1-year 'deals' are not usually significant 'deals' (if one chooses one's starting time wisely), since most suppliers only put their prices up once per year, anyway. It's the 2-year and 3-year deals which introduce 'gambling', and which are almost inevitably initially more expensive that standard rates.
I have to say that I find it hard to understand how a supplier is likely to benefit by giving significant discounts to people 'signing up' for just one year (which, in reality, means that you are only tied to them, without losing exit penalties, for 45 weeks).
It's not just a question who those who don't shop around (to other suppliers) - it's also those who don't even swap to a cheaper deal, for an essentially identical service, with the existing supplier.
I believe that's the case - but if, as you suggest, the "1-year fixed-rate" deal is always going to be cheaper than the 'standard variable tariff', why should they be allowed to continue having the latter at all - if you are right, it seems like a tariff which exists only for the exploitation of those unable to realise that they are paying more than they need to!
- that was my reason for agreeing to them, because eon said it was a condition of getting the best tariff for me.
I think the exit penalty on 1 year deal with eon is £30 per fuel, so £60 for gas and electricity obviously.
That's pretty typical - but, as I implied, Ofgem has decreed that they can't charge 'exit penalties' in the last 49 days (7 weeks) of a contract - so, as I said, even of there is a penalty (and, quite often, there isn't), that means that with a 1-year deal, one is only tied (without suffering a penalty) for about 45 weeks.
Yes, I think that there was/is such a rule, but the crucial part of that is "at any one time". As has been said, many of them remove and add tariffs every week or two, so there can be countless over a period of a few months, even if never "more than 4 at a time"!
I vaguely recall having seen tariffs that are only available to those without "smart" meters, and a condition is that you agree to have them fitted. Those will be by way of helping the supplier to meet their targets for fitting "smart" meters.
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