Current statistics reveal that about 40 million people in the United States move from one part of the country to another annually. With the annual migration pushing a good proportion of these people to Houston, Texas, there is a need to provide new residents with the needed information to get them set up in the new environment. Considering the necessity of electricity, Electricity Wholesalers Houston has put together a few resources which will help new residents choose the best electricity plans for their needs.
As a new entrant into Houston, TX, below are some of the most important things you need to know before signing up for a new electricity service.
Tiered Rates
When planning on choosing a new electricity service provider, it is recommended that you carry out your own research. Doing this can be in the form of speaking to friends, family members in the area, neighbours or your work colleagues. They are most likely to recommend better options to choose from. Nevertheless, you should consider how affordable their electricity plans are. Make sure to compare the best electricity providers in Texas and pick the right one for your needs. In some cases, some providers may provide ridiculously low rates for usage at 500kWh, 1,000 kWh, and 2,000 kWh. What you should understand is that these rates may not be what they seem on the surface as you will only be paying those rates if you use the exact amount of electricity.For tiered plans, there is no exact guarantee on the particular price per kWh. Instead, you get charged a flat fee based on the tier of energy usage your consumption falls into.
Teaser Rates
For people looking for the lowest rates, chances are high that you may come across energy plans that last for 3 months. These types of plans are regarded as teaser rates because the prices as advertised are low and allow you to hop from one plan to another as soon as the contract is over. However, the ease comes with a catch: you have to constantly be on top of when your contract will expire as failure to do so will mean that you will automatically be rolled over into a new plan. In some cases, the new plan may be on a higher fixed rate for a longer contract term making it harder for you to cancel the plan.Hidden Fees
Some electricity bills come with a clear estimation of all the charges which have been accrued over the month, including taxes and fees. However, for some providers, this information may be a luxury that you aren’t afforded. In cases where the electricity bills do not explicitly state what is going to what, there is a high chance that you may be dealing with a buffered energy bill which is high on account of hidden charges.A recent report published by the energy watchdog group, Texas Ratepayers Organization to Save Energy (ROSE) revealed some of the excessively high energy charges imposed on customers by retail electric providers. About 55% of retail energy providers charge a recovery fee, 88% charge an insufficient funds fee, and 45% charge a disconnection notice fee. For customers who require customer support from their retail energy providers, chances are high that your provider may be among the 28% of companies that charge an Agent Assist Fee.
These little fees amount to a huge figure which in the end influences the total amount which you are due to pay for monthly electricity charges.
