Airtricity

brettmirl

Airtricity are offering 10% off the unit cost of electricty at the moment if you move from ESB.

There are T&Cs:

To benefit from the savings of a full 10% you; Pay by Direct Debit, receive eBills and avail of the Airtricity Level Payment Plan

http://www.airtricity.com/ireland/switch_to_airtricity/switch_now/why_switch_to_airtricity_1/

iMax

Bord Gais will be selling to residential in the next couple of months, they should be offering a slightly higher saving.

Ricky91t

Can anyone say is these are good or not?And if they are cheaper?

brettmirl

Tariffs for both:

ESB - https://www.esb.ie/esbcustomersupply/residential/your_account/pricing.jsp

Airtricity - http://www.airtricity.ie/ireland/switch_to_airtricity/switch_now/airtricity_your_airtricit/

For the price plan I am on, ESB and Airtricity are the same price, but the 10% discount Airtricity are offering helps!

Ricky91t

mick_irl wrote: »

Tariffs for both:

ESB - https://www.esb.ie/esbcustomersupply/residential/your_account/pricing.jsp

Airtricity - http://www.airtricity.ie/ireland/switch_to_airtricity/switch_now/airtricity_your_airtricit/

For the price plan I am on, ESB and Airtricity are the same price, but the 10% discount Airtricity are offering helps!

Thanks,
Do you know how long this offer goes for?

brettmirl

Not a clue - sorry.

jimogr

Looks like its 10% ESB prices - not 10% off their own prices?

Davy

jimogr wrote: »

Looks like its 10% ESB prices - not 10% off their own prices?

Yes correct. Their will probably be a drop in electricity prices this year anyway

paddydriver

davton wrote: »

Yes correct. Their will probably be a drop in electricity prices this year anyway

This year! Should be happening this month... no doubt when it comes around for review they will some excuse; price of energy futures.. blah!

I know off topic.. but they take their wage rise and yet do nothing for the punter. They have us by the short and curlies... them and bord gais

Senna

Think Airtricity said that if the ESB drop their prices, they will drop by the same amount.

kendragon

Do you get a further discount during a gale?

Seriously though. Any thing that takes customers away from the ESB is a good thing in my book. They have been screwing us for far too long IMO.

TM

davton wrote: »

Yes correct. Their will probably be a drop in electricity prices this year anyway

Judging by the Airtricity T&Cs there is no minimum contract so might make sense to switch now from ESB just to get the 10% discount (assuming you get bills electronically and choose their level payment plan) and then review matters if/when other providers become available or prices are reviewed? Probably going to do that myself. Thanks to the original poster for the tip.

Ardent

Thanks for the heads up, I will sign up to this later on tonight. Any alternative to the thieving monopoly is good in my book.

Can any existing Airtricity customers give a brief explanation of how the Level Payment Plan works? At what point does the estimation become actual?

Our man in Havana

They adjust every 6 months.

brettmirl

Ardent wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up, I will sign up to this later on tonight. Any alternative to the thieving monopoly is good in my book.

Can any existing Airtricity customers give a brief explanation of how the Level Payment Plan works? At what point does the estimation become actual?

I assume it will work something similar to what Bord Gais do on their level payment plan:

Plan-Pay Direct Debit
With Plan-Pay Direct Debit your natural gas costs are spread as evenly as possible throughout the year with payments made monthly from your account. This option is only available to residential customers who are home owners.

How Plan-Pay Direct Debit works:

Your current gas bill (excluding arrears) can be included in your Plan-Pay Direct Debit.

Each time your meter is read or we receive a meter reading from you or we estimate your meter reading, a monthly payment is calculated based on your annual gas usage up to that reading.

If your annual gas usage changes significantly up or down your monthly payment is adjusted to match.

Any payment change is notified to you in advance on your bill.

Each year at your July/August bill, any debit or credit balance on your account at the 31st July is spread across the next year's monthly payments.

On or soon after your monthly payment day, your payment is requested from your bank/building society account.

You nominate the date of your first direct debit payment.

TM

See here - although it's a bit hard to make out the small print!

https://www.airtricity.com/ireland/switch_to_airtricity/switch_now/airtricity_your_airtricit/

Same as or similar to ESB's Equalizer. Basically your annual bill is paid pro rata. Presumably when you switch they may look for details of past usage in order to determine what the monthly/two monthly pro rata figure should be?

ian_m

Senna wrote: »

Think Airtricity said that if the ESB drop their prices, they will drop by the same amount.

Yes. It's a tracker rate. They will match the ESB rate minus 10percent.

brettmirl

ian_m wrote: »

Yes. It's a tracker rate. They will match the ESB rate minus 10percent.

I don't know what an ESB Tracker Rate is... :pac::pac::pac:

dMaN24

If i signed up for ESB in november and received my first bill this week, is it still possible to make a transfer? Or would they stab me to death in my sleep if i did? :rolleyes:

loyatemu

Giddyup! - this sounds like a great deal. Plus getting monthly, consistent bills is very appealing, rather than the bi-monthly, high in winter, low in summer bills that the ESB send out.

taung

Great Bargain Alert! Just what I need at the moment.

Does anyone know why Airtricity have not widely publicised this domestic electricity supply service?

I remember trying to switch to Airtricity a couple of years ago when they were "supposed" to be providing a domestic supply service (at same rates as ESB) but they were very unhelpful and so I never switched.

Hopefully, this time around, it will be different.....now if I could only find my ESB Meter Number, this morning, I'd have switched already. (The ESB's new online acount service blanks out the first four digits of the metre number:mad:, in an effort to promote electricity supply competition, no doubt!!!!;))........

Onikage

What is involved in switching? New meters? Or do they use the same infrastructure?

taung

Exact same infrastructure, you just need to supply them with your details, your MPRN account number, your ESB Networks Meter Number and a Meter Reading.

Details here;

http://www.airtricity.com/ireland/switch_to_airtricity/switch_now/

Seems to be that part of the deal is that you provide the meter reading to Airtricity yourself, every month (they provide e-mail/SMS to remind you to do it!).......

Our man in Havana

Your meter is still read 3 times a year by the ESB so you can't engage in funny business.

kendragon

There was something on The Last Word show yesterday about bord gais offering their own electricity service with a 10 percent discount on ESB rates. I didnt hear the whole segment but i'm pretty sure that Airtricity or this offer wasnt mentioned at all. Anyone know why that was?

dahamsta

Can anyone confirm that there's no minimum term?

I emailed them to ask and they didn't reply, doesn't bode well on the customer service front...

adam

Gambler

Quick note, when I signed up they asked for a meter reading as an optional step, I didn't bother because the meter box was locked and I wasn't bothered to go digging in the shed for something to open it when it was snowing and cold (Lazy FTW) but after I finished all the signup they sent out an email to say that I would be moved over to them after the next official meter reading.

I assume that means I have to wait for one of the 3 readings a year before I am switched over so make sure you take the step and read the meter!

I've emailed them to see if we can do a reading now but if I hadn't been paying attention I could be waiting for months!

Our man in Havana

They should be able to organise an official reading by ESB networks staff at a time that suits you.

brettmirl

T&Cs on page 3 of this pdf - http://www.airtricity.com/ireland/media_center/documents_forms/corporate_documents/Republic%20of%20Ireland%20Residential%20Customer%20Agreement%20Form.pdf

Our man in Havana

Loads of charges there. :eek:

Soarer

paddydriver wrote: »

This year! Should be happening this month... no doubt when it comes around for review they will some excuse; price of energy futures.. blah!

I know off topic.. but they take their wage rise and yet do nothing for the punter. They have us by the short and curlies.

kendragon wrote: »

Do you get a further discount during a gale?

Seriously though. Any thing that takes customers away from the ESB is a good thing in my book. They have been screwing us for far too long IMO.

Ardent wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up, I will sign up to this later on tonight. Any alternative to the thieving monopoly is good in my book.

Tripe of the highest order.

They had to pay the payrise, as it was part of the agreement. It's not their fault that they're so profitable.
The staff have volunteered to take a 2 year pay freeze.
Management have taken a 5-10% paycut.
It's announced this morning that they're taking on 400 apprentices that have been laid off by the private sector.

Not to mention that they contribute €120m+ every year in dividends to the government.

And for the record, it's the regulator sets the price. ESB ask for a price, but it's the regulator sets it.

Now that that's off my chest, back on topic!:D

rco2000

And for the record, it's the regulator sets the price. ESB ask for a price, but it's the regulator sets it.

Now that that's off my chest, back on topic!:D[/quote]

Sounds like you work for the ESB?:D

Soarer

rco2000 wrote:

Sounds like you work for the ESB?:D

No way, shower of bloody gangsters!

TM

dahamsta wrote: »

Can anyone confirm that there's no minimum term?

I emailed them to ask and they didn't reply, doesn't bode well on the customer service front...

adam

No min term specified in their retail/domestic terms & conditions.

TM

mick_irl wrote: »

T&Cs on page 3 of this pdf - http://www.airtricity.com/ireland/media_center/documents_forms/corporate_documents/Republic%20of%20Ireland%20Residential%20Customer%20Agreement%20Form.pdf

Bond-007 wrote: »

Loads of charges there. :eek:

Not sure what you mean. Maybe you can clarify?

Our man in Havana

Charges to change meter etc etc. These are free with the ESB.

Cabaal

Bond-007 wrote: »

Charges to change meter etc etc. These are free with the ESB.

whats change meter?

TM

Bond-007 wrote: »

Charges to change meter etc etc. These are free with the ESB.

But you don't need to change the meter to switch from ESB to Airtricity if that's what you mean?

Raiser

Airtricity have been accused of having some shocking Customer Service right here on the Boards.

- Here's an ok start if you want to research it.....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=58993998#post58993998

Our man in Havana

Oh no.

I meant to say was if you wanted to change tarriff from say single rate to nightsaver. That would mean a new meter. The ESB would do that for free. Airtricity will charge.

Ardent

Bond-007 wrote: »

Oh no.

I meant to say was if you wanted to change tarriff from say single rate to nightsaver. That would mean a new meter. The ESB would do that for free. Airtricity will charge.

Right. That's one charge. What are the other charges you speak of?

I only see charges in relation to late/non payment, which is hardly unusual..?

Our man in Havana

The ESB do not have late payment fees.

rco2000

Bond-007 wrote: »

Oh no.

I meant to say was if you wanted to change tarriff from say single rate to nightsaver. That would mean a new meter. The ESB would do that for free. Airtricity will charge.

Just a suggestion - change your meter to the night saver while you are still with ESb (it's free) & then change over to Airtricity or Bord Gais(when they hit the domestic market)?

Our man in Havana

That sounds like a plan.

Akrasia

Senna wrote: »

Think Airtricity said that if the ESB drop their prices, they will drop by the same amount.

so basically, they could offer lower prices right now, but they're profit taking because the regulator is keeping prices artificially high.

Wonderful

Gambler

Akrasia wrote: »

so basically, they could offer lower prices right now, but they're profit taking because the regulator is keeping prices artificially high.

Wonderful

I don't know for a fact but I would guess that Airtricity have to pay some sort of a fee to the ESB for use of the grid to delivery power to your home. I would also guess that this rate is tied somehow to ESB charges so that if the regulator changes the price that ESB charges domestic users then there is also a change in the charge to the wholesalers using the grid.

Please note I said guess!

loyatemu

my understanding is that you are still receiving the same electricity (ie mostly generated by the ESB). ESB sells on the leccy wholesale to Airtricity, so if the wholesale prices drop, Airtricity can also drop their prices. Its not like theres a seperate "Airtricity supply" that just comes from windfarms.s

Presumably, any electricity Airtricity themselves contribute to the grid is offset against their wholesale bills. It sounds fairly similar to how the likes of BT, Perlico etc sell on Eircom's broadband products. (or maybe I'm entirely wrong - anyone know for sure?)

Our man in Havana

It is exactly the same.

BrotMonster

Bond-007 wrote: »

Oh no.

I meant to say was if you wanted to change tarriff from say single rate to nightsaver. That would mean a new meter. The ESB would do that for free. Airtricity will charge.

But ESB do charge to move from Nightsaver to a Normal meter: https://www.esb.ie/esbcustomersupply/residential/your_account/urban_nightsaver_tariff.jsp

Our man in Havana

That is the opposite of what I said. They never charged me to go from general purpose to nightsaver.

WEST

rco2000 wrote: »

And for the record, it's the regulator sets the price. ESB ask for a price, but it's the regulator sets it.

Now that that's off my chest, back on topic!:D

Sounds like you work for the ESB?:D[/quote]

He speaks the truth though.:) ESB Networks maintain the electricity network and send the electrity bill on behalf of other suppliers. ESB have a max of 40% market share of the total market, most of which is domestic. They only supply 10% of the business market, this is where most of the profit is.
To get more suppliers into the domesic market the regulator inceased the price of electricity to make it more profitable for other suppliers. Esb are not increasing the prices. Its actually a competive maket, there's about 20 suppliers in total and most will only ever supply the business market, unless the regulator increases prices again for the domestic market.