Flipper Energy Review

What is Flipper?

Starting off with the basics in this Flipper review: Flipper is a subscription-based automated energy switching service that will “flip” your current energy deal whenever it identifies you can make a saving of £50 or more. Unlike some similar energy switching services, Flipper doesn’t rely on estimated energy bills, it uses the most accurate information available from your energy bills to compare tariffs and flip your deal when a better offer comes along.

How does Flipper work?

Once you sign up to Flipper they take all the hard work out of finding the best energy deals for you. Their automated switching service continuously scan the market for the best deals. Flipper could potentially flip your energy deal monthly when a saving of £50 or more on your energy bills can be made. They will then do all the work involved with switching on your behalf. This includes closing your existing energy supply account and setting everything up with your new supplier. One of the unique things about Flipper is it scans the whole market and not only those energy suppliers that pay them a commission.

How will I know when I have switched suppliers?

Once Flipper starts the switching process it typically takes 4-5 weeks to fully switch to a new energy supplier. Once this happens, Flipper will notify you and request you enter your meter readings to finalise the switch.

Will I always get moved to a cheaper supplier?

Flipper will only switch you when a saving of at least £50 can be made on your current tariff. So yes Flipper will move you only if a tariff that offers you further savings.

Is Flipper free?

No. Flipper charges customers a fee for their services. They charge £30 a year to use the service but this is only payable once they find you a tariff that saves you at least £50. Because Flipper charges the customer, not the supplier, the fee means they can offer tariffs across the whole market and not solely those that will pay them a commission. Flipper says on average this saves customers around an extra £70 a year compared to other free automated switching energy services which do not offer a whole market comparison.

How much money will Flipper save me?

Flipper states the average customer saves £385 on their energy bills with the first flip using the service. It also states some customers save £1,000 plus. From their homepage, there is a quick and simple form where you can check the potential savings in around 1 minute.

Which suppliers does Flipper use?

Flipper offers tariffs across the market which means as well as the energy deals offered by the big energy suppliers you’ll also get to see the smaller suppliers that some auto-switching services don’t work with because they can’t afford or don’t want to pay a fee. Flipper is one of the few auto-switching services that offers a whole market comparison. They do however only use Ofgem approved suppliers with good customer service ratings, so they might not use every energy supplier.

What is Flipper’s customer service like?

Flipper has a Trustpilot rating of excellent at 4.7. 76% of their customers gave them the highest rating of excellent. Most customers state they experienced an effortless switch, saved money, and the team at Flipper was helpful and knowledgeable when they had needed advice. In the 4% of customers that gave Flipper the lowest rating, several experienced issues where both the old and new supplier continued to charge them after the switch. Other issues include not making savings on their energy bills, and exchanges of incorrect details between Flipper and suppliers. On the whole, they rate as ‘Excellent’ with the bulk of customers rating them as either four or five stars.

What do other reviews say about Flipper?

On Martin Lewis’ Money saving expert forum, there are mixed reviews. While some users state they use the service and are happy with the savings made, others are more sceptical. Some members state it’s just as easy to flip yourself using other platforms or price comparison websites that do not charge.

How is their website/app?

Flipper does not currently have an app but their website is very user-friendly. From the homepage you only need to enter your postcode, then answer a few straightforward questions about the type of energy you use and who your current supplier is. Flipper then runs a check and comes up with an estimated annual saving. So far it’s very easy.

Then you need to make a couple of choices on what type of supplier and tariff you want to go with. The options are:

“All suppliers and Tariffs or Only larger suppliers”

If you choose all suppliers and tariffs you’ll benefit from the maximum possible savings because they will search a wider market for you. All the suppliers on Flipper are Ofgem approved. However, when selecting this option you may need to provide more frequent meter readings and/or provide payment in advance when switching to some suppliers.

If you choose large suppliers only, Flipper will only flip you to deals from the biggest 8 suppliers. The benefit of this is you’ll be with a reputable well-known brand, and will often need to provide fewer meter readings to them. The downside is you could make a smaller saving, but it will still be at least a £50 saving on your current supply. The big 8 energy suppliers are also Ofgem approved.

Once you have selected the type of supplier you then need to pick the type of tariff. Again you will get the choice of two options:

“All tariffs from chosen suppliers or only green tariffs from chosen suppliers”

Choosing all tariffs will allow you to achieve the maximum savings, but they may not be green or renewable. Green tariffs guarantee the energy supplied to your home comes from only renewable sources. However, if you choose this option you might not get the maximum saving on your energy bill.

The next step is to set up your Flipper account once you have selected your supplier and tariff preferences. You do this by pressing the ‘start saving’ button. Flipper will ask for your email address and for you to create a password. Then you’ll be need to provide your contact details including your full address, name and contact phone number. You’ll also be asked about marketing preferences. Don’t worry if you press no, you will still receive notifications on flips or switches relating to your account. The last step to setting up an account is to provide your payment details. This can either be a direct debit instruction or by providing card details.

Once you are all set up you’ll start step 1 of 4 of the auto-switching process. Flipper will ask you to provide the most up to date energy data from your current supplier. You can do this by uploading the details manually or, alternatively, the easier option is to provide Flipper with your account login details, so they can access it directly.

Step 2 is for Flipper to conduct a search of the whole energy market. Or the 8 largest suppliers if you chose that option. They will identify the best energy supplier for you based on the choices you made earlier in the signup process. Flipper will only flip you when they can save you money, at least £50. They also won’t suggest switching to a supplier that has a track record of providing poor service.

The 3rd step is for Flipper to go ahead with the switch on your behalf. They will handle the whole process for you and keep you updated along the way.

The 4th step is that Flipper will repeat the search monthly. This means you will always be on the best deal based on your preferences. You’ll be contacted by email when they identify a new flip opportunity.

How does the Flipper login/portal work?

You can log in to your account area to view and update your personal details. You will also be able to view details of your membership with Flipper and update payment methods. You’ll also see information on your current energy deal and when it is due to end. As well as updating/viewing your information there is also a live chat facility that can be used if you have any questions.

How to cancel/leave Flipper?

You can cancel Flipper at any time by calling the customer service team on: 0345 528 0000.

Can I trust Flipper? Is it safe to use?

Yes, Flipper is a genuine and reputable company. You can determine from their reviews and customer feedback that they have a strong customer base and are a trustworthy company. Their website is secure and your personal details are kept safe.

How does Flipper compare to energy comparison sites?

There are many similar websites out there that compare energy prices. The difference between Flipper and price comparison sites like comparethemarket.com or GoCompare is that Flipper automatically switches you once it identifies it could save you money, making sure you get the best deal. Other price comparison websites may email you to inform you a saving is possible when your deal is ending. However, they won’t do anything further. Also, because you pay Flipper a fee, the search results are impartial. Flipper searches the wider market for you and not just the suppliers that pay a fee.

Is Flipper any good?

Yes, because they could save you time and money. When you sign up to Flipper they guarantee to secure you a saving on your current energy supply. If they cannot save you the minimum amount they won’t automatically switch you or charge you the membership fee. In addition, it saves you the extra legwork of searching multiple websites for the best deals.

Are there any alternatives to Flipper?

Yes, there are other auto switching sites out there that offer a similar service to Flipper. Some of Flipper’s biggest competitors are Look After My Bills, Switchd and BillBuddy. Some of these alternative platforms offer a free service but it’s worth keeping in mind you are paying a fee to Flipper for a reason. And that is that they will search the whole market of energy suppliers whereas the free energy switching services make their money by charging an energy supplier a fee. What this means is they will only switch you to an energy provider that has agreed to pay them a commission/fee for facilitating the switch.

Is Flipper the best energy auto-switching service?

It depends on what you want to get out of it. If you are willing to pay the £30 annual fee then you benefit from Flipper considering tariffs from all Ofgem approved suppliers. Some of which the free services will not have in their portfolio. They take all the hassle out of switching energy suppliers for you. After you have signed up they will continuously try and find you the best deal. However, there is significant competition out there. It’s always worth checking some similar sites to see which one works best for you.

Flipper contact number and details:

If you need to contact Flipper you can do so by the following methods:

Email address: support@flippercommunity.com, they state you will receive a reply within 5 working days.

Telephone number: 0345 528 0000. Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm. Closed Wednesday between 9.30-10.30am for staff training.

Or you can send a message using the message us button on their contact us page.

FAQs

How many customers do Flipper have?

Flipper currently has upwards of 30,000 customers in the UK and is growing.

Does Flipper only do gas and electricity?

Yes. Flipper currently will only flip your gas and/or electricity supply.

Are there any incentives for joining them?

If you search Flipper discount code in your search engine then you will likely find a code to save you a few pounds off the annual membership fee for new customers. At the moment you can also get £7.87 back if you use the link on topcashback.com to join Flipper.

Do they offer a recommend a friend scheme?

Yes. They offer a £5 gift voucher when you refer a friend. There is no limit to the number of friends you can refer to Flipper. This means you can claim this offer multiple times.

How to sign up for Flipper?

You can sign up via their webpage: https://flipper.community and follow the simple sign up process.

How long does it take to switch?

It usually takes between 17 and 35 days depending on the supplier. Flipper has a handy switching timeline you can view here to understand the switching process.

Do I need to cancel with my old supplier?

No. When you sign up with Flipper they will take care of this for you.

Can I sign up if I am in credit with my current supplier?

Yes, you can. Once the switch is completed and the final bill issued you’ll receive a refund of the credit amount from your previous energy provider.

Do they work with pre-payment meters?

Unfortunately at this time, Flipper does not support switches to pre-payment meters which are operated by a token, card or key to top up or where you pay for your energy in advance.

Do they accept Economy 7?

Yes, Flipper supports switching to Economy 7 residential tariffs.

Do they work with the Warm Home Discount?

Because the Warm Home Discount is a government initiative, not every supplier supports it currently. Flipper states: “Due to the fact that we can’t predict which supplier you will be switched to, we do not support the WHD”. They also go on to say: “Be assured we take this discount into account when we find savings for you. So if you currently receive this, we will need to save you at least £50.00 + the WHD that you receive to meet our minimum savings guarantee.”

If when selecting the type of supplier during sign up you choose the largest 8 energy providers, they will all offer the WHD option.

Can you use Flipper as a tenant?

Yes. As long as you are responsible for paying the utility bills for the rented property there shouldn’t be an issue with you using Flipper to save on your energy bill. If in doubt contact your landlord or letting agent.

What happens if you move home with Flipper?

On the day you leave your old home, make sure you take the meter reading and inform your current supplier that you are moving. This is so they can close off your account at that address. On Flipper’s website they state they need the following information to move your account over to your new home:

• If the property rented, or have you now sold the property.
• What was your sale completion date or your tenancy end dateElectric Final meter reading.
• Gas Final meter reading.
• Your new home address.
• The name of your estate agents

Email Flipper: support@flippercommunity.com or call them on 0345 528 0000 with the above information. They can then move your account across. You’ll also need to get your name registered on the energy account at your new home before they can flip you.