In article ,
alan_m wrote:
On 09/09/2019 14:18, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

The best deal, of course, is going to depend on how much you use of
either.

That is why you can only make a price comparison with someone else if
your annual energy usage is near identical. Some tariffs (including
standing charges) may suit low energy users rather than high energy
users, and visa-versa. Some of the often recommended companies claiming
low costs and simple charging regimes (easy to understand bills) tend to
suit low energy users rather than those who have mid to high energy
usage.

Quite.

I use Flipper, and they have me with People's Energy.

Elec 12.41524 and 21.2
Gas 2.74857 and 21.2


As a matter of interest which algorithm do they use to select a new
supplier and when do they flip?

I dunno. They say they check every month or so I'm on the best deal. What
attracted me is they charge up front for the service. Not concealed in the
form of commission. Nor do they take commission. Meaning (to me) my
interests are the primary one.

IMO the industry generally uses a misleading method of calculation to
determine savings, especially if you are already on a low tariff fixed
price contract. If you have six months left on the contract your
existing annual cost will be determined as 6 months at the low fixed
rate plus 6 months at the higher price "standard rate" from the same
company. This inflated cost will then be compared with, say, a new 12
month fixed price contract from a different company.

Do flipper use the same cost algorithm? If so do they flip perhaps 6
months into an existing contract (and probably get paid commission for
doing so)

I've been with them for a few years - not long after they started. Only
once been flipped at less than a year - think because there was a problem
with that supplier.


or do they wait a lot longer. Scottish Power used to claim
that changing during the contract period to another of their HIGHER
priced tariffs offered a cheaper option to the contract you were on -
BUT only because of the industry standard method of calculating the
current annual cost.

Do you actually check each time they flip that the new tariff gives you
lower or equal price energy for remaining length of your previous
contact?

No. If I thought myself capable of checking every single deal, I'd not pay
someone to do it for me.

--
Small asylum seeker wanted as mud flap, must be flexible and willing to travel

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.