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

How do BGE deal with any welcome credit already awarded which a customer subsequently switches to another provider while still in the minimum term?

Do they add the full amount of the welcome credit to the final bill for repayment? Pro-rata? Or no action taken?

Do you have to have a smart meter to use the EnergyPal site resource to help choosing a plan?

Or can it be used with normal/non-smart meters also?

I've recently moved back into the family home after my parents' passing, having lived abroad, and I find myself needing to reduce the utility costs there, as they're currently too expensive. It's quite a big house but I'll be using a lot less energy than they would have, as they were being cared for in-home the last few years and had certain needs that had to be met.

So the previous usage rates probably aren't very useful as a metric re likely yearly cost from here on out; but just as an example, the previous 12 months electricity usage was approx 4,300 kW/H and 12 months gas usage was approx 17,200 kW/H.

The gas and electricity are both with BGE (not currently in contract) and are basically at the Standard/24hr rates, with perhaps a perfunctory 2% discount on each and, pretty disgracefully, nothing for having the dual fuel bundle with BGE either, from what I can ascertain. Indeed, after having recently gone back through the last few years' worth of bills (they were with BGE for several years running), it's nothing short of extortionate what BGE took out of their house in energy charges.
Just pure, unadulterated greed really. IMO.

Anyway, the electricity rate is currently at 36.65c, inc VAT (Urban 24Hr Variable Price Plan) and the gas is at 11.17c, inc VAT (Standard Price Plan). From what I've read here, that seems quite high and not very competitive, considering the current market.

Now I haven't personally been a customer of BGE before, so I'm not sure of what's the best approach when it comes to dealing with them. But to this point, there hasn't been any contact from them with any offers etc. Not a peep.
There also doesn't seem to be any online a/c, so offers couldn't be made that way; as they preferred to pay in the PO or over the phone, as older people do. There haven't been any emailed offers either, certainly not over the last few months anyway.

So I suppose what I'm asking is, should I try to contact BGE directly? Or just go through their site?
Or, considering their current and previous pricing level and their general tardiness with not bothering to make any offers, or being in any way competitive with their pricing here, to boot - should I just show them the door, by switching providers altogether?

And, if so - is it better to use one of the switching sites or just go through the energy providers' sites directly?

Also, which is generally considered to be the better option right now - fixed or variable?

And who currently has the best rates?

As that seems like the most important metric, especially considering how much the providers all like hiding behind percentages, rather than actual prices; when it comes to the real cost of what's actually available.

To clarify, it's mostly a more electricity heavy house, but it does have GFCH and that's obviously going to ramp up in usage cost as it starts to get colder etc. Although, it will obviously need to generally be used substantially less than over the recent past too.

So any and all help or information that can be provided about the best rates or offers, or where and how to get them - will be very gratefully received.

Thanks in advance!

As Lester_Burnham said, choosing a supplier is way easier than what you seem to anticipate. You asked yourself many questions, and that's a good thing in general, but not necessary at this stage.

In your situation, 95% of your potential savings will come from switching from out-of-contract rates to a competitive discounted offer. The last 5% would come from picking the very best offer for your usage, which you don't know yet, so keep that second question for next year, when it's time to renew and you'll have more visibility.

For now, just go to bonkers or switcher, select national average for your usage (the figures you give don't seem too far from that anyway), importantly don't forget to select to show all offers, not only the ones available for switching from that comparison website, then pick one of the best offers.

You can switch using that comparison website, or by going to your selected supplier's website. It makes no difference to you. And don't waste your time contacting your current supplier, there's no point. Just switch. At the moment, BGE aren't offering great deals anyway (but they were quite competitive in the last couple of years, so things may change next year).

Don't blame BGE or hold a grudge - I mean, you can feel that they're taking advantage of certain customers, and yes they are, but that's how the current energy market works, BGE aren't different from the others.

Cheers tx, appreciate the response. Will do. I know I got a bit granular about it, but that's just my process.

As for the not holding a grudge advice, well, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I wouldn't be a believer in the everyone-else-is-doing-it, so-you-can't-really-blame-them approach; that just means that they're all gouging crooks taking total advantage of a captive market, by engaging in what's akin to cartel behaviour - enabled and facilitated by a bought-and-paid-for Gov't of corporate shills and disingenuous poltroons and a feckless regulator.

Which is no surprise or news to anyone here, I'd wager tbf - but if you'd actually seen the egregiously eye-watering numbers involved, you'd probably share my views on the matter.

Yeah, I don't think keeping their names' on it would be practical in the medium to longterm, as the probate is likely to take a while, but appreciate the advice nonetheless Fishdoodle.

Am already well aware of the utilities companies and their dodgy tactics unfortunately, this current prodedure is just the last in the long list I've had to do this with. Surprisingly enough (to me anyway), Sky were actually a dream to deal with, their bereavement process was very good indeed, considering the context. A definite, big positive for them.

Virgin, on the other hand, were a complete, total and utter nightmare. It was truly disgraceful what they attempted to do and how they conducted themselves, I'm getting angry again just thinking about it. In the end, I had to lodge a complaint with them and threaten to go to Comreg, before they stopped wasting my time; while also attempting to charge extra for that time, as they were doing so. It was basically a litany of sharp practice, time-wasting and manipulative pressure.

It was amazing how quickly they hopped to it, once that complaint was made, though - the whole thing got resolved in 12 hours. Just goes to show how easily and quickly they were able to do it, with the right motivation. And also that the choice to do otherwise was clearly deliberate.

🤓 . .

Bord Gais just called me. Contract is up in 3 weeks. Offered a 25% discount on gas and electricity and €200 credit. I'd seen the 25% offer on my account page on their website but the €200 is new.

He seemed a bit miffed that I didn't immediately bite his hand off and told him that I'd shop around and get back to him.

In their favour their app and general communication is excellent so I'll give them a good look.

I moved to EI on 24th, the day following my contract expiry using Switcher, or at least that's when I pressed the button.

EI had a @€120 cashback and a 28% discount, and low enough rates, so as I use very little (1750 kWh) a year it was a no-brainer.

Tuesday I get the call from my previous supplier's XXXX's Retention Dept. The lies! EI don't offer any cashback plan, sez he. Yeah, they do and I told him what I was getting. Suddenly he CAN see my plan and starts babbling at how much cheaper his rates are - they are not. But now he's offering €100 cashback and a slightly lower standing charge - right - why didn't ya do that before I switched, sez I. No response.

Then he says, like he's doing me a favour, "I can backdate your account to the 23rd SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT ON THE GOVERNMENT €125!" At that point I politely say I've made my decision, goodbye.

Just now (Thursday) I got an email from them like I'm still their customer - hmmmm - in which they say

"Government Electricity Credits:

As announced in Budget 2025, domestic electricity customers who meet the eligibility criteria will receive a total of €250 electricity credit (inclusive of VAT) in 2 instalments of €125 (€114.68 + VAT) between 1 November 2024 and 28 February 2025. The first credit of €125 will be applied before the end of December 2024. This is provided you are registered with XXXX (my elision) on the eligible date of 30th October 2024."

I'm assuming I'll get the €125 either through EI or as an account wind-up from XXXX. It's not clear to me yet who is supplying my electricity right now.

How much per unit are you paying now?

He told me the €200 offer only started yesterday but you can take that any way you want. Hes a salesman. I'm a pretty light user so the 200 and their lower standing charge probably makes sense for me. I'll crunch the numbers later.