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Changing Energy Suppliers


Danemouth

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I've bought my gas & electricity from Eon for the past few years. The fixed tariff I am currently on expires next month so rather than just renewing on the latest tariff which will save around £50 p.a. I've decided to have a look around.

 

I've come across a company called OVO - never heard of them before. By switching to them I can save about £250 p.a. provided I select the account with no email and phone contact i.e.  internet only.

 

Has anybody dealt with the company please? If so would you recommend them or advise avoiding them?

 

Are there any other suppliers I should be considering?

 

Many thanks,

 

Dave

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if you have your usage data, looking at U-Switch is worthwhile. You don't have to go through their site to sign up, just find out the best company for your needs and go direct.

 

Also, many local authorities are running "switch and save" schemes where they allow local people to pool resources and buy energy from one supplier "in bulk" and save money together. Worth investigating if you have a local scheme

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I've bought my gas & electricity from Eon for the past few years. The fixed tariff I am currently on expires next month so rather than just renewing on the latest tariff which will save around £50 p.a. I've decided to have a look around.

 

I've come across a company called OVO - never heard of them before. By switching to them I can save about £250 p.a. provided I select the account with no email and phone contact i.e.  internet only.

 

Has anybody dealt with the company please? If so would you recommend them or advise avoiding them?

 

Are there any other suppliers I should be considering?

 

Many thanks,

 

Dave

 

They are a Which 'recommended provider' and clinched one of the top spots in the Consumer Association's league tables so are definitely a good outfit despite them not being as well known as the 'big 6'. I switched to them earlier this year and have encountered no problems with them.

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I've been with Ovo for nearly 4 years, having switched from Scottish Power, who were hopeless. Never had a problem with Ovo and in spite of having the internet only tariff for duel fuel (which is the cheapest), it is possible to speak to them by phone, if you have a problem with your internet. They are quick to answer calls and very approachable. Highly recommended.

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I endorse everything that has been said about OVO.  A first class organisation which we joined via a group purchase scheme for Lincolnshire.

 

One of the advantages to us older folks is they will pay you interest at 3% on any 'credit' balance which exceeds your monthly DD.  As they say, better than most banks.  You can also make top-up payments or apply for a refund of any excess balance. Marvellous.

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Changed our suppliers in March from Scottish Power to Sainsbury's (British Gas) who had the best deal at the time; almost chose OVO. The switch was very easy. 

 

My beef with Scottish Power is that they always changed the direct debit at the end of summer and end of winter. They lowered it at the end of summer just before for the heavy-use winter months, and raised it when the amounts paid over the winter had been too small to cover the extra fuel used for heating. I tried to explain it to them to leave it for a year and work it from there but they didn't get it.

 

Mal

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Switched to Ovo just over a year ago.  I went via The Woodland Trust so that they get a contribution.  Very happy with service to date.

 

I opted for Ovo's green energy because I liked the 100% renewables aspect but there are other choices available.

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Switched to Ovo a year or so ago - (someone on here mentioned them back then, got me looking) - they seem good folk, based in Bristol,  and I have had no problems We're only on electricity - heating is coal fired. You read the meter yourself, once a month, I opted for the internet option, and it all works fine.

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Just out of interest, do they have an account where you pay your bills quarterly, old fashioned stylee?

If they don't, you can do that with Ecotricity and Co-operative Energy. You can even put one of those olde worlde cheque things in those red boxes with a slot in them if you want! Out of the two (I've got two electricity supplies), I think Ecotricity are better to deal with.

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Now had time to look at Ovo's figures in detail and had some surprising results.  Their monthly payment figure was indeed 25% lower than my current supplier, but having now entered all the data into a spreadsheet and compared detailed costs it threw up some interesting figures.


 


They quote a simple monthly budget number at the front end.  This is very attractive, but the actual unit costs and standing charges were in fact fractionally higher than my current supplier. To arrive at the monthly figure they use, they make some estimates of your usage and in my case they underestimated my electricity by 15% and my gas by 25%.


 


Of course using their monthly payment figure, would mean we would have underpaid by 25% at the year end and either the monthly payment would increase or there would be a significant shortfall.


 


They may well prove cheaper than your existing supplier, but I would suggest you look behind the headline rates and check the actual costs versus your usage.  You could get a totally different picture….


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