When our energy contracts come up for renewal, I do the searches on the tinternet and V handles the actual negotiations by phone. This works well for us and usually we stay with who ever it is at a rate at least equal to what we paid the previous 12/18months unless the quotes I come up with are more than £25/yr lower - then we change supplier.
Absolutely. Whenever I switch, I refuse to go with any company which insists on my having a smart meter. In fact, I now find that there are fewer and fewer of them, so the message may be getting through.
Incidentally, I have always used the Cheap Energy Club to find me a competitive quote when my current deal is nearing the end.
However, I believe that Look After My Bills is also good, but with the additional service that they automatically move you to another supplier without you having to agree! I’d rather make my own decisions, once having all the information I need.
True. A few months ago my last supplier asked me to take a photo of each meter when my next readings were due.
Obviously, I couldn’t ‘wind the meters back’, so I assume it was to prove that I wasn’t lying!
Bit of an update on this:
When Look After my Bills informed me that they had switched me - within 50 days of termination so as not to incur a penalty charge - they sent an email informing me of the new supplier and tariffs and also said: “You are in complete control of this switch. You can cancel up to 14 days from 21/07/2021. Just let us know if you’d like to do that… but if you stay with us, you’ll never be ripped off again!”
I responded and told them of the cheaper tariff I’ve found - with AVRO energy and got this response:
Unfortunately we aren’t able to switch you to a specific tariff, our system is largely automated and there is no capacity for us to switch a customer to a specific supplier and/or tariff.
I’m astonished…and have now received a request for a review!!!
I must say I’m surprised! I thought that ‘Look After My Bills’ was a good option, though I have never used them.
I’ve changed my mind now! I’ll continue to use Martin’s Money Tips Cheap Energy Club as I have done for years. It’s perfectly free, BTW.
I prefer to be in control of my decisions. CEC provides what they have found to be the best options regarding price (and can also factor in other preferences if requested), but the final decision to whom to move is left to the customer.
Incidentally, I have just moved to Outfox the Market which is a company little heard of, but was the most competitive. Should such a company fail, your power is not cut off(!); you are simply moved to another supplier. You still have the choice of moving elsewhere, I believe.
I was surprised too but it really seems as though Look After My Bills is little more than an algorithm looking for the best tarrif/commission.
I’ll also be doing my own switch in future.
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I need to switch to a new tariff as my current tariff finishes soon. This afternoon, l rang my supplier of gas and electricity Avro and was shocked to hear that they now want me to pay £118 a month instead of the £83, l am currently paying.
I am in credit with them and don’t owe them anything, so how can they warrant charging me another £35 per month?
Surely energy prices haven’t gone up that much?
I hate having to do this shopping around for the best deal!
JBR, l have just gone on there and filled everything in and nothing happens?
Is it emailed to you or do they display it on the screen?
I am a member of the site.
Energy prices increased quite a bit at the start of the year, so probably after your existing contract began.
Shop around (USwitch as mentioned in Post # 2 have usually been cheaper in my own experience but YMMV) and with a bit of luck you might find a new deal at or only slightly more than your current supplier, no pun intended.
It’s no use my recommending a particular supplier because choice and price varies by region and consumption.
Zaphod, When it comes to sorting out energy tariffs l just want to say, ‘Stop the world, l want to get off’!!
They are a nightmare! 
I absolutely agree with you, and I just don’t understand the need to have to keep chasing a better deal every blinkin’ year just because the greedy beggars put their prices up just like the insurance companies do!
If you are a member, log in:
https://clubs.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub/my-account
then click ‘see your top deals’.
Hi
Just changed my dual Tariff.
Up £23 a month.
Out today, diesel prices up 10p a litre.
Not good.
JBR, I did that but it may have been my internet yesterday. I tried again, today and their quotes are dearer than Avro.
I can’t understand that I have paid just under £1,000 for my gas and electric in the last year.
Now they have forecast that it will be £1,400 for the next year.
So, instead of paying Avro, £83 per month, they’ve upped it to £118 per month.
On the comparison sites, the cheapest is £122 per month.
Take back control of your finances Arty and do like I do…Kick direct debit into the long grass for a start…
My total energy bill for the last 12 months was £1326
divide by 48 = £27.60 then times 4 = and put away £110.50 per month…
Obviously my bill was dearer than yours so your figure would be less.
You don’t have to have a box to put the cash in, just partition your current account and keep track of how much you transfer into your energy account. I keep a record of my partitioned account on the computer. To make less hassle, I send in my meter reads every three months (quarter) and pay my bills online by card, also every Quarter.
The first year will be hard until you have a pot to take the money out of. It’s your money Arty, so isn’t it better to control your outgoings yourself than some faceless organisation having complete control of your account…I consider it time well spent…
I think the answer is that they are all putting their prices up.
As things change, if you are on Cheap Energy Club, you will eventually find that competition comes into play and some will be undercutting others. I try to get on to a deal which promises fixed prices for a specified length of time. The other thing to watch out for is early cancellation charges, so if you have signed up for a year and you find a cheaper deal, you should factor in the early cancellation charge.
The company I am with now, like the previous one, had zero cancellation charge!
I have been with SSE ever since they merged with Hydro Electric many years ago. Currently I am paying £19 for gas and £35 for electricity monthly by direct debit. I am perfectly happy.
I’ve been with British Gas ever since my house was built 48 years ago scot, I won’t get dragged into this price war and changing providers. Okay, I might pay a few bob more some years than others, but I think on average I’m doing alright…A saving of a hundred quid a year equates to 50 pence ish’ per week, I can live with that…
Foxy, I think that is easier said than done!! Surely, you pay a lot more by doing it your way?
I will be paying…
Electricity…17.273 (was 13.246)
Gas…3.15. (was 2.84)
Standing charge per day…17.85 (was 15.7)
I have compared prices with other providers and the prices they quote are higher than the energy provider (Avro) l am with currently.
I can’t worry and lose sleep about this any longer, so I rang Avro today and the cheapest tariff they would do was £112 per month, with the option of reducing it after 3 months, or so if l use less gas and electricity.