Moving house provides you with the perfect opportunity to compare Victorian energy providers. With electricity and gas prices on the rise, it’s worth taking the time to ensure you’ll be getting the best deal in your new abode. And with handy online calculators making comparison easier, choosing a new energy supplier needn’t be too time-consuming.
Why You Should Compare Victorian Energy Providers When You Move
There’s a lot to do when you move house – decluttering, packing, choosing a removalist, moving, unpacking – so it’s tempting to push extra jobs like comparing energy providers, to the side. However, we highly recommend taking a moment to find the best energy deal for your new home for a number of reasons:
- The best provider for your current home may not be best for your new home. You may have different energy requirements, such as a different type of heating, or the option of solar panels. Plus, deals vary across locations.
- New energy providers are emerging all the time, and deals change. There may now be a better offer available.
- Many energy suppliers offer attractive incentives for new customers, that you can take advantage of by switching.
- Energy rates are rising considerably, and any saving you make can have a big impact on your household budget.
What’s more, comparing offers doesn’t have to be too time-consuming, as many retailers offer online calculators that make estimating future bills quick and easy. The Victorian Government provides its own, unbiased comparison website ‘Victorian Energy Compare’, that lets you compare across all energy retailers at one time.
Things To Consider When You Compare Victorian Energy Offers
Pricing and Tariffs
Energy cost is undoubtably top-of-mind when choosing energy providers. For both electricity and gas, you’ll need to consider the daily supply charge, which is a set rate that covers the cost of you being connected to the network, and also the usage charge rate.
Usage rates can vary to include peak and off-peak rates, base rates for the first part of your usage, and subsequent rates for excess usage. Make sure that a low rate in one area is not offset by higher rates in another.
Have a think about how these rates would apply to your situation – for example, do you have flexibility to run hot water or appliances at night during off-peak times? Do you work from home and need heating/cooling on during the day? Are you a low or high energy user?
The easiest way to compare offers is to plug existing usage details from a current bill into an online calculator, and then compare the estimated monthly or yearly charge. You can do this on energy retailer websites, or at the Victorian Energy Compare website.
Don’t forget also to take note of any connection or disconnection fees, plus any meter installation charges.
Welcome Offers
Many energy providers offer enticing discounts or credits to new customers that can make a significant difference to your bills in the first year. When considering these offers, make sure you are not having to pay for the supplier’s generosity by defaulting onto a more expensive tariff in the longer term.
Also, if your current energy provider offers a welcome special to new customers, ask if they will apply it to your own account at your new home.
Contract and Payment Terms
Check that your energy retailer allows for your preferred payment and bill distribution method. Some providers only send bills by email, or offer direct debit payment only. Some will charge an extra fee for credit card payment. Consider whether moving to eBilling and direct debit or pre-payment can save you money. Some retailers even pay interest when your account is in credit.
Also make sure you’re happy with any contractual conditions, such as the length of time you must stay with that retailer.
Your Electricity and Gas Usage
When comparing energy offers, keep in mind the energy needs of your new house, which may be different to your current home. Do cooking, heating, cooling and hot water services run on electricity or gas? Are heating and cooling systems energy efficient or energy-hungry? What is insulation like? Are there solar panels?
If you will have both electricity and gas at the new property, look at whether you can get a discount for bundling the two together with the same service provider.
Renewable Energy Options
If your new house has solar panels, or you are looking to get them installed, you’ll also want to compare your electricity supplier’s feed-in tariff. This is what they’ll pay you for any excess electricity you generate and feed back into the network.
You might also like to consider the eco-credentials of the provider. Is their energy generated in a more environmentally friendly way? Do they offset carbon emissions or invest in renewable energy development? Some energy providers offer a ‘green’ tariff option that you might like to consider.
Customer Service
What happens when you have a question or a problem with your service provider? Is there a number you can call, or does everything happen online? Consider your own preferences for how you like to access customer service, and check out customer service ratings for your preferred suppliers. Canstar Blue provide independent ratings for most Victorian electricity and gas suppliers.
In Conclusion
Taking time to compare Victorian energy providers before you move house can empower you to make an informed decision that benefits you in the long run. You’ll stand to save money on one of the biggest expense items in your household budget, and will likely find a plan that also suits your preferences for payment methods, contract terms and customer service delivery.
For more handy advice on what else you need to organise when moving house, check out our Moving House Checklist.
Now you’ve got the energy sorted, how about the removalists? Pinder Tower Movers have been moving households across Melbourne and interstate for 40 years, and offers unparalleled customers service. Contact us to find out more and to obtain an obligation-free quote.