Did anyone join "The Big Community Switch"

alsteph · 28-06-2013, 16:54

I think that's the correct title. It was mentioned in the Accrington Observer a few months ago where it was said that if the community got together and bought their gas/electricity as a community then big savings could be made. Whoever was organising it said that they needed about 15000 homes to join the scheme all over Lancashire then they could make it work. I decided to give it a go and over the last couple of weeks I have been sending in my meter readings so that I could switch suppliers. I discovered that my new gas company would be Sainsbury's Energy and British Gas would be the supplier. I thought okay as long as my bills go down a bit, I don't mind who supplies my gas and electricity. Last week I got the information as to how much I was going to pay each month. I was paying £97 pm with my present supplier and surprise surprise my new cost was going to be £123 per month. I have now decided to revert back to my old supplier. Anyone else had the same experience?

jaysay · 28-06-2013, 17:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by alsteph

I think that's the correct title. It was mentioned in the Accrington Observer a few months ago where it was said that if the community got together and bought their gas/electricity as a community then big savings could be made. Whoever was organising it said that they needed about 15000 homes to join the scheme all over Lancashire then they could make it work. I decided to give it a go and over the last couple of weeks I have been sending in my meter readings so that I could switch suppliers. I discovered that my new gas company would be Sainsbury's Energy and British Gas would be the supplier. I thought okay as long as my bills go down a bit, I don't mind who supplies my gas and electricity. Last week I got the information as to how much I was going to pay each month. I was paying £97 pm with my present supplier and surprise surprise my new cost was going to be £123 per month. I have now decided to revert back to my old supplier. Anyone else had the same experience?

Ya the grass is always greener on the other side, I've had British Gas for years, a few years ago when there was a purge on changing companies for a better deal I was persuaded to change to Scottish Power with promises of much lower bills and a one of bonus discount off my first bill, great for the first quarter then zoom up it went to a lot more than I was paying to British Gas, I swapped back and been there ever since

Boeing Guy · 28-06-2013, 18:43

I have moved our Electric and Gas several times.....
We are currently with the Co op, its at beat £20 per year cheaper, but it is ethical, well more so then EDF...

maxthecollie · 28-06-2013, 20:21

We joined the Big Switch only to learn that if we joined we would be paying more. Are Hyndburn Council getting a big slice of this as a back hander?

Barrie Yates · 28-06-2013, 21:10

We are with British Gas - went through the routine on this community scheme, lo and behold the change over would have meant an increase in our monthly bill - do the instigators of this scheme assume that we are all so gullible?

cashman · 28-06-2013, 21:23

Never even considered it, Been wi a couple of the big companies n not happy, last 18 months or so been wi n internet only firm n much happier. Told rindy about em a good while back n he is wi n internet firm now (not mine) n last i heard hes much happier.

Guinness · 28-06-2013, 23:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Ya the grass is always greener on the other side, I've had British Gas for years, a few years ago when there was a purge on changing companies for a better deal I was persuaded to change to Scottish Power with promises of much lower bills and a one of bonus discount off my first bill, great for the first quarter then zoom up it went to a lot more than I was paying to British Gas, I swapped back and been there ever since

You must be one of the lucky ones who have never had to deal with customer services......worst I've ever had the misfortune to use. Tried to charge me for gas I'd never used, sent me threatening letters every couple of months, explained every time (to some guy in India) that it was a mistake, every time they accepted it was their fault (after an hour or so on the phone) and told me they would alter their records..went on for two years before it was eventually sorted..five years later I still have the email they sent absolving me from debt..just in case they come after me again...wouldn't touch them with a barge pole if they cut my bills in half!

accyman · 29-06-2013, 00:25

i think they all have to pay british gas to use their network and may even buy tehir gas from british gas so i dont see how they can be cheaper in teh long run.Eventually they will have to bump up the price of gas etc after the temptation fee period runs out or they would go bust

british gas have been proven to be crooks and put prices up when oil goes up but dont put it back down when the price of oil drops but government despite been more than able to sort this out after british gas ignore teh regulators have never done a damn thing so they continue to rip us .

well we could go without gas and electric if were not happy

the selling off of our electricity and gas was the biggest mistake ever it left the public open to financial abuse from the get go

lancsdave · 29-06-2013, 11:17

Maybe you should have all gone with the Energy company that Hyndburn Council allow to trade in the town centre for free

jaysay · 30-06-2013, 08:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Maybe you should have all gone with the Energy company that Hyndburn Council allow to trade in the town centre for free

Somehow Hyndburn Council and Free don't seem to mix really, no such thing as a free lunch

accyman · 01-07-2013, 17:14

this comunity switch

could it be used should cameron find himself on life support or certain MP's ?

we could have a referendum on the on/off decision