Uswitch comments on new British Gas tariff with Hive Active Heating

British Gas has this week announced the launch of its Fix & Control August 2015 tariff, providing those who sign up with a voucher to have the Hive Active Heating™ product installed by a British Gas engineer at no additional cost. The Hive kit, worth £199, enables users to control their heating and hot water while they are out and about, and is already installed in 50,000 UK homes.

Tom Lyon, Energy Expert at Uswitch.com, says: “Hive is an interesting, innovative product that will appeal to a certain niche of customers on many levels – as a gadget, a convenience and as an energy saving device. With prices for the system starting at £199, the technology does not come cheap, and its financial benefits remain to be seen. But the fact that 50,000 homes are already using it shows a clear demand for this kind of technology. These sorts of devices may well prove an important point of differentiation for energy suppliers in an increasingly crowded market.

“This tariff allows consumers to fix for three months longer than British Gas’ current longest fixed term tariff. However, with an average bill size of £1,257 a year, the deal is £180 more expensive than British Gas’ Fixed Price May 2015 tariff and £240 a year more than the cheapest fixed price plan on the market, Ovo’s Cheaper Energy Fixed tariff. It seems that British Gas is spreading the normal £199 cost of the Hive system over the life of the plan. This may suit some customers but it is important to think carefully about your requirements and weigh up the pros and cons before signing up.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Charlotte Nunes

Phone: 020 7148 4664

Email: charlotte.nunes@uswitch.com

Twitter: @uswitchPR

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