Switching energy providers on a yearly basis is the easiest way to save money on your electricity and gas bills, but a surprisingly large number of people don’t do so.
Our guide can make it straightforward and easy to switcher to a better deal for electricity and gas today.
Table of Content
- Why change to a new electricity or gas supplier?
- When to Change Electricity and Gas Suppliers
- What do you need to switch electricity & providers?
- Renegotiating with Your Provider
- How to Switch Gas & Electricity Provider
- Going on to a Smart Plan
- What happens after switching providers?
- Changing Electricity Provider If Renting
- FAQs
Why change to a new electricity or gas supplier?
The simple reason for changing to a new provider for electricity and gas is to save money. Switching to a new deal can save more than €500 if you are paying standard rates for electricity, or €300 for gas.
When comparing prices for electricity and gas the main things to look for are:
When to Change Electricity and Gas Suppliers
Choosing the right time to switch providers for electricity and gas is important. Leaving the matter too late will see you paying much higher energy prices than necessary without any discount, or at a much lower discount.
On the other hand, leaving your supplier too early could see households incur penalties that will negate some of the advantage from swapping to a new provider.
What do you need to switch electricity & providers?
There is some basic information which will be needed in order for you to switch providers for your electricity or gas supply.
Renegotiating with Your Provider
Before switching providers for electricity or gas it could be worth asking your provider if they will extend your discount for another year, or checking to see if they have any deals specifically for existing customers.
The answer may be no, but it can’t hurt to ask.
How to Switch Gas & Electricity Provider
The easiest way to find the best new deal for your gas or electricity supply is to use our simple energy comparison tool which can tell you what your bill will likely be for the coming year, and recommend the plans with the greatest savings for you.
There are only a few pieces of information needed for our comparison tool to work for you.
With those we can recommend the ideal electricity and gas plans to start saving you money.
Once you’ve gone through the plans to determine which is the best suited for you, it takes only a few minutes to switch, either online or by calling the company.
Going on to a Smart Plan
Smart plans are a distinct category of electricity plan available only to homes and businesses with smart meters installed.
More than 1.8 million homes in Ireland now have smart meters installed. These are different from old 24hr or Day/Night meters in that the send data to your electricity provider every 30 minutes.
This removes the need to take any meter readings and allows you to go onto smart electricity plans which can have more varied time of use tariffs.
Do you have to notify your old supplier?
No there is no requirement to contact your current electricity or gas provider to let them know that you are switching. This will be handled entirely by the two utility providers without needingt your input.
What happens after switching providers?
Your new electricity or gas supplier will be in contact with you within two to three weeks to confirm the switch and provide you with the details of your new account. Your old supplier will also get in touch with the details of your final bill.
What if you change your mind?
There is a 14 day cooling off period after making the switch to a new electricity or gas supplier where customers can cancel the switch without incurring any fee.
Will your power supply be interrupted?
No, there won’t be any interruption to your gas or electricity supply while the transfer between suppliers is taking place.
Paying the Balance of Your Electricity Bill
If you switched during the middle of a billing cycle then you will have to pay your current electricity provider the balance of your bill when making the switch.
This bill will likely be sent out to you by your old supplier within two to three weeks of closing your account. It will include a due date by which it must be paid.
Leaving a Pay as You Go Plan For Electricity or Gas
If you are currently have a Pay as You Go Meter installed for electricity or gas, and are switching to regular billing, the your current provider may charge to have the pay as you go meter removed.
Changing Electricity Provider If Renting
If you are in rental accommodation then changing electricity supplier will depend on your specific relationship with the landlord. Some landlords will simply tell tenant how much their electricity bill is, while others will allow renters to handle utility bills themselves.
Discuss with your landlord the possibility of switching electricity providers to start saving money.
FAQs
Start Saving Now!
Use our free energy comparison calculator to see how much you can save by switching providers for electricity and gas!
