Changing From A Large To A Small Energy Supplier
I recently changed from a large energy supplier; NPower, to a small one; OVO.
So how has the experience been and would I change now, knowing what I now know?
1. Costs
If I compare my actual costs for 2013, when I was with NPower to the estimated costs for 2014 on OVO, they are about the same at £143-145 a month for both gas and electricity. I suspect that for a modern three-bedroomed house, where I cook by electricity, do one load of washing a week and have a deep bath every day, that these figures could be a bit low.
But it is surprising how close the two suppliers are in terms of costs. Partly, this is because OVO set the level of the standing order based on what I was paying NPower
2. Account Management
I am just getting to grips with managing my account to my benefit.
In the previous section, I said that OVO set my initial payments based on my NPower usage.
I have now adjusted my standing order to my usage , as OVO allow you to do. I estimate that when I get this adjusted correctly, my bill could reduce to about £120 a month.
One thing that happens with OVO, is that if you are in credit, they give you a small interest payment. It may only be pence, but it’s more than a big supplier would give. You can also request that the balance be withdrawn to your bank account.
3. The OVO Web Site
Like all new web sites, the OVO web site has a few problems and could be better. In their case, things like remembering your login ID and the general handling of passwords are areas I would improve.
As to the login, they could do a lot worse than look at how Zopa has created a secure login. Zopa’s is certainly one of the best!
I would also recommend that you login once a month and give it a good look around.
4. Customer Support
I don’t think I have any complaint in this area.
You phone them on an 0800 number.
5. Would I Change Again?
Not at the moment, but if I did want to change, I’ve got a single A4 piece of paper with all of my details and relevant numbers on it, so change would be easy.
So for that reason alone, I would advise anybody to change at least once to an energy supplier with good paperwork and web site.
The Computer Software Update Problem
I don’t like automatic updates of computer software and this story from the BBC about Kaspersky Labs and their anti-virus software is vindication of my view . Here’s the first two paragraphs.
Thousands of computers running Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system were unable to connect to the internet after installing an anti-virus update.
Users said they were also unable to access their internal company networks.
I only update my software, when I find the current system has a serious bug, as I’ve been stung so many times in the past. And then I update software, when I want to, so I have time to test it before it drops me in the doo-dah.
Another question thatr has to be asked here, is given the current political situation, why would anybody use Russian anti-virus software.
Google Chrome Problems
I use two computers; an old Compaq 6720s, running Windows Vista and Office 2007 and a newer Sony running Windows 7 and Office 2010.
To access the Internet, I generally use Google Chrome. And to update this blog, I use Chrome, as sometimes Internet Explorer doesn’t work with WordPress.
I’m putting this post on the Internet using Chrome on the ancient Compaq, as for some reason Chrome on the Sony won’t access this web site. I can access it and create new pages with Internet Explorer.
With all the money they make, you’d think Google could get a browser that worked corrrectly.
I spoke too soon, as Chrome now won’t access this web site on the Compaq. So I’m creating this post in Internet Explorer on the Sony.
If anybody has any problem accessing this blog in Chrome could they please tell me!
A Domain Name Ending For East Enders Fans
I misread something and I thought that they were talking of domains with an ending of .cotton.
So I thought, that this would of course be good for the fans of East Enders or at least the Dot Cotton Fan Club.
Beware Tesco Customer Surveys
I don’t shop at Tesco’s except to buy the odd EatNakd bar or a newspaper, so why should they ask me to fill out a customer satisfaction survey? Especially, as it was e-mailed from South Africa!
It’s nothing to do with Tesco and is probably a dangerous scam, so beware!
A Holiday In Marrakech
The idea was supposed to be very simple. I would fly out of Gatwick on British Airways, have four nights in a riad in Marrakesh and then fly back on Thursday afternoon. I’d booked through a well-known travel agent and they had arranged everything.
Ten years or so ago, C and myself had flown to Marrakech and stayed for a weekend in the Villa des Oranges and I’d hoped to bring back some happy memories, with perhaps a trip to the Atlas Mountains, taking a lot of photographs and writing my blog. I’d also checked out that the riad had wi-fi and was rated to be friendly and good for solo travellers.
But everything went pear-shaped when I found that my mobile-phone had been lost at Gatwick. I use it constantly for keeping in touch with the world, but no matter as I’d bought a small netbook computer with me and the riad had wi-fi.
The riad was good, except for the wi-fi, which perhaps ran for a minute or so before it dropped out. I even found it virtually impossible to send an e-mail using my Google account. I think I managed just one short post about my mobile phone. But no matter, as from previous experience there were some nice Internet cafes in Marrakech. But of course, I couldn’t find it and all I found was a grotty place, where the computers were virtually unusable. These days, who needs an Internet cafe? Only those in trouble.
I should say there was a nice computer for guests to use in the hotel, but it had the most complicated keyboard I’d ever seen. I couldn’t find the @-sign and it just turned me off everything.
I then booked a tour of the historic sites in the centre. I had been told it would be 400 Moroccan dinars, when I booked it, as I’d have to pay for two people, but in the morning, the guide wanted 400 each for me and my non-existent companion. I also found the tour would be just me and the guide.
That was it! I don’t like being ripped-off and I can afford to take a stand, but others perhaps cannot, so I told the guide where to go in no uncertain terms.
Marrakech was also depressing me, as it wasn’t the place I remembered and i couldn’t seem to find a nice cafe for a drink anywhere outside of the riad.
So as I didn’t want to be trapped there, I did what I always do. I cut my misery and took a taxi for the airport to get a flight home. I had checked that seats were available on easyJet, so perhaps I could be in London by nightfall.
Barclays Loses Customer Data
Why is it the banks always seem to get things wrong? Or are they just accident prone?
This morning customer data from Barclays is reported to be on sale, here on the BBC.
I will not prejudge where the leak of information came from, but it will be interesting to see who did the dirty deed.
I suspect though we’ll see an increase in phishing scams tasrgeting Barclays customers.
Why Does Software Go Backwards?
My ten-year-old Hewlett-Packard laptop is at death’s door, so I’ve had to switch to a much newer Sony. I bought the Sony, because i found the keyboard easy with my gammy left hand, which means I have difficulty with the shift key. Most capital letters are done by spanning my right hand.
Why is the version of Windows and Office 2010 so inferior to Windows Vista and Office 2007?
I would love to go out and buy a new laptop pre-loaded with Vista and Office 2007! And if it cost me more than it was worth, I wouldn’t mind.
Let’s face it, the hardware and software are the canvas on which a writer of software or all sorts of documents weave their fantasies.
So why should computer companies tell me what I can buy? If I wanted a part for most ten-year-old cars, it’s usually an easy purchase.
And then when you buy a new standalone product, like my Samsung mobile phone, it’s got more bugs than the insect house at the London Zoo. They may be clever and get a lot of sales, but the designers don’t think like users, which is the key to writing good software.
The IT Brief
I get masses of spam e-mails from these jerks called the IT Brief in the United States.
Is there a yard dog American lawyer out there who’d like a bit of fun, by suing them for wasting my time?
He can have half he gets out of the idiots, provided they don’t send me any more spam!
The Anonymous Widower 