Associate
Thanks, I'd missed the API. Hmmm, underemployed atm so might have a play.
Soldato
So I think I'm going to switch to Avro on Monday. I thought I might have SMETS 1 smart meters, but I found out today that when British Gas installed them in 2018, they installed SMETS 2 which means any supplier can automatically get my meter readings and I don't have to go back to doing it manually.
Only sort of small downside for me is that I'm used to/prefer to getting billed quarterly. But Avro, Shell and a number of suppliers only do monthly direct debit. Anyone else prefer monthly over quarterly or vice versa?
Only sort of small downside for me is that I'm used to/prefer to getting billed quarterly. But Avro, Shell and a number of suppliers only do monthly direct debit. Anyone else prefer monthly over quarterly or vice versa?
Associate
I don't mind monthly but I'd really prefer to pay actual usage.
Soldato
Yes, that's the other thing, monthly is a fixed amount. I also prefer paying exactly what I use rather than building a debit or credit.
Soldato
I've just switched suppliers through Quidco with £25 cashback by using Uswitch. However, silly me, I forgot to disable adblocker and it looks like it hasn't tracked. Can I make a claim to still get the £25 cashback?
Soldato
Yes don't see why not, don't mention that you didn't turn off the ad blocker though.
Soldato
Ah, I thought they might somehow already know at their end that I would have had ad blocker on, but yeah, I won't mention it.
Soldato
fyi with Bulb,
moved to them a couple of years ago ( do not know if they are still any good? )
the smart meter they gave us is now dead, screen just flashes on and off, customer support useless, first CS person said we are out of stock otherwise would send one to me, second CS person said all 1st version smart meters now dont work and manufacturers are now making a new version.
dont know which to believe, either way mine does not work.
Is it still worth staying with Bulb?
moved to them a couple of years ago ( do not know if they are still any good? )
the smart meter they gave us is now dead, screen just flashes on and off, customer support useless, first CS person said we are out of stock otherwise would send one to me, second CS person said all 1st version smart meters now dont work and manufacturers are now making a new version.
dont know which to believe, either way mine does not work.
Is it still worth staying with Bulb?
Is it just the little screen for inside? If it is then it doesn’t effect the metering in any way. I unplugged mine as soon as the installer left and stuck it in a draw, waste of electricity 
.
As for bulb themselves, no. There is no loyalty incentive to stay with any supplier. Just go with whoever is cheapest for your location and usage. Job jobbed.
Most have patchy customer service in the unlikely event of a problem, I don’t even think about it these days.
Check MSE, uswitch, money supermarket etc. regularly, it only takes 2 mins.
.As for bulb themselves, no. There is no loyalty incentive to stay with any supplier. Just go with whoever is cheapest for your location and usage. Job jobbed.
Most have patchy customer service in the unlikely event of a problem, I don’t even think about it these days.
Check MSE, uswitch, money supermarket etc. regularly, it only takes 2 mins.
Soldato
I may go with Avro too, seem the best for me in this area, currently on Octopus paying
18.46p standing charge electric & 16.00p standing charge gas
with 14.78p & 3.01p unit charges respectively.
18.46p standing charge electric & 16.00p standing charge gas
with 14.78p & 3.01p unit charges respectively.
Last edited:
Soldato
I decided to go with Shell Energy instead of Avro, because Avro aren't equipped to take automatic meter readings and they only do fixed amount monthly debit. Shell do variable monthly debit (actual usage) and take automatic readings.
I'm completing a Quidco claim for missing tracked cashback through Uswitch for switching to Shell Energy, but there's a box asking me for the purchase amount excluding VAT. How can I put a purchase amount down? There's a paragraph in the email I got for my new plan which says 'How much will your new plan cost? Your personal projection for your Shell Energy July 2021 v3 plan is £544.15. This is based on consumption figures of 1800kWh for electricity and 8000 kWh or gas'. Should I be putting £544.15 as the purchase amount?
I'm completing a Quidco claim for missing tracked cashback through Uswitch for switching to Shell Energy, but there's a box asking me for the purchase amount excluding VAT. How can I put a purchase amount down? There's a paragraph in the email I got for my new plan which says 'How much will your new plan cost? Your personal projection for your Shell Energy July 2021 v3 plan is £544.15. This is based on consumption figures of 1800kWh for electricity and 8000 kWh or gas'. Should I be putting £544.15 as the purchase amount?
Last edited:
the c/b is a fixed value for the purchase of a particular product so your, potential, monthly cost should not be relevant. it is the £25 you mentioned.
Quidco account should have recorded/tracked a visit , and tracking failure is when the vendor does not pay-up once the product is installed, if you browser was configured so quidco didn't log the track, I'd cancel the transfer and redo it.
Soldato
No, they want a purchase amount. It's not the cashback amount they're asking for. But yeah, I'm contacting them to cancel the switch and then start over again. Shell Energy just told me they don't have any details for me yet since I did the switch two days ago and so they recommend I contact Uswitch to cancel through them.
Last edited:
Soldato
Yeah, 0 would have been a good one to put down actually. Well, I've spoken to Uswitch now and they've cancelled it. They're contacting Shell to tell them and then I'm to wait a couple of days to get an email from Uswitch confirming the cancellation, and then I'll restart the cashback process. So, sorted!
Soldato
I got a similar £25 back when I used the Money Saving Expert Cheap Energy Club thing a while back.
Soldato
I made sure to disable adblocker and restarted the Quidco process and used Uswitch again today. Interestingly, E.ON came tops this time so I've switched to them.
Tariff is called 'Fix Online Exclusive v38'. Monthly direct debit.
Gas & Electric standing rate are both 9.45p per day.
Gas unit rate 2.503p per kWh and Electric unit rate 15.258p per kWh. Decent enough and better than my original Shell Energy tariff, at least, for daily standing charge. And it's tracked at Quidco, £30 CB.
Tariff is called 'Fix Online Exclusive v38'. Monthly direct debit.
Gas & Electric standing rate are both 9.45p per day.
Gas unit rate 2.503p per kWh and Electric unit rate 15.258p per kWh. Decent enough and better than my original Shell Energy tariff, at least, for daily standing charge. And it's tracked at Quidco, £30 CB.
We've just moved to Igloo Energy from Avro after our contract expired. They do a £50 referral for signing up - (edit) just noticed the note for this thread regarding referrals. Can send via trust if you are interested?