Electricity price hike - Why so high? - Page 7

Hi Jim, I am new to this forum.  Family and I have recently purchased a villa near Cabo Roig so platforms for exchange of local info such as this are crucial for people like us who are new to the area.  Interesting to see the views being posted - some not so helpful.  Which is reason I wanted to post my very first comment here and to say keep up the very good work.  People like you and Nicola make regular and (in my opinion) crucial contributions to this forum.  Respect!

How do you go about changing tariff. We have just bought and are with iberdrolla. Don't want be paying more if we can help it.

You can go into an Iberdola 'shop' or you can do it online.

For example, go here:

https://www.iberdrola.es/en

Click on Electricity to get a drop-down of the plans.

Click the plan you want, e.g. Night.

Click on SIGN UP ONLINE

This takes you to a choice of logging in if you're registered for online access, or to continue without logging in.

If you choose the second option, you're best entering your 'CUPS'. This is their identification number for your property. It may appear on your bill as CUPS or USPC. Ours starts ES, then 16 digits, then SL. Enter this in full, but without the spaces.

If you prefer going to a shop, take a recent bill and passport or Spanish driving license as proof of ID. If you get your bills by email, these will be lacking some personal information, so download a copy with all information from the website.

It doesnt matter what tariff you are on the bulk of your bill is the standing charges they levy on you.  I dont think that those who are comparing overall costs to UK are helping as it is individual costs and tariffs that companies impose that are important.  In the UK what is important is comparisons with other companies providing similar products and services like for like that allows them to chose the most economic service in line with their budget that is key to economising financially dependent on their income.  There are many opportunities to chose as there are more providers for services such as utilities.  In Spain there is limited opportunities to do this due to lack of competition particularly for utilities so residents are forced to pay the higher prices due to lack of choice.

You may already know this but if you don't I thought it worth posting so that you could gain cheaper electricity.
I have just been to Iberdrola office and signed up for the Night Plan, i.e., dual tariff. It cost me nothing to do this and the chap at the desk told me that we would be saving 400 Euros per year on our electric bill.
You get 14 hours per day summer and winter on the cheaper tarrif. The times change for summer and winter i.e., cheaper electric - Invierno 20.00 - 13.00 midday next day; verano 23.00 to 13.00pm next afternoon - hence a very big saving on electric.
You can do the change yourself on line if you are clever enough but I did not take the change. Just went off to the Iberdrola office with last month's bill and passport and they did it for me.

You may already know this but if you don't I thought it worth posting so that you could gain cheaper electricity.
I have just been to Iberdrola office and signed up for the Night Plan, i.e., dual tariff. It cost me nothing to do this and the chap at the desk told me that we would be saving 400 Euros per year on our electric bill.
You get 14 hours per day summer and winter on the cheaper tarrif. The times change for summer and winter i.e., cheaper electric - Invierno 20.00 - 13.00 midday next day; verano 23.00 to 13.00pm next afternoon - hence a very big saving on electric.
You can do the change yourself on line if you are clever enough but I did not take the change. Just went off to the Iberdrola office with last month's bill and passport and they did it for me.

hi jim

Council tax I pay £1800  a year here in Cardiff.

I am sorry but I pay £2000 a year poll tax and often embarrassed what happens in my country but you cannot compare poll taxes/ Electricity prices firstl in the Uk both are accountable to Governing bodies the Supply industry in Spain is not in the same  league has Uk would you prefer to have our Police protecting you or Spanish.you get what you pay for.

Hi Jim, 

Hope you are well Jim. Your response concerning high Elec prices , so elec prices are approx 9% higher in Spain than the UK but surely the people complaining about the high prices compared to UK knew of this before they purchased. Like you I have yet to see anyone posting how ridiculously cheap council tax in Spain is compared to the UK (except your goodself that is). We have just had the pleasure of receiving a council tax increase this year is now just over £2040 =  2757.93 euro's

There is an alternative especially for people living in Spain, for you have free sun, so why not make of use of it get solar power, we have monocrystalline solar panels which are consider the best, they are now installed on our property in the Philippines, like everything else they do have a life span in the case monocrystalline solar panels they will last 25 years.

Could some one help me to give Iberdrolla contact tel no from UK please.