[Lardman]

I'm not looking at anything financial until April, it's all absolutely horrific at the moment and sooner or later something will have to give.

[al78]

With 15 minutes of sunshine in the last nine days and little to come for the next week, the electircity bills will remain elevated for those of us in the SE I think.

[New shoot]

I’m with OVO and I think my fixed rate expires in early March, so my plan was switch to their variable rate until things settle. 

They did email me a few weeks ago suggesting I increase my direct debit to save a bit more in advance as a precaution, as they were not sure how this would all play out (or words to that effect).  I don’t mind as they give me interest anyway and a lot more than the bank would.  It made sense to me.  I run my account myself on an app on my phone, so can up my payments or refund myself whenever, plus I submit my meter readings monthly and get an up to date balance to keep tabs on it all - no smart meters here 

[JayG]

I'm with OVO too New Shoot, so you now have an inkling of what to expect! 

They upped my DD too last month, but not by anything like as much as will be required when the contract expires whatever course of action I take, although I've already decided that allowing it to revert to the default variable tariff is the only sensible option for the time being.

[Hampshire Hog]

I’m also with OVO made a a mistake last year and only fixed for one year rather than my normal 2 year fix!! I was annoyed that despite having smart meters installed at their behest a couple of years ago it’s only the electric one that transmits so I have squint at the gas in a cupboard every month. This despite numerous requests to get it fixed. Clearly once they have installed the meter they meet the government requirements whether it works or not is irrelevant. Perhaps will have to try the default tariff in the spring. They used to talk about death and taxes being the only certainties  in life looks like we have to add energy cost rises!!

[mumofstig]

Green customers are being tranferred to EDF. That's who I left in June/July because their best rate was a lot more expensive than other providers, plus despite them installing my smart meter, the readings never showed on their site., whereas it did on Green's 
Oh well looks like I may be trying to find a better supplier again, shortly  ....
Well, just had an email which says I'm actually being tranferred to Shell.

Well, Shell finally got my account up and running, properly, and is showing the £300+ credit I had with Green. I was beginning to think that it had got 'lost'  It means I start my first year, with Shell, in a good position and bills won't be too bad. What happens after that - who knows?
Big plus, for me, they have managed to find both my elec and gas smart meter readings, something neither EDF (who installed them) or Green ever managed   

[snowdrops]

I’ve been transferred to Shell from Pure Planet so fingers crossed I’m in credit by tge next time I get an email from them, but I don’t think so, although I’ve  been paying £200 a month  since before Pure went to the wall as they said I was lagging behind!

[Longshanks]

I too am with OVO and have smart meters for both electric and gas. They did away with the bonus for not contacting them for support earlier this year, which was about £7 per quarter. I was a bit miffed and so only renewed my fixed tariff for one year instead of two. The advice is to just go on the standard variable when it expires and rely on the cap as no company in their right mind would good any sort of deal. I pay around £1k p.a. sometimes less which is about par.

[rowlandwells]

I thought how lucky I was when I collected all the tree wood from hedge cutting days and I bought a couple of trees when a tree surgeon felled them near our house a couple of years ago the woods all stacked up tidy and ready to use all I have to do is cut up  a winters supply before winter its lovely and warm and we only use the central heating a couple of hours in the morning and then in the afternoon before I light the wood burner

and as was said about importing wood I helped unload 50 pallets from a sea container the other day  of dried kiln wood for our local wood  company and that came from Lithuania He's already sold one container load we unloaded in August

a friend of ours had solar panels put on there roof when they built there new build together with some large  batteries to store the electricity of the panels a bit of a costly outlay but then they sell the surplus electric to a company

another chap had 6 wind turbines put up in his field and he said its the best thing he ever done every time those blades go round its money in the bank he loves green energy although there was a lot of opposition to the turbines being built at the time  that's all fell on deaf ears now

so it looks like the greener we become the more expensive its going to be still that's what we all want because we done away with  all the coal fire power stations for a cleaner planet so its no good complaining about the cost or renewable energy

look on the bright side there's  plenty of gas in Russia Mr Putin loves selling his Gas to us 

[New shoot]

I'm with OVO too New Shoot, so you now have an inkling of what to expect! 

They upped my DD too last month, but not by anything like as much as will be required when the contract expires whatever course of action I take, although I've already decided that allowing it to revert to the default variable tariff is the only sensible option for the time being.

They suggested £10 per month to me, but I went a bit further.  May as well lay in some credit while my fixed rate still applies and I am not paying an arm and a leg.  I was guessing that new variable rate would be awful and fixed rate deals even worse

I have to agree with Lardman that something has to give sooner or later.  Prices are sky high world wide and that will end up curbing demand and then profits.   

[Goosegirl]

When we moved house last year the previous occupants used Shell so I continued with them as their rates were cheaper than Scottish Power which I used to have. I went for a three year fixed rate and glad I did. What will happen after that I don't know so will just have to see when it comes.

[al78]

I thought how lucky I was when I collected all the tree wood from hedge cutting days and I bought a couple of trees when a tree surgeon felled them near our house a couple of years ago the woods all stacked up tidy and ready to use all I have to do is cut up  a winters supply before winter its lovely and warm and we only use the central heating a couple of hours in the morning and then in the afternoon before I light the wood burner

and as was said about importing wood I helped unload 50 pallets from a sea container the other day  of dried kiln wood for our local wood  company and that came from Lithuania He's already sold one container load we unloaded in August

a friend of ours had solar panels put on there roof when they built there new build together with some large  batteries to store the electricity of the panels a bit of a costly outlay but then they sell the surplus electric to a company

another chap had 6 wind turbines put up in his field and he said its the best thing he ever done every time those blades go round its money in the bank he loves green energy although there was a lot of opposition to the turbines being built at the time  that's all fell on deaf ears now

so it looks like the greener we become the more expensive its going to be still that's what we all want because we done away with  all the coal fire power stations for a cleaner planet so its no good complaining about the cost or renewable energy

look on the bright side there's  plenty of gas in Russia Mr Putin loves selling his Gas to us 

Renewable energy isn't expensive. Fossil fuels receive huge subsidies which distorts the market.

[mumofstig]

Renewable energy isn't expensive. Fossil fuels receive huge subsidies which distorts the market.

Fossil fuel subsidies are mainly now for decommissioning, but renewables also receive huge start-up subsidies, towards the costs of building/installing, which one could argue also distorts the market.
https://www.electropages.com/blog/2021/09/uk-government-offering-265m-renewable-energy-subsidies

[rowlandwells]

yep Il remember that comment a178 when i get my next electricity Bill Il ask my supplier why  has our electricity bills gone through the roof when your saving all those huge subsides from not using fossil fuels maybe I should take that up with the ombudsman who deals  with all these price rises and I'm in no doubt our energy bills will be rising next year for some reason or another

its a fact that all fuel prices have increased somewhat over the past months for the home user and businesses even filling up your car has increased I used to put twenty quid in the car weekly and now I need to put £25 quid in now to get the same fuel as i paid for £20 quid  and off cause road fuel drives up transport cost's that's passed on to the customer

it will be very interesting to see how renewable energy drives down the cost of our fuel bills that's one I can't wait to see   

[Christine]

I was annoyed that despite having smart meters installed at their behest a couple of years ago it’s only the electric one that transmits so I have squint at the gas in a cupboard every month. This despite numerous requests to get it fixed.

Had a similar "discussion" - then the electric one stopped working and we had another "discussion" with no outcome. Suddenly a couple of months ago the IT department got it's finger out, looked at the system and at the moment readings are going in from both meters. Might be worth you asking them again. Experienced programmer from elsewhere suggests that IT has been told to fix the meter reading system as a matter of priority. Mind other people with other firms say that gas meters aren't the most efficient when it comes to smart meters.