Are You Being Told About The Best Energy Deal?

Energy suppliers are not always telling customers about the best energy deals as their prices are so complex that even their staff get confused.

An undercover investigation by Which? to call the ‘Big 6′ energy suppliers 12 times in one week to get their cheapest energy deal resulted in this not being offered in a third of the calls.

Staff across the suppliers also gave some unclear advice on savings that could be made, cashback deals and fixed prices.

With price increases of up to £190 a year now taking effect, the average annual household energy bill is now £1,300. More people are looking to switch energy, even urged to do so by the government in recent weeks, and most rely on telephone advice from energy suppliers to get a better deal.

Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary, is meeting next week with energy suppliers, consumer groups and Ofcom, the industry regulator, to see what more can be done to help consumers save money on their gas and electricity bills.

Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director says: “If you call an energy supplier asking for their cheapest deal, that’s exactly what you should get. It’s unacceptable for sales staff to give information that’s plain wrong or confusing. Giving the right advice to customers about switching matters more than ever when so many people are struggling with escalating fuel bills and colder weather is starting to bite.

“Which? is talking to the energy companies involved about sorting this out, and we hope they will do so quickly. This is one way the energy industry could start rebuilding trust among consumers.

“Our advice to customers is that if you are going to switch, make sure you insist on being told the cheapest possible deal. Check for exit fees and ask about paying by direct debit or managing your account online as this will usually get you a discount.  Or compare all the available offers using an independent comparison website or phone line to get the best deal.  Switching is actually much easier to do than you might think and can save you money.”

MoneyHighStreet comments: “Whilst perhaps the quickest way of saving on your bill is to switch energy supplier, clearly you need to get the most accurate information to get the best deal.

You can use a price comparison site like Moneysupermarket.com or uSwitch.com to find the best tariffs for energy online, either from your own supplier or a new one.

There are other things you can do too to save money. For example, turn equipment and lights off when not using them or leaving a room. Also only use what you need. For example why boil a full kettle of water just to make one mug of coffee? See our article on ‘Six Ways to Save Money on your Energy Bill‘ for more.