Who is Next?

Hot on the heels of first:utility's price change yesterday we have seen SSE Group announce price increases across its entire range of non fixed gas prices taking effect on the 1st November 2010.

Followed less than 2 hours later with a notification of a price change by LoCo2. We wonder who is next.....?

Earlier this year Energylinx reported how at the time of the supposed decreases in energy prices in March that there appeared to be a large take-up in what appeared to be a move to reflect european pricing models. This meant that whilst headline figures appeared to suggest price reductions in fact the consumer would be paying substantially more during the summer period. Energylinx warned that this would create a need to increase energy prices by around 10% by the end of the year. It would appear that this may be the start.

Over the next couple of weeks we could see some radical changes in the market. Customers must start looking now and ensure that they do indeed have a competitive rate from their energy supplier. If not, the message is clear - switch now.

There are some really good offers available at the moment, ranging from cashbacks, welcome offers and some long term fixed deals. It might well be time to take one of these offers before they are gone.

Customers can compare ALL of the suppliers and deals currently available by checking http://www.getmecheapbills.com

First Utility - Smart as Standard Smart meter tariff

first:utility have today launched "Smart as Standard V1" which is a dual fuel energy supply tariff with Smart Meters.

This will enable accurate billing and visibility of energy use on line through the first utility web site and Google power meter. Customers that successfully sign up to Smart as Standard dual fuel tariff will have their energy supplied by first:utility within the typical transfer window. These customers will be billed using the estimated annual consumption (EAC) given to us by their old supplier when they transfer, unless they supply meter reads. Each customer will have the ability to submit monthly meter reads via the customer portal. They will be prompted to do so by email. These reads will then be used to bill the customer accurately until the smart meters are installed.

Energylinx launched this new tariff across its network earlier today and has already seen a considerable interest in the tariff. Even though not the most competitive in the market it does appear to be gaining some immediate momementum. From a billing and payment perspective customers must pay by monthly direct debit and decide whether they wany online, or paper billing (paper billing option charged at £5 per month).

Utilitia Withdraws Tariffs

Utilita withdraws two tariffs:

With immediate effect Utilita has removed two tariffs, energysaverplus and planetsaver.

New Atlantic Energy tariffs

Atlantic Electric and Gas have today launched 'Atlantic Fixed Price 3'

As the name infers this is a fixed price tariff where prices are fixed for a period of 12 months from the day you sign up. Early termination fees of £35 per customer apply during the fixed period.

An online only account the tariff is available to dual fuel customers or electricity customers with no gas. Payment must be by monthly direct debit. At this stage it is NOT available for signup offline.

New Scottish Power capped tariff lauched

ScottishPower have launched Capped Price Energy December 2012.

Prices are capped to end of November 2012 and the tariff is available as a dual fuel tariff or single electricity.

Payment must be by monthly direct debit. Early Termination Fees apply. On and offline versions are available.

Available with immediate effect at http://getmecheapbills.com

New EDF Fixed Tariff Available.

EDF Energy have today launched Annual Fix v4.

This is a fixed price tariffs where tariff prices are fixed until the end of September 2011. Although early termination fees are payable to the value of £25 per fuel should customers join the tariff and subsequently move to another supplier or tariff it does have the benefit where these fees are not paid if the customer moves house, as would happen with some suppliers with early termination fees. E.ON Energy for example will maintain the charge even where a customer moves home.

EDF Energy offer this tariff as both a dual fuel and single fuel electricity tariff where customers can pay by either quarterly cash/cheque or monthly direct debit. At the end of September 2011 customers will be offered another tariff by EDF Energy, most likely in the same way that current customers of Annual Fix v4 (who signed up when it was first launched in 2009) are being automatically moved onto this new version. As to whether this is good for the customer will depend very much on the customer's personal circumstances. The key message is check to see what is available at the time. Just because a tariff was a great deal a year ago does not automatically mean that its as good today.

Customers should check their own personal needs at

http://www.getmecheapbills.com


The big question at the moment on everyone's mind is whether it is worth fixing or capping energy prices. With definite increases in wholesale energy on their way and with suppliers coming to the end of the summer season the one thing that is certain is that between now and Christmas we are going to see some increases across the market.

Npower to Repay Customers

Nearly two million homes overcharged for gas are to be refunded, in one of the biggest pay-outs of its kind.
Energy company Npower has agreed to hand back £70m following a long-running row over changes it made to the way it charged customers in 2007. The firm admits it had not communicated the changes well, and £1.8m people are to receive an average refund of £35.

Npower says it will write to all those affected over the next two months, even if they are no longer customers. In 2007, the company started charging households a fixed monthly number of more expensive initial gas units - known as primary block units. Previously the amount of primary units charged varied according to the time of year. At the same time, Npower lowered prices and introduced some discounts. As a result, some low-use customers were billed for more than the usual number of primary units, leaving them out of pocket. The company has always insisted most households benefited from the changes, but following an investigation by the industry regulator Ofgem, Npower initially agreed to repay 200,000 customers an average of £6 each. In a statement, Npower said "Although the vast majority of our customers benefited from the combined effect of the changes, some, who were low users of gas, did not" Watchdog Consumer Focus continued to campaign and some customers started legal action. Npower conducted a review of everyone who was a gas customer at the time and it has now agreed to make a much bigger payment to 1.8 million people. The refunds will range from £1 to £100, with an average refund of £35. In a statement, Npower said "We're sorry that the complexity of the changes we made caused confusion. We're now doing all we can to improve our communication with customers." Npower, which has 6.5 million customers in the UK, will be writing to those affected and offering payments that can be cashed at the Post Office.

Head of Consumer Focus Mike O'Connor said it was an "excellent outcome" and showed a "major commitment from Npower to its customers". "Consumer Focus has worked closely with Npower to ensure that refunds are made fairly and that no customer loses out," he said. "A huge amount of work and collaboration has resulted in the right thing being done by Npower for its customers and we welcome this. "It has been an great example of how consumer organisations can work with industry to deliver a fair deal for consumers."

Phoenix Energy are delighted with the move as it shows just how much the market has moved on since it was privatised as previously the voices of consumers would have gone unheard. Regardless of this positive gesture from npower, Phoenix would encourage all customers to carry out a comparison as soon as possible. With winter fast approaching the typical customer will see their day to day consumption increase by as much as 400% in coming months so now is the time to get onto the best tariff.