Total Price Metrics
- Check usage rates alongside daily supply charges.
- Look at the combined total cost over a billing period.
- Avoid plans that hide high supply fees behind cheap usage rates.
Smart Tariff Options
- Match your choice to daily household activity patterns.
- Pick time-of-use tariffs to shift heavy appliance tasks to off-peak periods.
- Stick to flat-rate tariffs if your daily energy use is steady.
Promotional Discounts
- Compare sign-up bonuses, pay-on-time credits, and direct-debit perks.
- Bundle services like gas or internet to slash overall administrative costs.
- Verify expiry dates to avoid sudden rate spikes when promotions end.
Hidden Fees
- Scan contract terms for mandatory connection and disconnection fees.
- Note late payment penalties and credit card processing surcharges.
- Avoid early exit fees to keep the freedom to switch providers later.
Solar Feed-In Tariffs
- Earn credits by exporting excess electricity back to the main grid.
- Balance feed-in rates against standard household consumption costs.
- Reject plans with high solar payouts that inflate regular usage charges.
Retailer Reliability
- Prioritise providers with high customer service and billing satisfaction ratings.
- Evaluate the functionality of digital account dashboards and mobile apps.
- Choose companies with transparent, easy-to-understand billing structures.