# ESB Electric Ireland new deregulated prices, what do you think of the rates?



## corkrebel (3 Apr 2011)

Saw this on Boards, apparently ESB is now de regulated and can set their own prices, havent studied them what do you guys think??
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## theresa1 (4 Apr 2011)

From a quick check seem's very confusing and not clear at all - also I dont like this bit below.

"If you are in receipt of the Free Electricity Allowance please call us on 1850 30 50 90 and we can tailor a price plan that works for you. Unfortunately our online switch application is not available to customers in receipt of the Free Electricity Allowance at this time."

'We can tailor' - I would not trust them.


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## corkrebel (4 Apr 2011)

Tomorrows Times seem pretty positive

THE NEWS that ESB Electric Ireland is cutting its prices by as much  as 17 per cent from today will be welcomed by many cash-strapped  consumers who should be able to knock nearly €200 off the cost of their  annual electricity bill with a simple phone call.
The size of some  of the electricity discounts the company is now offering is not  unexpected. A significant price move had been anticipated with the full  deregulation of the domestic electricity market.
It has been a  long time coming. For two years, the ESB has watched powerlessly as its  rivals in the Irish market, Bord Gáis Energy and Airtricity, undercut  its prices by as much as 14 per cent and drained it of its customers in  the process.
Between them, they have taken more than 800,000  customers off the ESB in just over two years and customers continue to  desert the semi-State at a rate of 5,000 a week, and it has been unable  to respond. Its prices have been rigidly controlled by the energy  regulator to ensure new arrivals in the market were given a competitive  edge over the one-time monopoly until its market share fell below 60 per  cent. Earlier this year that magic number was reached and with  deregulation kicking in today, the gloves have finally come off.
The  main beneficiaries, at least in the short term, will be consumers. In  the longer term, an absence of State control on prices will give the  company the freedom to do what it likes when it comes to prices and  consumers will have little comeback.
For now, however, the news is  only good. New and returning customers who pay by direct debit – it is  the only payment option available to them – will qualify for a 12 per  cent discount on the current unit price of electricity.
They will  also get another 3 per cent off if they switch to the company’s gas  offering; from today ESB Electric Ireland has become a dual fuel  supplier and entered the domestic gas market. It is promising users who  switch discounted rates of up to 6 per cent on the regulated prices  currently offered by Bord Gáis.



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## theresa1 (4 Apr 2011)

Gas offer is very poor - I'll stay with Flogas.


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## corkrebel (4 Apr 2011)

Its going to be discussed on Newstalk at7.50am should be interesting


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## horusd (4 Apr 2011)

theresa1 said:


> Gas offer is very poor - I'll stay with Flogas.


 
What's the difference between Flogas and ESB?


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## rockofages (4 Apr 2011)

horusd said:


> what's the difference between flogas and esb?



9%


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## amh (4 Apr 2011)

Just moved to airtricity for gas and electricity last week. Was this a bad move then? Any thoughts??


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## RMCF (9 Apr 2011)

corkrebel said:


> Tomorrows Times seem pretty positive
> 
> *THE NEWS that ESB Electric Ireland is cutting its prices by as much  as 17 per cent from today will be welcomed by many cash-strapped  consumers who should be able to knock nearly €200 off the cost of their  annual electricity bill with a simple phone call.*
> The size of some  of the electricity discounts the company is now offering is not  unexpected. A significant price move had been anticipated with the full  deregulation of the domestic electricity market.
> ...



I find this strange.

The new ESB price change has only brought their rates down to close to the other providers in the market.

So if people can now suddenly save €200 each year, it means that they were on ESB all along and hadn't made a switch to AirTricity or Bord Gais over the last couple of years. So they could always have saved a few hundred Euro each year if they had bothered themselves to switch.

If they were stupid enough not to, and are only getting savings now, then thats their own loss.


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## gooner (9 Apr 2011)

Hi Guys.Anyone know if this is correct.

I am with ESB and have been paying by direct debit, so automatic 12% saving or so I thought.

Anyway I rang because I fancied the extra 2% for online billing. Spoke to a nice lady on the phone and she said ok I will change you over so as you get the 12% for direct debit and 2% for online billing. I thought to myself thats strange "would I not be changed over automatically as I already pay by direct debit" and she said "no you need to ring up and apply"!

So has anyone else heard this. Oh and she also mentioned that there is only a certain number of places on this scheme. I didn't read any small print on their website, advertising or press releases, so not sure if this is correct or already well known.


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## pudds (9 Apr 2011)

gooner said:


> Hi Guys.Anyone know if this is correct.
> 
> I am with ESB and have been paying by direct debit, so automatic 12% saving or so I thought.
> 
> Anyway I rang because I fancied the extra 2% for online billing. Spoke to a nice lady on the phone and she said ok I will change you over so as you get the 12% for direct debit and 2% for online billing. I thought to myself thats strange "would I not be *changed over automatically* as I already pay by direct debit" and she said "no you need to ring up and apply"!





> From ESB Electric Ireland:
> The reason the price plans aren't automatically applied is because there  are a range of price plan options that would need to be tailored to  each individual customer. If you are signed up to online billing already  you should receive a notification about the new price plans, which  includes a direct link to update your account.



Otherwise we all have to apply for a change of plan, but in most cases it can be done on line or perhaps better by phone.

I got the 8% + 4% DD +2% on line billing = 14%

Its all only for 12 months and there is *no* contract.


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## gooner (9 Apr 2011)

yes I understand it can be done online.I was just pointing out the fact that it's not automatic.I'm sure loads of people who already pay direct debit will be expecting to get a lower bill automatically and won't find out that is not the case for up to 2 months,so will lose out.


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## ESB EI (12 Apr 2011)

Hi Everyone,

We just wanted to come aboard the forum to help clarify a couple of things for you. Apologies in advance if this seems like thread-hijacking or advertising; we are here only to offer advice.

In relation to the FEA issue: All customers in receipt of the Free Electricity Allowance can apply for our new price plans, subject to the same Ts&Cs as every other existing/returning customer. 

And in relation to whether or not the price plans are applied automatically, pudds' post above is correct: The reason the price plans aren't automatically applied is because there are a range of price plan options that would need to be tailored to each individual customer. 

I do hope this clears up any lingering confusion.

Thanks,

ESB Electric Ireland


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## theresa1 (12 Apr 2011)

"The ESB says it is not automatically switching its customers on to the cheaper rates because it wants to incentivise them to make contact and opt in to direct debit plans and register for online billing – both of which will save the company money. The company sends out around 8.4 million bills each year, so by moving everyone online, it will save over €2 million." - Irish Times Monday April 11,2011

ESB EI - would you like to respond to this? Which is correct - ESB wants to incentivise Customers and save money or your price plans are so complex (3 or 4 plans?) that you could not even have the decency to automatically switch everybody over to say an 8% saving for example.


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## rockofages (21 Apr 2011)

This is an opt-in product. ESB will make more money off you if you stay on the old product.

In fairness why should they reward lazy people who haven't bothered when they don't have to.


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## theresa1 (26 Apr 2011)

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## roker (28 Apr 2011)

I have been loyal to ESB but if they want me to go DD to have a reduction in tarif I will go with Airtricity, I have nothing to lose except get back at ESB. I can pay by a number of electronic methods but they all insist on DD.Why?


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## pudds (28 Apr 2011)

roker said:


> I have been loyal to ESB but if they want me to go DD to have a reduction in tarif I will go with Airtricity, I have nothing to lose except get back at ESB. I can pay by a number of electronic methods but they all insist on DD.Why?




Up to about 6 months ago before new legislation was brought in to protect the consumer I fully understood why folks hated direct debits but why so now.

1. They have to give you 14 days notice after bill due date b4 they can call down the amount due, which gives plenty of time to dispute it if any errors.

2. There are further protections written in also.

3. Its easy enough to keep a special account for payment of direct debits and just enough money in them to cover upcoming bills, in case of any major malfunctions and protecting your other day to day account for ready cash. 

Anyway thats how I handle it, still prefer it didn't exist but it ain't going to go away sadly. 

Unless we all get out and march, and can you see that happening


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## Berni (28 Apr 2011)

roker said:


> I have been loyal to ESB but if they want me to go DD to have a reduction in tarif I will go with Airtricity, I have nothing to lose except get back at ESB. I can pay by a number of electronic methods but they all insist on DD.Why?


You don't have to go with DD if you're a customer in good standing for more than 12 months. If you phone them, they can fix you up.


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## roker (28 Apr 2011)

There is a recent post in the health section, where VHI is giving people problems with DD, even though one person cancelled VHI stopped payment with the bank, the VHI set up a new mandate and kept deducting.


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## Yachtie (5 May 2011)

Can anyone say with some certainty who is the cheapest electricity / gas supplier? Call me stupid but all those % discounts confuse me - 10, 12, 14 % cheaper than *what exactly*? Whose rates are used for comparison?

I am in the process of shopping around. I had both my gas and electricity with Bord Gais, attempted to switch to Airtricity but gave up after they failed to register both meter readings and my bank account number correctly on their system. Therefore, I don't even know who my provider is at the moment but would like to go with the cheapest anyway. 

Thanks!


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## pudds (5 May 2011)

Yachtie said:


> Can anyone say with some certainty who is the cheapest electricity / gas supplier? Call me stupid but all those % discounts confuse me - 10, 12, 14 % cheaper than *what exactly*? Whose rates are used for comparison?
> 
> I am in the process of shopping around. I had both my gas and electricity with Bord Gais, attempted to switch to Airtricity but gave up after they failed to register both meter readings and my bank account number correctly on their system. Therefore, I don't even know who my provider is at the moment but would like to go with the cheapest anyway.
> 
> Thanks!




You can compare here Bonkers


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## Yachtie (5 May 2011)

Thanks for that pudds, just what I was looking for! 

(I thought you were calling *me* bonkers )


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