Martin Brown wrote
Andy Cap wrote
Frank wrote

Why do they all have to make it so complicated?

So the unwary pay more, which means especially
the elderly and likely PC illiterate.

I'd be inclined to say that almost no-one can find
their way through the maze of zillions of different
electricity charging tariffs without computer assistance.

And it isnt even possible with computer assistance
with some of the choices, most obviously with the
choice between fixed rates and non fixed rates.

They seem to have modelled it on the equally convoluted,
opaque and perplexing mobile phone tariff schemes.

And they are that complicated for the same
reason, so its very hard to compare the offers.

Even the automated comparisons using your recent
bills don't really work that well because they cant
allow for how you can change you activity to suit
the detail of the various alternative plans, like doing
the high load stuff when that plan has the lowest
rate for that type of activity etc.

It's a bloody disgrace that we penalise
the less able in society in that way.

I don't know if they have improved the format of their billing but
the last time I looked at an nPower bill it required serious effort to
decode their incredibly convoluted charging system into user friendly
form. Basically it is all obfuscation to prevent you noticing when the
price goes up after the initial "poach a new customer" period.

All the energy companies do it to some extent, but nPower bills of a
couple of years back were amongst the worst that I have ever seen!

I would be very wary of nPower coming out cheaper unless you
do not live in their home region. It seems to me like a good rule of
thumb that you have to avoid your local supplier to get a good deal.

Since customer loyalty is punished rather than encouraged the only
thing you can do is look around and move from time to time. The
biggest gain by far is made the very first time you move supplier.

Last time I looked EDF & Scottish came out fairly well for
me - a relatively light user of electricity with oil heating.