next morning, and so I had to put the oven on to keep warm.
At 8 am no one arrived so I left it until 9 then called, once again it took the best part of an hour to get through and when I did an advisor said there would be someone with me before noon. At 12.30 I called again and after a long wait once again I got through and explained my problem, who I was, how I had been waiting and what I was told ( gas meter needs replacing ) .. the advisor said they had never heard of me and no appointment has been made or was on her system but she would make an appointment for me herself and would call me back within one hour to confirm it. 2 hours later I called back, a different advisor had no information about my problem on her system and this is where it gets really bizarre .. she said I’ll see if I can help so you must go to your meter turn on the gas at the lever and tell her if it says on.. I explained to her the meter has been sealed first by BGas engineer then now by Cadent it has a sign on it please leave this meter alone it’s been disconnected with a disc danger and so on and I didn’t fancy turning it on or playing with it cos I am not daft, she insisted many times that I follow her instructions and wouldn’t listen to my concerns or the fact it was capped and offline anyway and told me that she would hang up if I didn’t comply ( she got really shirty ) so in the end I lied to her telling her “yes love I’ve pulled the lever nothing has happened” and she said “can you smell gas” I said “ no “ , she said she would send someone and half an hour later Cadent appeared again. Once again Cadent confirmed it was the meter and said British Gas are proper fools and the advisor wanted to send them and not a BGas engineer so she was trying to follow protocol to send Cadent even tho I said “no I can’t smell gas” and explained the problem.. He checked the meter and once again confirmed it had failed re capped it and explained he couldn’t do anything else as it was the supplier that had to replace the faulty meter and left , so there I was again gas less. I called BGas again for an hours music before they answered and a chap said “oh I understand perfectly I’ll make an appointment for you myself I’ll call you back in an hour to confirm that he will be coming tonight” I said “ listen you, I have no faith I’ve been told this before and no one called back and it’s getting past the time when you close at 5” he insisted that he would call back and I had no choice to believe him sooo.
Anyway he did call back and said an engineer would call between 5 and 7 pm, I thought they all went home at 5 or the txt type folk could have sent me one the night before, anyway I thanked him and waited until 7 and no one came, I thought more fool me for believing and at ten past an engineer arrived immediately said “I’ve tested and it’s the meter that’s failed” he replaced it and it’s been tickety boo for a couple of days now but I am frightened to let it run out in case it doesn’t come on again, what a Christmas that would be.
British Gas customer services ( apart from one guy ) bunch of ar5eholes .

[Alikado]

I was with AVRO who ceased trading on the 26th September, I was switched to Octopus Energy with no issues. My DD was setup, my credit balance with AVRO transferred to Octopus, no inconvenience to me at all.

I've not been transferred yet, got an email yesterday asking for a meter reading so may be imminent.