Switching suppliers
Is the switching process simple? Yes - you will just need a recent bill which will tell you what tariff you are on and how much energy you use.
You can either put that information into a comparison website or do it by phone. The Scottish Government recently rolled out an impartial supplier-switching support service through a partnership between Home Energy Scotland and the social enterprise Citrus Energy which can be accessed free on 0808 808 2282. Citrus review all suppliers. Do I need to change my meter? No - Although if you have a prepayment meter tariffs are usually more expensive and you should consider switching to a credit meter to save money.
You can ask your supplier to remove a prepayment meter and install a standard meter. Provided you are eligible most suppliers will do this for free but a few may charge so always check with them first. Can I switch if I am renting? If you’re a tenant and are directly responsible for paying your energy bills, you can choose which supplier you use. However, if you decide to switch, you may be required under your tenancy agreement to tell your landlord – so speak to them about it first. I’m in credit or debt with my energy supplier – can I still switch? If you are in credit you should ask your current supplier to refund that money. Once they’ve paid the money they owe, you can switch. If you’re in debt, you may be required to pay what you owe before you can switch. If you are a pre-payment customer you can have a debt of up to £500 and still switch. I have a pre-payment meter – can I still switch? Yes. If you use a pre-payment meter, you should be able to switch with a debt of up to £500. How much can people save by switching? Ofgem (the regulator) has published new information which shows how much customers could save by switching. Savings are based on using average amounts of electricity and gas and are given for both changing tariff with the same supplier, or switching to the best tariff in the market, where savings quoted range from £134 to £252 (https://www. ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/householdgas-and-electricity-guide/understandyour-gas-and-electricity-bills/ energy-plans-what-standard-variablerate-tariff-and-how-does-it-compare). I don’t want to switch supplier – can I still save money? A large number of homes are on standard variable tariffs, which are typically more expensive than fixed deals. Speak to your supplier to see if there is a cheaper tariff. Who will put my lights back on in a power cut? There is a common misunderstanding about this. In Scotland there are two electricity distribution companies – Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks in the north and SP Energy Networks in the south. If you have a power cut it is the distribution company who will fix it. This is not affected by who you choose to supply your energy. I have solar PV, can I switch? Yes. I have electric heating, can I switch? It depends on your tariff. If it is economy 7, it is easy - other tariffs are more complex. The recent Competition and Markets Authority Investigation is making changes which are due to come into force later in the year.