Energy expert urges customers to stay calm as firms go bust
Switchease owner shares his tips as gas crisis looms
Thousands of people in Renfrewshire affected by the energy crisis – which could see bills soar – have been urged not to panic by a Renfrew energy expert working to help those in need.
The UK’s energy system has been plunged into chaos, with six energy suppliers going bust due to the steep rise in wholesale gas prices which have risen by more than 300 per cent since the beginning of 2021.
The suppliers currently affected are Avro Energy, Green Supplier Ltd, Money Plus Energy, PFP energy, Peoples Energy and Utility Point.
Renfrewshire customers of the firms have faced worrying uncertainty and a steep rise in bills, with one business in the area even seeing its gas bill soaring from £600 to £1,200 per month.
It is feared more companies are set to fold in the crisis, and the Express has spoken with Renfrew-based energy expert, Shaun Jamieson, to help Buddies who are been affected.
It’s estimated 850,000 houses across Scotland have been impacted by the crisis, with Shaun - who is director of Switchease - saying thousands of people in the area have been left in the lurch.
But his one piece of advice to people is “don’t panic” as many fear they will have their supply cut off when firms go bust.
Shaun, who owns Switchease, said: “Your supply will not be cut off.
“That is a big worry for people and I really want to stress that this will not happen if the company you pay for your gas and electricity goes bust.
“If you are currently with any of these suppliers, don’t worry as you will not lose any money you are due and you will not lose supply of electric and gas.
“OFGEM will find you a new supplier and the credit you are due will be transferred over to them and they will take over as your new supplier.
“When they do take over you are free to switch to a new supplier if you find a better deal or leave them at any time.
“Homeowners are panicking right now and a number of people in Renfrewshire have been in touch as they don’t know what to do.
“This is something that affects everyone and the increases in prices are a concern.”
Shaun is keen to reach out to people ahead of a further price rise set to come next month.
Currently, there is a price cap in place by the government and energy regulators to prevent prices getting out of control.
But this is set to rise on October 1, with some households set to face a bill increase of up to £135 a year.
A further review of this will take place in March 2022, but Shaun says it is not known whether prices will go down or continue to increase.
Another issue that businesses and homeowners are facing is that price comparison websites commonly used are not showing the best deals, resulting in people paying more than they should be.
Shaun added: “Historically it has been easy to jump online to a comparison website and find the best deal, however now the suppliers aren’t paying a fee to comparison websites so comparison sites such as u switch and moneysupermarket aren’t showing any deals and if they are it’s showing a lot more expensive than what you currently pay.
“There is however a way around this, they have a legal requirement to show all deals in the market, even if they don’t get paid for it.
“So if you click on filter results, show me all deals in the market then all deals will appear with much bigger savings.
“All you need to do is find out the supplier name and go directly to their website and switch through that.”
Shaun, who set up his business in 2019 after working in the energy industry for many years, is also urging people to act fast to secure cheaper deals due to the uncertainty of energy prices.
He added: “If you can find a deal that is fixed and cheaper than what you are paying currently then jump on it as there is no telling what way the prices are going.
“If they do shoot down again, the exit fees are minimal to leave a contract (around £20/£30 per fuel) so you can cancel and go to the much cheaper deal.”
If you are with these suppliers, don’t worry, as you will not lose any money and supply