Electricity supply

I can’t get a smart meter even if I wanted one. The external supply is in imperial and it affects all the flats on the estate. The landlord has to update the infrastructure first.

Luckygirl

*I know it's verging on Marxism but does anyone hanker after the days of the old CEGB?*

Well quite. All this farting around changing suppliers benefits no-one - the competition was supposed to drive prices down - ha ha.

Bring back the MEB!

We’ve sold the family silver. I’d like all utilities renationalise at least then we might one day get any benefits. It was so good to be able to go into the shop, get advice without all this constant switching.

I'm with EDF. In May I had come to the end of my contract redid a checked via Martin Lewis site for our needs, they came out the best for me and I was already with them. I could have gone to a smaller company but didn't.
Think it was under £5 a month difference. Got a 2 year fixed deal and I can have a smart meter if I want one (I don't)

MEB, that takes me back. We even had their shop in town where we bought our first automatic washing machine and paid for it through our electric bill.

Jennifereccles
Things have moved on a bit from tokens. Pre paid cards are used.

I know it's verging on Marxism but does anyone hanker after the days of the old CEGB?

Well quite. All this farting around changing suppliers benefits no-one - the competition was supposed to drive prices down - ha ha.

Bring back the MEB!

Managed to pick up the programme thank you; then had a letter from FloGas drop through the door - I am very glad that I bought a tank full up front when I moved here in March, judging by the new unit rate!

I believe you do pay more for your energy through a pre-payment metre.

How do they work these days?
Do you have to buy tokens or something?

Tizliz- i dont know, but that is what she said, several times, i even put it it to her, about the fact that we are ALL supposed to be 'going smart' as it were, but she definitely said, No they do not do the prepay on smart meters and was very brusque& rude over it!(maybe they do smart only on credit meters?She didnt say, but definitely not prepayment ones.) Most companies do now though, as its convenient to top up online.

As I understand it, almost all energy companies are now selling at a loss to their existing customers., whether those customers are on a fixed deal or the capped standard variable rate.

The 'cap' (of the price per unit) is currently - no pun intended -less than the wholesale price per unit.

These two factors are the reason why there are no cheaper deals out there at the moment.

As Martin Lewis said, at least you know that what you are paying on the standard variable tariff won't increase until next April, when there will be a revised, much higher 'cap'. I wouldn't call the rate 'good, but it is for once better than the alternatives.

We need to keep our fingers crossed that wholesale prices fall back by then - it won't alter the increased April cap, but might mean the reappearance of a few fixed deals.

I know it's verging on Marxism but does anyone hanker after the days of the old CEGB?

Standard rate for all - and why not? It's not like the various companies have their own fuel pipes/mines/gas fields etc. Most own nothing - seems like just a man and a phone!

No more comparison websites to find the best tariffs, then the company goes bust because they had a very weak business model in the first place.

The other countries own all our utilities probably due to privatisation!

Nannan2 that is very strange as my new contract with EDF (work) is conditional on me having a smart meter.

EDF used to be good years ago, but not now...im in a catch22 situation at moment, i can change from a pre payment meter to a credit one, if i like, with ANY company, as ive got good credit rating, but im also house hunting so would be better waiting a bit as i might end up doing it all again!

I have also been with EDF for many years.
I stayed with them because I am too ill to cope with the stresses of changing over and because i have had no problems with EDF.
They do tend to hang on to credit i have built up by having a larger DD but it does stop me building up debt and I can always phone and ask for the money. They hand it back fairly quickly.

The question is why do other countries own all our utilities?

I had contacted EDF about changing to them as there was a good offer on to get £100 in credit to do
a switch- and a young woman on phone informed me, quite tersely, that although they do prepayment meters, (I've always had in here, in when i moved in) they STILL dont do smart meters so would be no good to me- (seriously? In the 21st century, when gov't are trying to get everyone onto smart meters??)She was very rude about it too.

We were with Scottish Power for years, but their latest price rise a few weeks ago saw me looking for an alternative.
Following a Martin Lewis recommendation for renewable electricity I signed up with Green. Five days later they stopped trading ?
We've now been transferred to Shell on their standard variable tariff, which is governed by the Ofgem price cap so is effectively a six month at a time fix.

Scottish Power have been trying to persuade me back to them on their best offer, a fixed rate until December 2023.
Based on our previous annual consumption, Scottish Power will cost us £3227 a year until the end of 2023.
Also based on our previous annual consumption Shell's current rate will cost us £2282 a year, though that will probably change next April.

Trying to make sense of it all is impossible.

Definitely Hetty58!
I may invest in a heated throw too for the evenings, which I believe only cost pennies to run!

It was on ITV last Thursday 7th at 8.30 Luckygirl

Just a thirty minute programme but he packs a lot in.
Ignore the (in my opinion) silly
‘grey area’ section but it doesn’t last long.

EDF (French govt) are coining the cash, they generate a large slice of our nuclear power as well as a lot of wind power, if only the UK invested in the future the way other nations do. Why we sold off most of our utilities and strategic industries to foreigners defeats me.

The Martin Lewis show is on ITV Luckygirl, have you got ITV Hub? He also has information on the MSE website.

You will not get a better deal by changing as all offers have ceased, but the standard rate is good at the moment. - until OFGEM change it ?

JenniferEccles, yes, time to dig out the blanket hoodie and slow cooker now!

What channel is his programme on please?

Martin Lewis was discussing this on his programme last week and he stressed that customers should do nothing in the meantime while all this changeover is going on.

He did say that customers who have been moved to another company will inevitably be paying more as they will be put on the standard variable rate initially.

He had DO NOTHING in big letters in the studio to emphasise the necessity to not complicate things by trying to change to yet another supplier in this interim period.

I would imagine it would be extremely difficult to speak to anyone at the new company as they are probably inundated with calls.

If you have a tv with
Catch Up perhaps you could watch the programme?

Worrying times. Unfortunately we all have to accept that we will be paying a lot more for fuel.