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Finding the best prices and service for your household electricity supply should be a basic and ongoing task. The idea is to get the best deal, one that suits your needs at any given time, considering that these can change very quickly.
For example, the way a person who lives alone uses electricity is very different from the way that a family uses power. Also, a person who spends all day out at work uses electricity differently to people who work permanently from home. What’s more, you may decide to buy an electric car that you can charge at home at night.
The National Markets and Competition Commission says that “there is a profound lack of knowledge among Spanish households about the existence of a free market and a regulated market with different electricity and gas prices". In exact figures, more than half of Spanish households, three out of five, do not know whether their electricity company belongs to the free market or the regulated market.
That is why, even if you don’t do it regularly, you should take the time to analyse your consumption and habits and find options that really suit you.
If you don't, you can end up paying over the odds. There are two main reasons for this. The first is lack of information, since what you signed up for at the time may now be higher-than-market prices.
The second is that when you sign up for an energy package that does not fit your habits, you may be missing out on more advantageous rates and consequential savings.
All users have the right to change electricity suppliers and, above all, to do so with all the information we need to compare offers before signing up for an arrangement that suits our way of life. In fact, the only thing that will really change will be the marketer, since the distributor responsible for getting the energy to our home will be the same. If you do not know the difference between a distributor and a marketer, you can take a look at this other post where we explain this in great detail.
The two types of marketers
Before you take any decisions, you should be aware of the two types of marketers that exist in the market.
On the one hand, there are reference marketers, which operate within the regulated market in Spain and sell energy at a rate set by the Government, which is called PVPC (voluntary price for small consumers). The reference marketers do not have lock in periods and you can only sign up for 10kW of maximum power.
The prices charged by reference marketers are defined by Royal Decree 216/2014, of 28 March, establishing the methodology for calculating the Small Consumer Voluntary Price and the contracting system.
This variable rate, in addition to contractual limitations, has some other important characteristics to take into account, such as that normally, when supplies are low (when less is produced by renewable sources such as hydroelectric and especially wind power) and when demand is higher - such as the hottest days in summer - prices go up, as also happens sometimes in winter, when although there is a greater choice of energy sources, demand is very important, and there is nothing that customers can do about price fluctuations.
Free marketers, who have total freedom to set their prices and rates, are able to offer their customers a wide range of deals, promotions or additional services. In this case, the price is fixed, however, it is fixed freely, and there may be time bands. This is not the case with marketers in the regulated market, which are not allowed to set prices, but whose prices are intrinsically variable.
Switching electricity company, step by step
By following a series of steps, which start with analysing your needs, through to submitting your bank documents, you can change your electricity company:
First step: see which rates best suit your needs
When you decide to change electricity company, you must remember that there is a wide choice of rates. Therefore, first of all, it is important that you know what you are looking for.
Every consumer has individual consumption habits, so the same electricity rate does not work for everyone. Rates with hourly discrimination are a clear example. These rates are ideal for users who use more energy at certain specific hours, such as at night, for example. Here, users have two prices per kW/h, one for the times when demand is lowest (off-peak period, with the very low price) and another for the hours when demand is high (peak period, with the highest price).
These rates are designed, for example, for owners of electric vehicles who charge their cars at night and who will also have a super-off-peak period.
Another important aspect to consider when going through this analysis phase is useful added value services like maintenance, which provide benefits in case of faults and breakdowns, as well as regular preventive maintenance.
Step two: compare the rates
Once you have selected the most suitable rates, it is time to compare their characteristics, mainly their price.
The price per kWh is the fundamental variable to compare, but so are the time bands when it is applied, whether there are any discounts and lock-in periods are also key aspects that must be taken into account.
Now you have all the information, the only thing left to do is to start switching to another electricity supplier and that is very easy to do.
Third step: Contact the new marketer and prepare the documentation
Once you have chosen the best rate for you, the next step is to contact the electricity company you have chosen through any of the available channels, mainly by telephone, but also using the online form.
It is important to have some specific information at hand, which includes the full name and ID number of the contract holder, the supply address, the Universal Code of the Supply Point or CUPS that identifies it and that appears on your current supplier's bill, the IBAN code of the bank account to set up your direct debit, a telephone number and, in many cases a contact email address, particularly if you use electronic billing.
Now is the time to make the very important choice of how much power you need to sign up for, bearing in mind that since 2018 this can be changed in steps of 0.1 kW.
When you have completed all these steps, within 15 days you will have changed your electricity company.
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You don't need to adapt to Endesa's tariffs because they adapt to you. If you go to our catalogue you can compare the different tariffs for yourself. Or if you prefer, you can answer a few questions and we will take care of comparing all the different electricity and gas tariffs and then make a customised recommendation.
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You don't need to adapt to Endesa's tariffs because they adapt to you. If you go to our catalogue you can compare the different tariffs for yourself. Or if you prefer, you can answer a few questions and we will take care of comparing all the different electricity and gas tariffs and then make a customised recommendation.
Comparison of Electricity and Gas Tariffs
You don't need to adapt to Endesa's tariffs because they adapt to you. If you go to our catalogue you can compare the different tariffs for yourself. Or if you prefer, you can answer a few questions and we will take care of comparing all the different electricity and gas tariffs and then make a customised recommendation.
Do you want to see all our offers?
Spend a minute to find the product which best adapts to you:
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Spend a minute to find the product which best adapts to you:
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Spend a minute to find the product which best adapts to you: