Alternative Energy Suppliers

OneQ

I am planning to switch to BG - I currently have a DD with ESB - do I need to cancel this with my bank after completing switch ?

dahamsta

You shouldn't have to, but you do.

harsea8

Colby Stale Creek wrote: »

There are 2 rates on you ESB bill because the cost changed mid billing period. The higher one is the new rate. This is before VAT while the price quoted on the BGE site include VAT.

Doh! thanks for pointing that out, can't believe I missed that. Anyway, I'm signed up and looking forward to saving ~€20 a month!

cooperla

I've just switched. happy days!

Heard 11000 had switched by lunch time last Friday, wonder what that's up to by now?

Clare Bear

We just switched 2 minutes ago. About time there was some competition. Here's hoping it stays cheaper though!

luckat

Just got my gas bill - almost €600 for heating a typical semi-d for two months. I wonder when the ESB is going to start offering cheaper gas?

_Nuno_

A word of warning. BG took a 200 E deposit from my bank account regardless of the direct debit. The claim on their website is a lie, so be careful if you're renting for less than 14 months.

I am going to try and get it back and if I can't I'll go to airtricity, and probably will see if there are other options for gas as well.

This kind of thing seriously pisses me off.

_Nuno_

_Nuno_ wrote: »

A word of warning. BG took a 200 E deposit from my bank account regardless of the direct debit. The claim on their website is a lie, so be careful if you're renting for less than 14 months.

I am going to try and get it back and if I can't I'll go to airtricity, and probably will see if there are other options for gas as well.

This kind of thing seriously pisses me off.

After almost one hour on the phone to Bord Gais electricity and then to the gas section, what happened is that for some reason the gas side of Bord Gais for no particular reason just decided to charge me again for the deposit I already had paid by credit card. Issue seems to be sorted, so the claim on the webiste is actually true, you will not pay a deposit for electricity if you sign up for direct debit.

Just check you bank statement regularly because for any extra direct debits fom BG.....

hedgeh0g

luckat wrote: »

Just got my gas bill - almost €600 for heating a typical semi-d for two months. I wonder when the ESB is going to start offering cheaper gas?

Just for heating? Do cook with gas as well? Even with cooking thats a lot.

Phone them and ask them to check the reading (estimate)?

corktom

Colby Stale Creek wrote: »

Pay in BGE is every bit as good as ESB and they got the 3.5% with the further 2.5% on it's way, while ESB is looking for a pay freeze. Is this just lack of understanding or begruddery?
The switch is worth it certainly as ESB are not permitted to respond to the price competition but let's stick to the facts.

Yes the previous post said that. Ok with sticking to facts but maybe also lets not repeat.

vodafoneproblem

Rang BG earlier to try switch but was told all the sales staff were busy so they offered to call me back within 7 days. That doesn't suit me so I'll try ringing again at a different time. Was also told that if I apply online it could take up to 60 days to go through! You would think they'd employ a few more sales staff!

My intention is to switch to BG for the first year and then see if Airtricity is cheaper next year. Even if they're the same at that stage I might change to them to support renewable energy. They should really try match BG's offer now.

Sizzler

luckat wrote: »

Just got my gas bill - almost €600 for heating a typical semi-d for two months. I wonder when the ESB is going to start offering cheaper gas?

:eek::eek::eek:

Crazy stuff. Got my gas bill there about a fortnight ago which included December and new year period where the gas got a good blast 6-8 hours a day for a good 3 week period and it was €190. Something amiss.

Sizzler

vodafoneproblem wrote: »

Rang BG earlier to try switch but was told all the sales staff were busy so they offered to call me back within 7 days. That doesn't suit me so I'll try ringing again at a different time. Was also told that if I apply online it could take up to 60 days to go through! You would think they'd employ a few more sales staff!

My intention is to switch to BG for the first year and then see if Airtricity is cheaper next year. Even if they're the same at that stage I might change to them to support renewable energy. They should really try match BG's offer now.

60 Days online :eek: FFS. Hope thats not the case, I was hoping to be rid of the ESB within a fortnight.

Dont think it says anywhere online its going to take that long

rameire

id say if you post your own reading of the meter it would be quicker.
if you dont post a reading they will have to wait for esb networks to take a meter reading or estimate.

vodafoneproblem

Sizzler wrote: »

60 Days online :eek: FFS. Hope thats not the case, I was hoping to be rid of the ESB within a fortnight.

Dont think it says anywhere online its going to take that long

Up to 60 days but hopefully quicker. Just got through and switched over the phone. Could still take up to 18 days according to them, even with me giving them all details, direct debit and meter reading. Hopefully quicker than 18 days, they said. And I waived the 7 day cooling off period. They now have 20, 000 switched over. Also, didn't have to pay a deposit! I think the girl earlier said they are there until 9pm. Evening around now seems to be a better time to ring them. 1850485868 if you're interested. Oh, and you have to give 28 days notice to cancel in the future.

anotherlostie

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/doubledigit-cut-in-esb-prices-to-be-announced-soon-1655767.html

Looks like the ESB will be fighting back. Glad to see the competition having this effect, although it should have happened regardless.

mike65

That was always going to happen, the regutalor has been sitting on his hands while prices collapse, the new price will still be undercut.

MOH

anotherlostie wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/doubledigit-cut-in-esb-prices-to-be-announced-soon-1655767.html

Looks like the ESB will be fighting back. Glad to see the competition having this effect, although it should have happened regardless.

Not really fighting back though, since BG have guaranteed to be 10% below them for a year.

Actually, if it wasn't for the regulator, ESB could just wait until a huge number have switched then slash the rate. With BG committed to being 10% less, they could really cost them.

Davy

Not the news article says

will be cut by at least 10%

I heard it was going to be more than 10%,, more like 20%

cormie

Wow, so if an ESB bill was 100 euro worth of units, - 10% = 90 euro, and ESB match the 10% and from now will charge the same 90 euro, then BG will drop another 10% thus cutting the bill from 100 euro to 81 euro?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

anotherlostie wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/doubledigit-cut-in-esb-prices-to-be-announced-soon-1655767.html

Looks like the ESB will be fighting back. Glad to see the competition having this effect, although it should have happened regardless.

As you'll see from previous posts the ESB are not fighting back as they are precluded by the Regulator from doing so. They have been saying that prices could take a steep drop for many months but the CER maintained the existing high prices. BGE say they'll keep below any ESB decreases so the "fight back" would be pointless and also badly timed.
It'll be interesting all the same to see how BGE manage to keep 10% below. Airtricty tried this a few years back and then pulled out of the Domestic market for quite a while.

vodafoneproblem

Colby Stale Creek wrote: »

As you'll see from previous posts the ESB are not fighting back as they are precluded by the Regulator from doing so. They have been saying that prices could take a steep drop for many months but the CER maintained the existing high prices. BGE say they'll keep below any ESB decreases so the "fight back" would be pointless and also badly timed.
It'll be interesting all the same to see how BGE manage to keep 10% below. Airtricty tried this a few years back and then pulled out of the Domestic market for quite a while.

It would be interesting if ESB reduced their prices to just above the wholesale rate which would mean BG were making a loss. Or would they be allowed do that?

I just had another look at the airtricity site. They now giving up to 13% discount which would make them even better value than BG if you're not already a BG customer. Though I wonder would they lower their rates again after the ESB do?

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

http://www.airtricity.com/ireland/Airtricity%20Residential%20Tariffs.pdf

rh555

Anyone knows when one get back the deposit? I am living in a small studio apartment with high turnover rate and may only be there for another 6months. Do they give u the deposit back after just 6months or so or do they keep it for a longer time period?

Thanks.

Odsox

Quote > I just had another look at the airtricity site. They now giving up to 13% discount which would make them even better value than BG if you're not already a BG customer. Though I wonder would they lower their rates again after the ESB do?

That's the question
BG have guaranteed that their price will be 10% lower than ESB for the next 12 months no matter what, after that I believe it's 5%, Airtricity have no guarantee
The canny thing to do is sign up with BG for a year and then maybe switch to Airtricity if their rates are still attractive.

_Nuno_

rh555 wrote: »

Anyone knows when one get back the deposit? I am living in a small studio apartment with high turnover rate and may only be there for another 6months. Do they give u the deposit back after just 6months or so or do they keep it for a longer time period?

Thanks.

The gas deposit I was told would be returned to me after 18 bills, so that would be around 36 months, or 3 years, or when I terminated the contract.

I am not sure it's the same with the electricity.

Davy

vodafoneproblem wrote: »

It would be interesting if ESB reduced their prices to just above the wholesale rate which would mean BG were making a loss. Or would they be allowed do that?

The CER wouldn't allow this because that wouldn't be good for the competitor companies who need to be able to make a profit.

cormie

Odsox wrote: »

Quote > I just had another look at the airtricity site. They now giving up to 13% discount which would make them even better value than BG if you're not already a BG customer.

Oooh! I signed up to them the other day when they had their 10% offer, I better be able to get the 13% offer!!

dahamsta

dahamsta wrote: »

Because a week of waiting for the dust to settle and the glitches in provision and ToS to be corrected would have a negligible difference in the bill at the end of the month.

Plus of course there's the price war. Well, battle probably.

Reckon I'll hold off another week or two, see how things pan out.

Heroditas

Cabaal wrote: »

This new power station is being used to help them off-set the cheaper prices but this is all, this was clearly expalined by their spokes person yesterday.

This is something I noticed the Bord Gáis spokesmen say
By generating power, they will increase their profits.
Everyone buys from the "pool" and then it is distributed as they "resell" it.
There's still massive money to be made in generation - much much more than "reselling" it as Bord Gáis, ESB, ESBIE, Energia and Airtricity currently do.
Electricity is generated, sold to the pool, then resold to the distributors who then sell it on to the end customers.
The whole industry at the commercial level is full of CFDs, that's how the system works.

Someone else asked why Bord Gáis have not entered the market earlier.
This was simply because it's literally a pain in the hole chasing afetr so many accounts. Bill payment is the biggest headache, followed by the "simple" logistics of compiling, printing and distributing thousands upon thousands of bills.
That's why they're offering extra discounts if you go for e-billing and direct debit - those are massive costs in the domestic supply market.... i.e. the major reasons more companies have not entered it yet.

electron

Odsox wrote: »

Quote > I just had another look at the airtricity site. They now giving up to 13% discount which would make them even better value than BG if you're not already a BG customer. Though I wonder would they lower their rates again after the ESB do?

That's the question
BG have guaranteed that their price will be 10% lower than ESB for the next 12 months no matter what, after that I believe it's 5%, Airtricity have no guarantee
The canny thing to do is sign up with BG for a year and then maybe switch to Airtricity if their rates are still attractive.

airtricity DO gurantee the discount - until 31.01.2010 : https://www.airtricity.com/ireland/for_your_home/our_prices/

so that means, it's wiser to switch to airtricity first, and then review in january 2010!