Click Energy 6 is born…

British Gas, it seems, has played a final trump card in the battle of the energy giants. And it’s a move I’m not best pleased about.

No sooner had my household switched to Click Energy 5, when the supplier raises its rates and introduces Click Energy 6.

The new Click Energy 6 tariff, while still being the cheapest online tariff, is more expensive than Click Energy 5’s original price. Click Energy 5 was previously priced at around £845 a year for the average household, but the move from British Gas will now see Click Energy 5 customers’ (like me) bills increase to around £1,150.

And the price of new online energy tariff Click Energy 6 is only marginally cheaper, at £1,057 a year for the average household dual fuel bill.

Click Energy 5 is no longer available to new customers, and any existing customers on the tariff will see their bills rise by an average of £305 a year.

British Gas are now, let’s be honest, not my favourite supplier in the world. My housemates and I will now have to wait until the switch from npower to British Gas is complete, and then switch again from Click Energy 5 to Click Energy 6, which could take another six weeks.

During that time we’ll be being charged the higher Click Energy 5 rate, and there’s nothing we can do about it…

Or is there?

  British Gas continue to fight for the title

Following on from my last blog post, the battle of the giants has reached a standstill, with neither newcomer npower or reigning champ British Gas refusing to back down.

After my household switched its energy supplier from British Gas to npower, British Gas began fighting for our custom, offering us a 15% discount if we signed back up with them.

Since then, my housemate emailed npower; giving them details of British Gas’ proposed 15% discount in the hope that npower would retaliate with an even bigger discount.

Our efforts were wasted it seems though, as npower have yet to respond.

We have received a letter from British Gas, confirming the termination of our contract, and requesting a final meter reading, so that they can bill us to the exact date.

Unlike fellow Consumer Choices blogger Olivia’s switch with E.ON, ours has been really quick and easy.

Because of the deal offered by British Gas though, we are now unsure of whether to continue with the switch to npower or not. With their Click Energy 5 tariff, and the 15% discount we’ve been promised, our bills would be a fraction cheaper with British Gas, according to the EnergyChoices comparison service, but we’re worried that if prices rise again, British Gas may end up more expensive than npower.

We could sign up to a capped tariff, to fix our prices at a set rate. This would mean we’d avoid any future price increases, and Olivia certainly recommends it, but what if energy prices drop?

What should we do? Any suggestions?