 |
 |
 |
 |
 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Copyright
© 1999-2008UK Energetic Limited |
| How is it possible to save money on my energy bills >>> |
| Do I need to change any pipes or wires if I change suppliers >>> |
| What is the process for switching (changing supplier) >>> |
| Do you recommend everybody should switch >>> |
| I have special needs, will this affect my choice of companies >>> |
| What type of contract will I be asked to sign >>> |
| I owe money to my current supplier, do I have to settle this >>> |
| What about my boiler / central heating contract >>> |
| Is anybody acting in the consumers interest >>> |
| Is my data secure (data protection) >>> |
| What about safety and loss of supply >>> |
| I have been billed twice for the same energy, what now >>> |
| What happens if my supplier goes out of business >>> |
| . |
ANSWERS |
How is it possible to save money on my energy bills? The domestic energy supply market has been deregulated, allowing competition for gas and electricity to households in England, Scotland and Wales. The process of generation and supply is complex but as a customer you need only be concerned with the final link in the chain; which supplier bills you for energy used and at what price. Some companies are more efficient and are forcing lower prices, others need to be very competitive to gain customers from the original monopoly suppliers. TOP |
| Do I need to change any pipes or wires if I change suppliers? It is the same electricity and gas down the same pipes and wires, so most people can switch without any extra installations. There are some households using local supply networks that cannot switch, usually in remote areas. TOP |
|
| Do you recommend everybody should switch? If price is your only criterion and the savings are very small we recommend keeping with your current suppliers. It is possible they may become more or less competitive, so check with us every now and then. People still with their original monopoly suppliers will usually have the most to gain by switching, up to 10% savings on electricity, 20% on natural gas. TOP |
I have special needs, will this affect my choice of companies? All suppliers are required to comply with a code of practice setting out services for elderly, disabled and chronically sick customers. Also they must provide facilities to assist blind, partially sighted, deaf and hearing impaired customers. TOP |
What type of contract will I be asked to sign? A rolling contract, where the price can go up or down with a 28 day cancellation period is by far the most common type. There are fixed term contracts for one or two years where the price is set, but these are usually reserved for business and commercial contracts. TOP |
I owe money to my current supplier. Do I have to settle this? Yes, once you decide to change you will have to settle any outstanding balance with your old supplier. There have been discussions between the suppliers and ofgem about moving debts but no agreement has been reached. TOP |
|
|
Is anybody acting in the consumers interest? The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (ofgem 0800 887777) are the governments appointed regulators. They can fine or even remove a suppliers licence if a company acts improperly. Energywatch, the Gas and Electricity Consumers' Council, collate and publish domestic suppliers complaint statistics so we would recommend contacting them if you have any problems;
Energywatch also produce basic suppliers price sheets.We may show some variants to these ie. Green tariffs, no-standing-charge options and district variants where a supplier provides such information to us. TOP |
|
|
| What about safety and loss of supply? To report a gas escape or gas safety isues dial the National Gas Service Emergency Line 0800 111999. Your new electricity supplier will give you contact numbers for faults or power cuts. TOP |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|