Price protection customers urged to reconsider tariff

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<div class="rxbodyfield" xmlns:o="urn:www.microsoft.com/office" xmlns:st1="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags" xmlns:st2="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags2" xmlns:w="urn:www.microsoft.com/word" xmlns:x="urn:www.microsoft.com/excel"><p>Today British Gas&#39;s price reduction become effective, although customers who originally signed up to its price protection plans may consider switching as new customers are now getting the best deal.</p><p>Most analysts now agree that the costs of electricity and gas are on the way down for the foreseeable future, meaning that customers on a fixed-rate bill may be paying more than consumers who have just signed up.</p><p>When the most recent price promise ends at the end of this month, fixed-rate British Gas customers will find themselves automatically transferred onto the standard rate - unless they switch to the online tariff. </p><p>In addition, online billing is fast becoming recognised as the cheapest way to pay the bills as the removal of paper monthlies leads to a reduction in costs, which are then passed on to the consumer.</p><p>A spokeswoman for British Gas told the Guardian: &quot;Ultimately each customer will decide what price deal suits them best, but we believe many of our customers made a very good decision in choosing to protect their prices. </p><p>&quot;For example those who signed up to protect their prices until 2010 have already saved an average of &#163;223 and even after the price cut comes into effect they will still be paying 14% less than our standard tariff,&quot; she said.</p><p>Geoff Slaughter, Energy Product Manager at the price comparison and switching website uSwitch.com, said that customers who liked the consistency of a fixed rate could benefit from shopping around for a better deal, adding: &quot;If you like being on a standard tariff then there are three other providers who will give you a better deal - with two more still to decrease their prices.&quot;</p><p>Could you save money by switching? <a href="http://www.uswitch.com/Energy/Index.aspx?">Compare your current energy bills on uSwitch.com and see how much you could save on your bills.</p><p><a href="http://www.adfero.co.uk" target="_blank"><img alt="track" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/dn.gif?feedid=362&amp;itemid=18085608" style="border:0 0 0" />&#169; Adfero Ltd</a></a></p></div>