Comparison services
Comparison services enable consumers to compare the price of energy bills, to make an informed decision about which product best suits their needs.
A comparison service provides price and service information, but it is up to the consumer to contact and change retailers.
The independent Victorian Energy Compare tool enables consumers to compare offers from gas and electricity retailers, including information from their smart meter or solar bill to help find the best solar feed-in tariff arrangements for their needs.
For more information, visit the Victorian Government's Victorian Energy Compare website.
Switching services
Switching services offer to find consumers a better deal for their energy services. Consumers provide information about their current bills and usage, which is compared against the prices of different providers. This can be done online or by phone.
Normally, the switching service will cancel the consumer’s existing agreement and sign them up to the new retailer once they have chosen a new company.
Tips
Energy services are not always straightforward. Consider the following points:
- From 1 July 2019, if you are on a simple standing offer for your electricity, you will be rolled over to the Victorian Default Offer. For more information, visit the Victorian Default Offer page on the Energy Victoria website.
- Not all energy retailers are compared by each service. Consumers may not be provided with the ‘best’ or ‘cheapest’ offer available on the market.
- Not all services will quote the same price for the same deal or offer. This is because they may have been provided different quotes by energy retailers.
- Often, switching sites do not explain the terms and conditions associated with moving to a new contract. Consumers may find that they are charged a cancellation fee, or do not make the savings they anticipate because they haven’t adhered to terms and conditions of the new contract. Paying on time is a common condition of energy contracts.
- Consider the complexity of the products being compared. Some energy retailers have complicated contractual terms. Research all available offers thoroughly.
- Sites calculate quotes in different ways. Entering different information into different sites can make it hard to compare quotes.