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As I said, 30's built medium size 3 bed semi. It is in London so winter not so cold though. I reckon my £72pcm DD should have been about £60 at most given the credit I'd built. However I reckon it would be double that and more if I didn't scrounge wood for the stoves.
I'm sure those with bigger bills are in cooler places with bigger houses but still, wow. Do you not use a washing line? Do you wash clothes at all 40 or be 60 not 30? Electric showers or immersion heaters and teens taking long showers? I'm honestly baffled as o didn't think I was super efficient at all.
4 floors of late 1800 end terrace.
wife loves the dryer, windows open if its stuffy and heating on at the slightest chill.
Also no one in the house can close a door or switch off a light.
It'd be cheaper to insulate the outside with £50 notes
2007 built 3 bed detached in Moray with four of us, wife & I + two primary school aged boys, and until a couple of months ago was £82 pcm with Bulb, now upped to £100 pcm. I almost resent keeping the tropical fish warm... 😉
Just got email from Avro, apparently my fixed price tarrif is coming to an end 🤣
Were on £95pm gas & electric for a 1980s 4 bed detached housing 4 (and often more) adults in sunny bucks.
What are peoples thoughts about signing up for new fixed contracts vs being on variable rates for a few months for things to stabilise a bit?
Our Octopus one year tarrif ends early November so just trying to make a (semi) educated descion.
I'm waiting on some info from Octopus who we are being switched to, from Avro.
4-bed detached here - not really sure how well insulated it is, although it has cavity wall insulation & when we moved in I stuck a ton more insulation in the loft although not throughout as I wanted to keep a fair portion of it open for storage.
In the last decade we have been paying between £80 & £100, so it will be 'interesting' to see what it goes up to.
My Wife is constantly cold, so the heating gets used a lot throughout the winter. I am also working from home for 3 days a week starting from this week, so have the heating on during the day a fair bit.
We also seem to give the washing machine a hammering, although tend to keep it to 30deg, unless specifically needing to do a hot wash. The tumble dryer also gets used quite a bit in the winter where possible as if we dry everything indoors the house gets very 'moist'.
We've just had a new combi boiler fitted to replace a very old (25yr old?) system boiler with cylinder so no doubt that will save on our energy usage, but I guess the bill will still go up as the cost of the fuel will have increased.
@neilnevill We're in Ipswich and the weather here can be a bit chilly. Mrs Sandwich is 3 days a week WFH and likes a constant 19C inside. Washing line is used as much as possible but 6 months of wet and excessively cold weather means the tumble drier gets it's fair share of use.
Loft has 8" of rockwool in it, mostly double glazing and cavity wall is full of rockwool too.
@stumpy01 I'm with Octopus and you sound a lot like me in overall energy consumption and house profile. My DD with octopus is £117/ month, with about £200 in credit at the minute, soon to be lost over the winter no doubt.
3 bed semi with two adults and a dog. Also pondering fixed vs variable.
Timer going on the shower 😂
Another three small suppliers have gone pop, Igloo Enstroga and Symbio
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58732683
just had the email from Igloo. Currently £100 in credit with a £75 DD due to go out on Friday. Think I'm going to cancel the DD.
Also just got the igloo email. Got £180 credit currently. Ah well. I had hoped with their different pricing model they might make it.
Igloo here too. I imagine the switch will not automatically transfer to the best deal of the accepting energy company. Hope it’s not N bloody power. I get that any credit balance is transferred but are you guys cancelling direct debits?
I am/was with Symbio. Given how Janky their website and app is, I'm really not surprised they went kaput.
I hope it's not Scottish power. Incompetent idiots they are in my experience.
are you guys cancelling direct debits?
I just have, my credit balance is about 2 months worth of energy (summer usage on current tariff) so that should be enough credit to cover time to transfer to the new supplier (also hope its not NPower).
I only switched to Igloo 6 months ago when I had £300 credit with previous supplier, took multiple calls and emails to eventually get it repaid. Know this is a slightly different scenario where the account is being transferred rather than old closed and new setup.
My bills were with 100% WFH, and 3 young kids.
are you guys cancelling direct debits?
Igloo customer. Withdrew my £150 credit last week, and DD due on 5th. Have cancelled it.
Octopus now asking for meter readings for Avro customers. Still no word on how much future bills will be though.
Eon Next for Igloo customers.
My supplier has gone, can I change on my own occord or do I have to go to the alloted supplier?
Allotted supplier, once that's sorted then you can switch.
I was with Green and have been ported over to Shell.
My rates have just come through:
I was on 14.6p/unit for elec and 2.5p/unit for gas
Now on 21p/unit for elec and 4.1p/unit for gas.
So I make that 44% increase on electricity and 64% up on gas.
Quite surprised that Shell energy is apparently 100% renewable though.
Allotted supplier, once that’s sorted then you can switch.
But as I understand it there's no point in switching as everyone's best deal is now the government capped rate. If there are deals lower than that then chances are the operator will be going out of business anyway as the wholesale price is higher than what they have to sell it at under the cap.
Yeah, I'm just going to stay on variable for now.
Old fix was £37 a month, which has gone up to £51 on variable. New fixes were £72 a month!
Have any ex green customers heard anything more from shell energy yet? It's been quiet for me since the initial, 'hello and welcome' message. It's going to take a while isn't it? Oh well.
I think the comapnies are all under pressure at the momnet. My supplier went bust a few days ago, and if I hadn't logged onto the app I wouldn't even be aware - no letters, emails or anything!
I still haven’t had anything more from EDF. Oh well.
are you guys cancelling direct debits?
Couple of years ago when our supplier (GB Energy) went bust I cancelled the DD, bank then happily processed the next payments, which turned out OK in then end as it all got seemlessly handed over to a new provider.
Whole thing was a complete non event.
Looks like Bulb is about to topple
Bulb will be interesting as potentially none of the energy companies will want to take on that many new customers based on the logistics and the fact it’s additional cost not profit
So the only option may become government subsidy/ nationalisation
And now, just to rub salt into the wound, there's an outstanding charge of nearly 18 million quid between 7 suppliers for unpaid renewables obligations. Oof.
My MIL's energy supplier has gone bust. She's one of the lucky ones who received generous FIT payments for solar panels. OFGEM say FIT payments won't automatically transfer - anyone know what the process is, now FIT doesn't exist for new customers? Can she keep getting the same rates somehow?
(Annoyingly, she was technically with two suppliers - one for energy supply (now bust) and a sister company for the money stuff (not bust, but won't be paying FIT payments, only some 'grid services' stuff)).
Soooo,.... Anyone else having problems with their enforced switch from Avro?
I've been moved over to Octopus, and the online portal seems to be registering my Gas (and my smart meter has updated its rates), but the electricity hasn't moved over. I've chased up and they say something about working with the administrators to bring the details over, but it's all a bit vague.
So anyone else still waiting for their transfer to complete?
Ta
Keith
Other way around for me, they've linked up with my SMETS2 electricity meter but not the gas (although I suspect the gas was not commissioned properly by Avro / Lori Beck). Octopus didn't seem too bothered, i got the same response you did. I know I'm going to get stung at some point but can't do much about it (fixed term was up with Avro when they went bust anyway) and the lights are still on.
Bulb have now gone bump but will continue to supply, obviously no one wants their 1.7 million customers.
Bulb have now gone bump but will continue to supply, obviously no one wants their 1.7 million customers.
thats gotta be the most likely right given the state of energy companies right now, I can't see them all having another space to divide the 1.7m customers and credit. Surly there will be a bail out?
Are we going to end up with one state-owned energy company?
Possibly.
But which state would own it?
balls, we're with bulb
Are we going to end up with one state-owned energy company?
Yes.
But it'll be EDF so French state owned.
Another Bulb customer here. Gonna be interesting to see what happens.
Yes.
But it’ll be EDF so French state owned.
🙂
I've got no idea what's going on with Octupus and our switch from Avro.
I've had confirmation of the switch but my account balance is showing as zero and I've since had two direct debits taken which are still showing as Avro Energy.
Gonna contact them today about it, actually as it all seems a bit shit.
I'm sure they are very busy, but the lack of communication and updates is rubbish.
At the moment you may better off than others, looks like the government will run Bulb, might mean you stay on current terms and conditions unlike those of use who were moved to someone else.
@stumpy01 same for me, I'm just letting it work through although the longer it goes on for the bigger the bill will be.
Yeah, we got put onto EDF.
The French are taking back control.
It's bloody hilarious really.
Imagine having British Gas as your supplier putting you in an enviable position! 🤣
Bulb here. over 500quid in credit.
sitting tight but keeping screen shots shoing credit, meter readings and tariff details.
is there anything this government has managed to not screw up?
I don't know you can give the government much credit, much more goes to intelligent and efficient civil servants, but IIRC, when train franchises have been taken back into public control over the last few years, the service has improved significantly so it may not be a complete shit show.
I think your precautionary data collection is still a good idea mind.
Yeah I hoovered up the last two years of Bulb statements (been meaning to for while given recent price hikes coupled with sex-pond ownership). Amusing that state-owned and French-owned are two of the more prevalent outcomes here. Just shows what a shit-show we're in.
But it’ll be EDF so French state owned.
I don't know why you thing they're doing so well. 3 years ago they sold off a load of power thinking they would have at least 4 more reactors running than they do/will and are having to buy in gigawatts of power at market rates.
Zog have gone. Boo.
Bummer. I have £150 credit with them.
Credit balances are protected Mowgli, so you'll not loose it.
I mean, it will get swallowed up pretty quickly by the standard tariff prices, but you won't ACTUALLY be £150 out of pocket. 😒
You'll definitely be fine Mowgli and new company has to honour the tariff that you're currently on. fwiw this is the second time in less than a year that a supplier used by me has gone, the last time was no big deal although the handover did take an awfully long time. Left the SOLR or whatever it's called asap and was with Zog for only 3 months.
cinnamon_girl
...new company has to honour the tariff that you’re currently on.
Are you certain that's the case?
@multi when GNE went down the SoLR was EDF Energy who offered a competitive tariff that was only available to former GNE customers. It seems that they're under no obligation to do so:
As mentioned, in my case the handover took some 4 months and EDF only offered this particular tariff for a short time. There was a huge thread on MSE about this and the general feeling was that EDF had offered a good deal. MSE not yet reporting on Zog. It's a worrying situation though with energy prices being so high.
CG absolutely not the case, no way the new supplier will honour existing tariffs, they cant make money charging you the max they are allowed as it is. Credit is theoretically protected.
The only benifit of getting transferred and where cg might have got confused is they cant charge you more than the market cap.
If you move to a new provider your self ....they can charge you more.
The only benifit of getting transferred and where cg might have got confused is they cant charge you more than the market cap.
If you move to a new provider your self ….they can charge you more.
Well, until April when the cap changes and we all get hammered.
Well yes. But they never had to honour your previous deal.
A good reason to use an established company that isn't operating of a couple of rooms above a launderette from last month.
My Octopus Energy switch is now completed after emailing them a few days ago.
My Avro credit has been moved over, the Avro direct debits have been transferred & I've been advised to cancel the Avro direct debit and set-up an Octopus one.
It's taken a while but been very smooth & overall very happy with the transfer process.
It seems that they’re under no obligation to do so:
Thanks all, that's what I was worried about 😣
Well, until April when the cap changes and we all get hammered.
This is the real elephant in the room - next April will see the energy price cap raise to eye watering levels to allow the remaining energy companies to recoup all costs, repay all the debts they are incurring just now and start making a couple percent profit again.
There is a really good chance the spring will see a doubling of energy costs to consumer.
Just had our first statement from Octopus.
Eye watering is putting it mildly.
With Avro we were paying £92 for both fuels and were sitting about £40 in credit.
Bill for October from Octopus - £90 Gas & £137 Electricity. For one month!! £227 for one month!
I am a bit shocked by that. Will definitely be looking at ways to save more energy if that is the shape of things to come.
Yeah, my EDF fixed deal just ended. Gone from £190/month to £225/month, so not too bad at the minute. The new fixed deals they offered were around £400/month which gives an idea of where they think prices are headed once the cap is lifted in April. Privatisation of utilities really is an utter sh!tshow.
stumpy, we were at £163 with AVRO, we were due to renew when they went bump, our renewal would have seen us go up £80 A month anyway, you would have seen a massive hike at some point either way. Reminds me I must check to see if we've fully moved to Octopus yet, last time I checked we else had gas hadn't and the AVRO DDs are still going out.
Privatisation of utilities really is an utter sh!tshow.
Whilst it seems that way now, it served the final consumer very well for the best part of 30 years, energy prices in the UK were very moderate and supplier margins pretty tight compared to other markets. But that's just it, it was designed as a market, which was also constrained by successive governments, (or their regulators) unfortunately external influences can't be constrained in the same way so it's now exploded.
Although I work in the industry, I don't think it should have been privatised and would would be happy if it was all taken back into the public domain.
But most of them aren't suppliers are they? They are market speculators dressed up as suppliers. They don't produce anything or own any infrastructure.
As usual it kind of works ok in the good times then falls apart at the slightest hint of stress, leaving the taxpayer carrying the can.
They weren't suppliers, they were speculative chancers.
A casual look at history and/or other parts of the world shows that energy supply is a strategic material and economic necessity, not the plaything for a bunch of cityboy tossers.
stumpyjon
stumpy, we were at £163 with AVRO, we were due to renew when they went bump, our renewal would have seen us go up £80 A month anyway, you would have seen a massive hike at some point either way.
I guess so, but we've lived here for 10 years & been with perhaps 4 different suppliers in that time. We have never paid over £100/month & we have never had a massive bill at the end of a contract when we make a switch. I think Avro was about £8/month more than whoever we were with before.
The previous payment amount with Avro seemed in line with what we've been paying for the last decade, so it's not like we've been building up a massive bill by way of underpaying on the DD.
not the plaything for a bunch of cityboy tossers.
It isn't cityboy tossers going bust but small mom and pop operators who for some insane reason were given licenses to run energy supply companies, without any due diligence process. Your cityboy tossers would have properly hedged against price rises. Some of the collapsed suppliers were run out of spare bedrooms!
I've still heard zilch from shell since my initial, 'hello, as an ex green customer weve picked you up' message. green went ....err...early september. had my final statement from green last week and confirmation my credit balance will be/is transfered. if shell take a dd then i'll cancel it ...that'll gt them on the phone i reckon
@robola @BaronVonP7 I didn't say it wasn't a crap system - I said that for 30 years the end users did OK out of it!
As usual it kind of works ok in the good times then falls apart at the slightest hint of stress, leaving the taxpayer carrying the can
Also agreed, and with the Baron's point about it being a strategic, economic necessity. As I said, I'd happily work in a nationalised industry that's run for the benefit of the country and not shareholders, (er - also me!)
I’ve still heard zilch from shell since my initial, ‘hello, as an ex green customer weve picked you up’ message. green went ….err…early september. had my final statement from green last week and confirmation my credit balance will be/is transfered. if shell take a dd then i’ll cancel it …that’ll gt them on the phone i reckon
pretty much the same here, had my final green balance and about £260 in credit. it seems to have been a month or two since green went under (feels that way anyway) and ive kept the DD going as advised by moneysavingexpert, but i must admit im tempted to cancel it rather than just keep paying £90 per month to a dead company.....
Are insolvent companies allowed to keep taking payment ?
I cancelled my DD to Igloo energy & have gone one month without paying anyone until being given details of how to set up one to my new supplier EON and they say l'm £40.81 in credit !
I of course couldn't condone it but we had a long period where I was reading the meter wrong and vastly underpaying... No one checked on it. It's been a while since I had my eyes checked, I wonder if I should have them done after utility prices calm down a bit.
SoLR for Zog will be EDF who were my previous SoLR for Green Network Energy.
Are insolvent companies allowed to keep taking payment ?
If the payment is for services already provided then yes, you still owe them the money..
When our supplier (GB Energy) went bust a few years back, the DDs continued for a bit but it all seamlessly trasnferred over to a new supplier with no loss of money.
pretty much the same here, had my final green balance and about £260 in credit. it seems to have been a month or two since green went under (feels that way anyway) and ive kept the DD going as advised by moneysavingexpert, but i must admit im tempted to cancel it rather than just keep paying £90 per month to a dead company….
Same here with Shell. I'm not so trusting regarding the direct debits, cancelled both the day avro and green went bust (I was mid switch when they both went bust on the same day, ffs) it's looking like my gas supply hadn't switched so it's off to shell but my electricity supply had completed so it's now with octopus.
I've set up the direct debit with octopus as I've been given account information, tariffs etc. So far heard nothing from Shell so they get nothing 😀