Switching electric/gas providers (see first post for links)

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171021#Comment_121171021

I agree there's nothing wrong with holding out for a better deal.

The BGE renewal rate was the best deal on the market before their rate cut. Then when they announced the discount it became even better. It wasn't a smart move to not accept. You could always cancel the new contract. I said this at the time. Holding out for 5% more with no evidence of increased offers was silly.

I ended my BGE contract to switch to FloGas. The right decision was to stay with BGE. I am not on here complaining. I evaluated the risk, got it wrong, and that's how it goes.

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171038#Comment_121171038

It's a forum. Anyone can answer.

A whole week of 50c a unit is still less then the exit fee of €50. She broke contract and €50 is the consequence of it.

There's absolutely no need to use language such as "you weren't capable of keeping your mouth shut".

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171056#Comment_121171056

A whole week of 50c a unit is still less then the exit fee of €50. She broke contract and €50 is the consequence of it.

Or she'll call them tomorrow, have the fee rightly waived (like the other boardsie said) because they know it's absolute bo**ocks, and she'll have saved nearly €20 from doing things the way she did it.

Find someone else to argue with to fill your evenings.

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171078#Comment_121171078

"rightly waived" i.e. it's at the discretion of the company. They're entitled to charge it. If they don't, she'll have lost €30 the way she did it.

I hope the company choose to waive it.

_Whimsical_

I didn't know they might waive it - I paid the 50. On what basis can you attempt to get them to waive it?

Geuze

Only seeing this thread now.

I had 38% off from BGE this morning, 12-Oct renewal.

Now 15%, kicking myself.

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171286#Comment_121171286

Call them, if the agent can see it in the system, they may still offer it to you.

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171195#Comment_121171195

Kindness.

There's no obligation to waive it but sometimes they do if you're very close to the end. Strictness varies from company to company.

Sheep Shagger

Lads, please keep it civil and on track otherwise more warnings will be issued.

R11

I was with SSE,started switch to Energia. SSE retention team then gave me a better offer of 33.96 electric,10.34 gas. So I emailed Energia to stop the switch.....their retention team rang the following day and offered me 33.34 electric,9.59 gas and they've the lowest standing charges.....is it worth going back to SSE and asking for a lower rate again?? They're all just under cutting each other,it's confusing!

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171041#Comment_121171041

There's and element of swings and roundabouts to all this and no such thing as a solution or one provider is cheapest for all. In my own case SSE would work out slightly cheaper than BGE even with my 33% discount if I took the 2% PTSB cash back into account on the other hand I saved more than €50 on car insurance because of the BGE Zurich 20% off code earlier in the year.

iknorr

This thread seems to be fixated on % offers. This means nothing to anyone. Even more so when you dont say its GAS, Gas and Electricity etc.

Its very confusing.

bonkers and switcher are great but dont show all the offers, the best offers are usually not on their sites.

I read about the two deals on here mentioned in August. Didnt pull the trigger as i was very confused with the mumblings on this thread. People bickering, incorrect information etc. Seemed like alot of hassel and people getting caught up chasing pennies for alot of effort. A few cases where it appeared that things went wrong during switching too. So i held out.

For helping others i recently renewed with Bord Gais.

D/N meter.

Previous 12 month contract:

Base rate was 51.82day 23.53 night inc vat

With discounts 38.87day 19.24 night inc vat.

New Contract - Urban Nightsaver. 25% Discount.

38.87day 19.24night inc vat.

9th Nov

This reduces to

32.84day 16.25 night inc Vat.

ADSLUSER

I signed on to the Flogas BWG plans for D/N meter last month but just received a notification letter from ESB that they will be updating my meter to a Smart Meter. The letter does indicate that I will remain on the same plan, how does that work folks? Should I push back on getting the smart meter installed, am I really able to continue on my existing tariff plan for D/N with the new smart meter?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thx

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171686#Comment_121171686

You obviously must've contacted ESB, what did they say?

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171686#Comment_121171686

There are two smart meters. MCC12 which capable of Time of Use (ToU) plans and the standard 24 hour plan if unactivated. The second meter is MCC16 which is capable of ToU plans and the standard D/N plan if unactivated.

If you ensure you get the correct meter installed and never activate it (only sign up for 30 minute interval information ON the ESB site), you can stay on your current normal plan. The second you activate it, you cannot go back.

[You might need to triple check the MCC codes for the smart meters. I've just pulled them off the top of my head]

Oat23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171078#Comment_121171078

Wrote it off straight away because they know it's ridiculous. They are chancing their arm charging that penalty no matter the circumstances, hoping people roll over and pay it which is probably what usually happens.

They aren't going to burn their bridges with someone over €50 though.

ADSLUSER

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171692#Comment_121171692

I didn't contact ESB yet, only received a letter in the post yesterday. The letter clearly states the following "The installation for smart meter will not alter the price plan you have in place with your electricity supplier". They also indicated that an electrical contractor working on their behalf will be contacting me with more information over the coming weeks.

ADSLUSER

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171875#Comment_121171875

Thanks for the information, I'll read up more about the two meters. I assume I'm getting the MCC16 as I have currently a D/N meter and ESB indicated there will be no change to the current price plan I have with my electricity supplier?

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121172165#Comment_121172165

They've literally only started installing the D/N capable meters so check with the installer the meter type. I would not assume anything.

Yes, there is not change to your current price plan. You just continue on your contract as normal.

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121172058#Comment_121172058

Not chancing their arm at all. Legally entitled to enforce the exit fee. All companies apply it (BGE aside where it is hit and miss) irrespective of when you leave. Some refund it. Others don't. Nothing ridiculous about a company doing that. Always better to call up and ask for it to be waived. The break contract fee highlighted here extensively for those who keep track.

Delighted the woman gets a refund. Makes sense for the company in the long run as she may be likely to return to the company in the future.

Armadillo

Currently with BGE for electricity only at %33 and contract ends 19-10-2023. Saw the offer of %33 (32 cent ish per kWh) last week but didn't go for it - now they are only offering %15 . Spent the last hour and half on phone waiting and then chatting but no budge on the new offer of %15.

Urban 24 hour rate 48.19 less %15 = 40.96 cent per kWh. Annual Standing Charge €281.12.

So need to get better than above rates for the next year.

bren2001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121172312#Comment_121172312

Your rate would be 34.62 cent from November 9th. You're not factoring in 15.5% unit rate cut in addition to the 15% discount.

You need to find a better rate then this and factor in the standing charge etc.

Billy Mays

I renewed my electricity contract with BGE 2 days ago with the 33% discount renewal offer (contract is up on the 16th October).

Actually got a phone call from one of their reps yesterday evening to see if I wanted to renew it as the 33% offer was going to be pulled. Told him I had done so the day before which he wasn't aware of.

fluffykre

I was talking with Energia recently and the advised me of the following:

If you are a Energia customer and you are out of contract and revert to the out of contact pricing. If you contact them within 90 days of the contract finishing you can move onto a plan and the will back date your previous bills since the contract ended with the discount you would have got if you moved onto that plan when your contract ended.

This could be useful for folks who are out of contract with Energia however are looking to see how the market moves. If there no movement in 90 days of the contract changing on prices of other providers and you can sign up they back date the discount and the contract would start when the old one finished so your contract would be shorter then 12 months.

Also they advise they have new mirrored plan for their MCC01 and MCC02 plans on smart plans. They advised standing charges are the same on normal plans vs smart plans. They have 20% discount on smart plans and 15% discount on the normal 24 hour and day/night meter plans. That a welcome development from a provider trying to make it appealing to move to a smart plan.

Their feed in tariff is paid on each bill and went from 18cent to 24 cent per unit on 1st September.

Looks like Energia are on the ball, still not the cheapest from some of these posts

tx_tx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171875#Comment_121171875

These 2 meter types are RM107 (24hrs) and RM108 (D/N). Both can do the smart configurations MCC12 and MCC16.

MCC12 means your usage is being sent half-hourly (Time of Use smart plans, allowing to create an EV charging window in the middle of the night, or free Saturdays, or any other idea they come up with, up to dynamic pricing where there wouldn't be predetermined time windows or unit prices).

MCC16 is sending your cumulative Day/Night/Peak usage every 2 months (Standard smart plans).

John arse

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121172523#Comment_121172523

Interesting thanks, I'm in that boat atm !👍

REFLINE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171646#Comment_121171646

The 38% deal worked out as follows for me at least, I use approx 3000 Kwh of Elec and 5800 kwh of gas per year.

billyhead

I'm currently with Flogas and electric Ireland and the contracts are up next week. Has anyone with them negotiated retention discounts or am I best off shopping around and if so who would give the best deal out there for not a heavy user of both?

sector_000

@REFLINE1 They're great prices considering you'll be getting 15.5% further off.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121174496#Comment_121174496

Good in today's market but there's a good way to go before the heart attack bills stop. It's certainly nice to finally see something dropping.