Almost 7 million households in the UK have taken out an energy plan through a doorstep or direct energy salesperson, but levels of satisfaction with the service they provide are low. So, how can you be sure you've got the best deal before you switch? Read on to find out.
Despite the fact that so many people switch with doorstep and direct energy salespeople, according to research by uSwitch, less than a quarter of those who have done so (22%) believe they got a good deal - of these, only 6% said that it reduced their bills significantly and just 16% were very pleased with the deal they got. Over a third of people (37%) think that energy salesmen don't give them enough information to make an informed decision and almost half (45%) don't like the fact that the seller only represents one energy supplier.
New rules governing doorstep energy selling came into force in January 2010. Under these new rules, anyone who is sold a new energy plan on the doorstep, the high street or in a shop must be given a written quote before the switch can go through.
While this will offer you greater protection, you still need to be cautious -the written quote means you have proof of the deal you've been offered, but that's no guarantee that it's the cheapest plan for you. It does however make it simpler to compare prices before you switch, by giving you a written quote that you can take away and double-check.
You don't have to wait for a doorstep energy seller to come to you to switch - you can compare prices online with uSwitch whenever you like, and switching to a cheaper plan could save you as much as £420. Compare gas and electricity prices now.
Doorstep energy switching - our ten point checklist for getting the best deal
- Make sure you know what energy company the salesperson represents.
- Check what type of plan they are offering - can they tell you about their company's online plans? (Online plans are often the cheapest.)
- Before telling you how much money you can save, the seller should have asked you:
- Which supplier and what plan you are currently on.
- How you pay for your energy - e.g. prepayment meter, cash, cheque or direct debit.
- Where you live.
- What your energy consumption is, how much you spend each month or what type of/size property you live in.
- Have they given you a full quote telling you what your new annual bill would be so that you can compare?
- What is the value of any additional incentives, like shopping vouchers or reward points, and how and when do you qualify for them?
- Have these been factored into the annual bill size? (They shouldn't be.)
- If you've opted for dual fuel (getting both gas and electricity from the same supplier) and to pay by direct debit, have they factored in the discounts you should get?
- Does the plan have a standing charge?
- Are there any exit penalties?
- Make a note of the salesperson's name and ID number - you can contact them if you decide to go ahead after checking that theirs really is the cheapest deal, and you'll also have a point of reference in case there are any problems.