I’m ready to switch as soon as I get the itch
SCHOOL administrator Lizz Caunt is happy to admit it – she is a serial utility switcher, constantly looking to reduce her family’s energy bills.
Lizz, from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, says her pennypinching has paid off handsomely. Currently on maternity leave after giving birth to third child, Meredith, she estimates that she has already saved £150 by switching from Cooperative Energy in May last year to rival EDF Energy. This is because the EDF deal, covering both gas and electricity, provides her with a fixed unit price for all the energy she uses until May 2017.
Opting for a fixed tariff proved a shrewd move, because energy prices have risen sharply in recent months on the back of increasing oil prices. Previously Lizz switched away from both British Gas and Eon. She says: ‘I’d definitely describe myself as a keen switcher. er. I always look to compare deals when ours comes to an end.
‘It’s important to me to save every penny.’
The savings Lizz has made are not unusual. If you have been with the same gas and electricity provider for two years or more, you can make similarly big savings by switching, especially if you are on a standard tariff from the ‘Big Six’. These are British Gas, Eon, EDF, nPower, ScottishPower and SSE.
ScottishPower and nPower have e announced price rises of 8 and 10 per cent respectively in recent weeks. Other big providers are expected to follow suit.
By switching to the best tariff on the market you could save up to £230 over the course of a year.
Emma Bush, energy expert at comparison website uSwitch, says switching is straightforward and most good comparison services will do the hard work for you. It will contact your old supplier and trigger the switch.
Bush says: ‘It typically takes
ound 17 days for a switch to go rough. All you need do is give a nal meter reading to your new pplier and it will do the rest.’ Even if you have a debit balance your gas and electricity account u should not be deterred from itching. Under the regulator gem’s rules, if you have been in bt to your supplier for less than days you can switch and the tstanding amount will be added to ur final bill. If you have been in debt for longer, you may need to repay it before you can switch. Households on fixed energy tariffs should not be content to sit and wait for the fixed unit price period to end. They should still compare deals to see if they could save by switching again. There is usually a cancellation c charge to switch out of a fixed-rate de deal before the term is up, but it may be worth paying if there are bi big savings to be made elsewhere. Small providers often offer the be best priced deals. Comparison and sw switching website Energy Helpline says the best tariffs are currently from Toto Energy, Iresa, Economy Energy, Avro and So Energy. Lizz, who is married to IT technician Mitchell and has two other daughters Alice, six, and three-year-old Violet, has saved on her energy bills in other ways. She says: ‘We have installed a log burner, which has saved on central heating costs, and had the loft insulated. I also go around the house constantly switching off lights that are not in use. Every bit helps when you have a young family and money is tight.’
She adds: ‘Being at home with the little ones means I have the heating on a lot – particularly at this time of year. I am really conscious it pushes our bills up so I am as keen as mustard to keep a lid on any costs that I can.’
TOP TIPS
USE an independent utility comparison service to find a better deal.
CONSIDER fixing for at least a year.
PROVIDE regular meter readings to your energy company to ensure your bills are accurate.
TURN your thermostat down. Even just turning it down by one degree Celsius can save you up to £85 a year.
INSULATE your home, including roof, walls, floors and windows. There are grants available from some energy providers if you meet their eligibility criteria.