Consumer champion Which? has revealed the results of its annual satisfaction survey, and small gas and electricity firms have trumped the Big Six!
After surveying 8,000 energy customers, 30 companies (covering more than 90 per cent of that market in England, Scotland and Wales) have been ranking according to customer satisfaction. The Big Six (British Gas, EDF Energy, Eon, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE) all sit in the bottom third of the table whilst smaller, newer suppliers occupy both the top and bottom positions, showing that a company’s size is no guarantee of its performance.
Five small suppliers topped the rankings, with only tiny margins separating the top five companies: first-placed Octopus Energy, Robin Hood Energy and So Energy in joint second place, and Ebico and Tonik Energy in joint fourth position. All of these firms were rated the full five stars for value for money. Plus among them are the only firms to get top marks for bill accuracy, bill clarity and online customer service.
Octopus, which supplies more than 400,000 homes, was rated as good or excellent value for money by nine in 10 customers and 96 per cent of its customers gave it the same rating for online customer service.
So Energy was rated good or excellent value for money by an impressive 93 per cent of its customers – the highest proportion of any firm included. Plus its customers were most likely to rate the accuracy of its bills good or excellent compared with any other firm included.
Two of the top five – Robin Hood Energy and Ebico – are not-for-profit, while So Energy and Tonik Energy sell only tariffs backed by 100 per cent renewable electricity.
Check out a full list of the top 10:
1. Octopus Energy
2. Robin Hood Energy
3. So Energy
4. Ebico
5. Tonic Energy
6. Ovo Energy
7. Utility Warehouse
8. Bristol Energy
9. Bulb Energy
10. Ecotricity
The Big Six ranked as follows: SSE(22), EDF/Eon(23), British Gas(26), Npower/Scottish Power(27). Which? found less than one in five (18 per cent) Big Six customers are very satisfied with their supplier, compared with a third (33 per cent) of customers with medium and small suppliers.
For the full results, including how customers rank their energy supplier’s customer service, value for money, bills, complaints handling and more, go to: www.which.co.uk/energy-table
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
What do Brits really think about climate change?
Climate change has been a hot topic for what seems like ages – and it continues to be a hot topic not only because it’s controversial it will take an absolute monumental effort to mitigate its continuing effect.
Research by Smart Energy GB shows that most Brits (70 per cent) think we should play a leading role in tackling global warming. The survey, which questioned people on their attitude to climate change following the recent UN IPCC report, also found that:
The question is: what can we do, as homeowners, to help fight climate change? Here are some ideas:
For more details on the above suggestions, visit Reset.org
Every little bit makes a difference!
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
Ten top bathroom design tips
Other than the kitchen, the bathroom is probably the most important room in the house
in terms of resale value – as people are spending more time in their bathroom as a place
of sanctuary and relaxation, not just a place to serve practical needs. So if you’ve decided
to give your bathroom a refurb, you’ll want to put lots of thought into your design.
To inspire you at the start of your new bathroom journey, check out these five top tips
(adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)
tips to get the best light out of (or into) your bathroom is to use ceiling-mounted
fixtures or add style and mood with chandeliers or pendant lights. Use accent
lights to emphasise architectural features and vapour-proof downlights in
enclosed tubs and showers. Mirrors are also a good way to reflect light and create
a sense of space in your bathroom.
effective statement in a bathroom.
and slip-resistant – and attractive, of course. NO carpets and NO parquet. Please.
do you want it to energise you or wake you up in the morning? Colour (of the
walls but also decor, accessories, sink, tub etc.) will help you create your desired
atmosphere.
from the counter into the sink. Self-rimming bathroom sinks, on the other hand,
are the most economical and the easiest to install, but the perimeter lip can
collect grime. The choice is yours.
We wish you all the best in your design adventure! And for all your plumbing needs,
questions or information, feel free to contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007
or info@aacooper.co.uk – we’re happy to help.
Why aren’t smart meters more popular?
Why aren’t homeowners more excited about smart meters? – According to a new YouGov survey, only a third of respondents have opted to use one in spite of the government committing for all UK homes to have a smart meter by 2020. So, why the reticence?
Smart meters are advertised as cost effective but of the survey respondents who have a smart meter, only seven per cent reported a reduction in their energy bills after installing the system. And in fact, only 23 per cent opted for a smart meter because they thought it would reduce their energy bills.
Another interesting little stat: one in 11 of respondents reported an increase in their bills, according to the survey findings.
Perhaps people aren’t buying into the whole money saving thing?
But it’s not just that…
According to YouGov’s survey, 30 per cent of respondents highlighted the potential of cyber attacks as discouraging them from installing a smart meter.
Luke Osborne, energy advisor with the Electrical Contractors’ Association (which commissioned the survey), says that the government “must do more to explain to the public why smart meters do not present a security risk from hacking or other data breaches.”
There seems to be some misconception regarding smart meters, which has resulted in a lack of consumer confidence in the device. Before rejecting the idea, do your research and when in doubt, ask a pro!
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
(And in case you’re not quite sure what a smart meter is or does: it’s a gas or electricity meter that works by sending meter readings to us via a SIM card in the meter, just like a mobile phone. With your smart readings your bills will be more accurate as you’ll only be charged for the energy you’ve used.)
Source: hvnplus.co.uk – “UK smart meter survey critical of ‘money saving’ message”
Should you tip your tradesperson?
Tipping your tradesperson – is this a thing people are doing? What is considered a common courtesy by some could be regarded as an unnecessary waste of money by others, perhaps even insulting…
…and if you’re paying for the service anyway, should you really be expected to give more?
A recent survey from Heat Insulation Ltd asked the public their views on tipping tradespeople and as it turns out, 51 per cent of respondents admitted to regular tipping!
Those who are most likely to tip tradespeople are aged between 45 and 64, and the least likely are 18 to 29-year olds, not because of disposable income (as one might expect) but actually because “tradespeople charge more than enough”. The top three reasons for not tipping your tradesperson, according to the survey, are:
1. It costs enough
2. The price is agreed before work commences
3. Good work should be expected and not rewarded.
All pretty good reasons.
Yet even if you did decide to offer a tip, how much would you give? There are no hard and fast rules or tipping reference guide. As for suggested percentage, well, who knows?
A survey done with American homeowners revealed that when tradespeople do get a tip, cash is the most-common gratuity offered (although us Brits often like to tip in cups of tea), and most often the tip is less than 20 percent of the total job cost. Most contractors in the survey said that they charge their clients what they feel is fair price for the work being done and don’t expect a tip.
Does this help?
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
What would it take for you to replace your boiler?
Does your heating system need to be in the (proverbial) skip before you’re likely to even hazard thinking about a new one? In fact – yes! This is likely the truth.
The latest Public Attitude Tracker (PAT) from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, focusing on energy issues, revealed that 66 per cent of the public would only replace their heating system when their current one breaks down or starts to deteriorate.
Only 12 per cent of respondents would consider replacing their heating system while it was still working.
The PAT also found that the top reasons people are most likely to change their heating system is to save bills (43 per cent) or to switch to a more environmentally friendly heating system (33 per cent). Nearly a fifth of respondents (18per cent) paid significant attention to the amount of heat used in their home in December 2018, with the main reasons being minimising bills.
So, do we deserve a right ol’ telling off for being lackadaisical about our boilers? Well…is anyone really likely to replace an entire system that is in good working order? Not likely. And why should they? That said; it seems risky to only replace a system once it’s already broken. And at the crux of the issue; how would the layman know that his system is faulty anyway – unless told by a professional heating engineer?
As it turns out, PAT statistics showed genuine trust in advice from heating installers with 79 per cent of respondents citing heating engineers/installers as the most helpful source of information when choosing a new heating system, alongside family and friends.
The moral of the story: find a heating engineer that you can trust and listen to him when he advises repairs or even an entire system overhaul.
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
Source: hpvmak.co.uk – “66% WOULD ONLY REPLACE BOILER WHEN IT FAILS, ACCORDING TO BEIS”
Top 10 energy companies for 2019 – Which? reveals all!
Consumer champion Which? has revealed the results of its annual satisfaction survey, and small gas and electricity firms have trumped the Big Six!
After surveying 8,000 energy customers, 30 companies (covering more than 90 per cent of that market in England, Scotland and Wales) have been ranking according to customer satisfaction. The Big Six (British Gas, EDF Energy, Eon, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE) all sit in the bottom third of the table whilst smaller, newer suppliers occupy both the top and bottom positions, showing that a company’s size is no guarantee of its performance.
Five small suppliers topped the rankings, with only tiny margins separating the top five companies: first-placed Octopus Energy, Robin Hood Energy and So Energy in joint second place, and Ebico and Tonik Energy in joint fourth position. All of these firms were rated the full five stars for value for money. Plus among them are the only firms to get top marks for bill accuracy, bill clarity and online customer service.
Octopus, which supplies more than 400,000 homes, was rated as good or excellent value for money by nine in 10 customers and 96 per cent of its customers gave it the same rating for online customer service.
So Energy was rated good or excellent value for money by an impressive 93 per cent of its customers – the highest proportion of any firm included. Plus its customers were most likely to rate the accuracy of its bills good or excellent compared with any other firm included.
Two of the top five – Robin Hood Energy and Ebico – are not-for-profit, while So Energy and Tonik Energy sell only tariffs backed by 100 per cent renewable electricity.
Check out a full list of the top 10:
1. Octopus Energy
2. Robin Hood Energy
3. So Energy
4. Ebico
5. Tonic Energy
6. Ovo Energy
7. Utility Warehouse
8. Bristol Energy
9. Bulb Energy
10. Ecotricity
The Big Six ranked as follows: SSE(22), EDF/Eon(23), British Gas(26), Npower/Scottish Power(27). Which? found less than one in five (18 per cent) Big Six customers are very satisfied with their supplier, compared with a third (33 per cent) of customers with medium and small suppliers.
For the full results, including how customers rank their energy supplier’s customer service, value for money, bills, complaints handling and more, go to: www.which.co.uk/energy-table
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
Who likes it warmer inside – men or women?
Who does the dishes, takes out the rubbish or hoovers under the table after the kids have had couscous for dinner? One could easily assume that these are the types of spousal arguments that might top a ‘most frequent’ list. But, no. New research identifies ‘the ideal home temperature’ as the hot debate most likely to aggravate the gender divide in families.
The right time to turn on the heating is another heated conversation that happens in homes around the UK.
According to research sponsored by Corgi HomePlan, one in three couples admit to regular rows over the ideal house temperature. The study reveals that men set the thermostat too low, and women simply turn it up again (in secret, with great stealth).
Now, men, before you get right on in there and turn that thermostat back down; science suggests that the reason women are turning the heat up, is because they genuinely are more sensitive to the cold. A 2015 study by Dutch scientists revealed that women are comfortable at a temperature 2.5C warmer than men, typically between 24-25C. The average house has the heating set to 20C (according to Corgi HomePlan) which is a rather hefty 4.5C cooler than a woman’s ideal temperature.
Perhaps it’s time for a compromise? – In light of the fact that 37 per cent of British households leave the heating on between four and six hours a day (so sayeth the research)…maybe less in August!
What do you say?
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
Sources: Theguardian.com – “Why women secretly turn up the heating”; Dailymail.co.uk – Heated rows! Third of couples admit arguing over the ideal temperature in their home
What’s the average electricity use for a UK household?
Have you ever compared your gas/electricity bill with that of friends or family members – and wondered why you pay so much more or, if you’re lucky, a whole lot less? It could be that your tariff is simply more costly, or conversely – really reasonable. The size of your property and the number of people in it are also factors to consider. And then, of course, how you use your appliances – whether you turn your light off when you leave a room or whether you’re happy to leave the light on.
In an article by Ovoenergy.com, household electricity use in the UK is an average of 3,940kWh per home. This is about 20 per cent higher than the global average for electrified homes of 3,370kWh. But when compared to other OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, electricity use in the UK isn’t that high – averaging closer to the European average of 3,600kWh. This is generally because UK homes are quite small, heating is primarily done with gas, and air conditioning is not widespread. American homes average 12,300kWh each year, in Canada it’s 11,000kWh, and in Australia it’s 7,000kWh.
To know where your home sits on the scale of average, have a look at the following stats (listed in ascending order):
Mid Terrace – 2,779 kWh
Flat – 2,829 kWh
End Terrace – 3,442 kWh
Semi Detached – 3,847 kWh
Bungalow – 3,866 kWh
Detached House – 4,153 kWh
(This data excludes electricity from space heating – which is more common in detached properties naturally – so it doesn’t distort our view of the data.)
You’ll be unsurprised to know that the peak load occurs between 6-7pm when cooking, lighting and audiovisual demands are all ramped up. And, bearing in mind that it’s winter and we’re all sure to be cranking the heat at some point, you’ll be pleased to learn that cold appliances (basically refrigeration) top the list of uses, followed by lighting, consumer electronics, cooking and wet appliances (washing mostly). Check out the average end use of electricity in UK homes/year (in ascending order):
Computing – 240 kWh
Water heating – 280 kWh
Other – 528 kWh
Wet appliances – 536 kWh
Cooking – 544 kWh
Consumer Electronics – 567 kWh
Lighting – 607 kWh
Cold appliances – 638 kWh
These averages may help you gauge where you are with your own electricity use, and help you decide whether you need to turn off the lights or change provider!
For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
Source: Ovoenergy.com – “How much electricity does a home use”
20 cheap, easy ways to make your home eco-friendly
Great Britain has reduced its carbon production faster than any other industrialised nation (woop!) and the UK’s emissions are below the goal (instituted by the Climate Change Act) for carbon budget 2, and 40 per cent below the 1990 levels. This is great but there is still loads more work required in order to reach the long-term goal of continuing to decrease emissions of the 6 greenhouse gas emissions regulated by the Kyoto accords, to 80 per cent of 1990 levels.
Currently, fifty per cent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the UK come from domestic heating and cooking, and from transport. That’s a lot, and is also why the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) is urging the government to work collaboratively with industry (those in the know) to green Great Britain by greening the gas grid – according to a recent report by HPM Magazine.
Mike Foster, CEO of EUA and also author of ‘The Future of Fuel’ report, which takes an in-depth look at how the UK can successfully decarbonise heat and hot water generation without radically changing the way 85 per cent of households heat their homes, said:
“Numerous studies have shown that switching to electricity is a more expensive option for the UK and it will struggle to meet demand in a cold snap.
Low carbon gas in our homes will be the cheapest, most secure, and most flexible source of energy we can deploy. The fact that it meets our international obligations too, should be something we welcome.”
Whilst this is all very good to know, you and I, as homeowners, don’t have much control over making changes to the national gas grid but there are things that we can do. Being green doesn’t require us to spend lots of money on fancy gadgets; in fact, an environmentally-responsible home can save you money (as well as the earth!). Check out these ideas that will turn your home into something more eco-friendly:
For more handy ways to ‘eco-friendly’ your house, read “50 Cost-Efficient Ways To Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly” and for all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
Sources: hpmmag.com – “New report outlines sustainable roadmap for UK mains gas”, Britishgas.co.uk – “Green GB week is coming, are you ready?”
How to avoid drain blockage (eight things NOT to put down your plughole)
Drain blockages are entirely common and also, usually, entirely disgusting; no matter where it’s coming from, leaking water smells rank. From clumps of hair, fish filter tablets (but really) and small dolly shoes (parents will understand) to stranger things like false teeth and even clothing, there are some obvious no-nos when it comes to putting things down the plughole, take a look:
Usually a clogged drain is an accumulation of all of the above…things that have slipped down unintentionally. If you’re concerned about a blocked drain in your bathtub or damaged radiator pipes, call your local plumber; he/she may suggest a drainage contractor if the problem is serious, in which case, ask for references to ensure you hire the perfect person for the job.
For all your plumbing needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.
Sources: Blockbusters.co.uk – Top 10 Things That Will Block Your Drains; Draindepot.co.uk – “Gutterly odd: the weirdest things found down drains”