Saving on Energy bills

Has anybody tried these people, or anything similar?

https://billbuddy.co.uk/

Can you tell me, if you use these price comparison websites and change your energy provider, do you have to keep paying a 'Get-out' Pernalty each time you break a contract before time?

Ta muchly.

Re: Saving on Energy bills

Saw this (or one very similar) on an episode of Dragon's den. From memory, at the time the problem seemed to be the limited number of suppliers they used, but this might have been fixed by now.

If you change providers then there will naturally be a fee for breaking your side of the contract if doing so early, which is entirely reasonable. One would imagine that the app would only recommend changes and (subsequently) perform them automatically at the end of the contract to avoid any such fees.

Obviously, the old supplier will require you to pay any outstanding balance on your account regardless of whether you are in or out of contract.

Re: Saving on Energy bills

Hi Mups I haven't heard of them but take care, many smaller power companies quickly go out of business and you can be transferred elsewhere without your approval.

I have just had a nasty experience changing suppliers after being a perfect customer , there is some kind of strange thing going on whereby a customer's final reading can be rejected and a 3rd party decides on the final reading which may bear no relation to your actual reading.

If you change suppliers and are asked for a final meter reading put a piece of paper with the date on your meter and take a photograph of it as proof of its validity . This doesn't always stop the reading being rejected but can help in some instances. I didn't do this but wish I had .

Re: Saving on Energy bills

Gosh, thanks very much Meg and Dex.
Why is everything so bloomin' complicated!

So what about sites like Martin Lewis who automatically changes you if a better deal comes up?
Does that mean possibly every few months you'd be changed over?
If so, however much they say they are saving you, you will be paying back for breaking contracts all the time.

Re: Saving on Energy bills

Good tip from Meg...using a newspaper with the date on it (with a partial view of related headline) would be a useful bit of evidence.

Re: Saving on Energy bills

I have only ever changed supplier once Mups.
That incidentally wasn't to save money, but I was receiving such crap service from 'n power' formerly Yorkshire Electricity. I changed to British Gas and have had good service with no mistakes for the last 40 years. I reckon that's worth a few bob extra.....

What next I ask myself?
There are websites for all the different suppliers.....
There are websites for all the different supplier checkers to find the best deal.....
And now there are websites checking the websites of the websites searching the suppliers for the best deal......
I'm sticking with British Gas......

Re: Saving on Energy bills

I didn't think Meg meant a newspaper when she said 'a piece of paper', Dex? I thought she meant write the date on a piece of paper and photograph it.

Silly me, I guess it does make more sense your way though.

Re: Saving on Energy bills

This:
https://clubs.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub
is the one I'm with.

However, they don't automatically change you when a better deal comes up. They send you a message with a list of better deals, including all the necessary details for comparison, but whether you change is up to you.

If you choose a deal that you like, and are either near the end of your contract and can avoid the early exit fee, or you think the savings are worth it, you tell them and they do all the necessary paperwork. You usually also get a £25 extra bonus from the MoneySaving people, as they also receive something from the new supplier for the recommendation.
It is all above board and I have used them for years.

Re: Saving on Energy bills

Hah, that made me smile Foxy.
But I understand what you mean and agree. I find it all very confusing and I guess that is why people like me and thee, tend to just stick with what we've got.

Re: Saving on Energy bills

Yep. A scrap of paper can be easily forged with any old date you fancy on it. Same is true if you get your camera to have an embedded date on it. Not possible with a printed newspaper.