Before winter sets in, now is a great time to think about switching energy provider. This is especially so if you are on a fixed rate deal that is coming to an end as you could soon find yourself paying well over the odds for your gas and electricity.
The key is to take action now before you unwittingly rack up an enormous bill over the colder winter months. The Government is so concerned about the level of inertia when it comes to switching energy providers that it ran a high profile campaign earlier this year to show people they could save as much as £200 a year by switching.
It seems to have hit home, as more and more people are making the move. Traditionally people were put off moving to a new energy company as they perceived the process to be more hassle than it’s worth. But switching energy provider has become a lot easier than it used to be. At the start of this year the energy watchdog Ofgem introduced the “three day switch rule”. So after the 14-day cooling off period is complete (when you are within your rights to change your mind), the switch will happen within three days, and all of the paperwork is taken care of by your new supplier.
What’s more, you are no longer limited to the big providers. There are a number of new entrants to the energy supplier market, most of whom you probably won’t have heard of. They offer highly competitive deals, and their service standards are often far superior to the larger companies. In some parts of the country there are even local authorities starting to challenge the dominance of the big energy companies by offering gas and electricity direct to the public.
If you feel daunted about where to start looking for the best deal, we can help you. Our energy process is accredited to the Consumer Focus Confidence Code which means we are comprehensive and impartial (every supplier is shown, even if we can’t help you switch to them), and our gas and electricity database is up-to-date and accurate.
Michael Ward, Managing Director of PayingTooMuch.com said “Switching energy provider could not be easier, and is likely to save you a lot of money. In May 2015, 99.56% of our customers made a saving by using our energy comparison service. They saved an average of £311.81 a year. You can complete a form online, which takes minutes to fill in and returns quotes instantly. The service works best if you have a bill to hand as we can use the exact number of units consumed to provide a more accurate comparison than an estimate.”
