[Waynes81]

I find it staggering that I go from paying £53.99 a month for gas and electric to either £150 if I go on your fixed tariff or £100 with the risk of paying more if I go on the flexi tariff! I’m the only person in the flat and use very little in terms of energy yet when I tried to speak with a customer service agent I get told that’s the best deals you have! I wish I could change suppliers but it’s tied into my tenancy agreement that I have to use E.on! My tariff is due to change in May which is a fixed tariff so why have you charged me for the new rate from 1st April? Surely my new rate shouldn’t come into effect from the 12th May? Or is this another way of screwing over your customers?

[theunknowntech]

Hi @Waynes81

It is illegal to stop a tenant switching supplier if the tenant is paying the bills directly. You have a legal right to switch supplier if you wish, regardless of what the tenancy agreement says. That clause is invalid and therefore null and void.

If there's a preferred supplier clause however, you should notify the landlord of the switch of course but they cannot stop you. If they try that stunt anyway, contact Citizens Advice for help. The most they can do is ask you to switch back when the tenancy ends. In the meantime, feel free to switch to any supplier of your choice. You're technically "breaching" the terms anyway if you've been moved to E.On Next, so you might as well shop around and see what's out there.

[meldrewreborn]

@Waynes81

Virtually all suppliers are charging the maximum they can under the price cap now for variable rate tariffs. Fixed deals are few and far between and as you are aware are very expensive.

If your fixed rate deal expires in May, its likely that in fixing your new DD the supplier has taken account of the higher prices to be charged from May onwards. The price rises are indeed high and I'm afraid likely to go higher in October. Some fixed deals that I've seen in the recent past fact or a 60-70% rise again then.

You are not alone in finding these increases difficult. I can only suggest that you make sure you are getting all the benefits you eligible for (may be none but how can i know?) and use the summer period when heating costs are much lower to conduct a full audit of your energy consumption because this drives your bills.

Ironically those who use small amounts of energy are penalised the greatest under the policy of loading costs arising from the "supplier of last resort" just into the electricity standing charge. This policy means small users like your self contribute just as much as large users, whereas loading the costs into unit prices would be more equitable.