Gas and Electricity Prices
- Thread starter gordonscobie
- Start date
Mike Reed
pfm Member
We're already heading into a summer of discontent; this winter will be one of total disgruntlement and depression on current form. The looming rail strike is a harbinger of a return to the sixties and seventies economically and possibly politically.
I think entertainment, eating/drinking out, holidays and retail will be affected as purse strings are tightened, with commensurate loss of employment in those sectors. Gosh but we've had it so good these last thirty-odd years but shit hits the fan eventually, it seems.
hifinutt
hifinutt
Shell Energy having sent the bailiifs to my son to try and break the door down have now sent court papers to forcibly fit a pre payment meter . i am pretty sure these cost more . [ we paid the energy bill the day the bailliffs came]
NOT impressed with these bully boy tactics !!
a report said
Suppliers must only install prepayment meters by force to recover debt as a last resort, Ofgem has warned, as research shows some suppliers are using such tactics too often.1
Ofgem has published its annual report on how suppliers treat their customers in vulnerable situations, including those in debt and at risk of being disconnected.2
Last year the total number of prepayment meters installed under warrant granted by a court to recover customer debt rose from 81,000 to 84,000 compared to 2016. This works out at an increase of 6.9% (42,283) and 2.41% (42,037) for gas and electricity prepayment meters respectively.
Under Ofgem’s rules, suppliers must identify customers who are in or at risk of debt, and engage with them early to put them on manageable repayment plans. Prepayment meters must only be installed by force in a customer’s home using a warrant obtained by a court order as a last resort.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publicatio...-over-forcible-prepayment-meter-installations
NOT impressed with these bully boy tactics !!
a report said
Suppliers must only install prepayment meters by force to recover debt as a last resort, Ofgem has warned, as research shows some suppliers are using such tactics too often.1
Ofgem has published its annual report on how suppliers treat their customers in vulnerable situations, including those in debt and at risk of being disconnected.2
Last year the total number of prepayment meters installed under warrant granted by a court to recover customer debt rose from 81,000 to 84,000 compared to 2016. This works out at an increase of 6.9% (42,283) and 2.41% (42,037) for gas and electricity prepayment meters respectively.
Under Ofgem’s rules, suppliers must identify customers who are in or at risk of debt, and engage with them early to put them on manageable repayment plans. Prepayment meters must only be installed by force in a customer’s home using a warrant obtained by a court order as a last resort.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publicatio...-over-forcible-prepayment-meter-installations
I've heard that some suppliers are purposefully overcharging so that come the next cap increase, their customers will have sufficient credit on their accounts to make sure they get paid. Seems a bit cheeky.
I have noticed that BG aren't chasing me for meter readings like they used to, I also notice I am nearly £300 in credit on my account- should I be able to request this paid back to me or will they drag their heels/refuse? By the time the upcoming £400 grant comes that will be me over £700 in credit and there is no way I will use that so I'd like that £300 back.
I have noticed that BG aren't chasing me for meter readings like they used to, I also notice I am nearly £300 in credit on my account- should I be able to request this paid back to me or will they drag their heels/refuse? By the time the upcoming £400 grant comes that will be me over £700 in credit and there is no way I will use that so I'd like that £300 back.
Bob McC
Living the life of Riley
You should be able to get it back.
With Octopus it’s dead easy. Tell ‘em how much you want back, it’s in your account within a day or two.
Robert M
pfm Member
Bailiffs, oh how I don't like that part of England, Ireland has the sheriff which as far as I know have less powers and you rarely hear about them, especially kicking doors down over unpaid utility bills.
Ponty
pfm Member
Finally got a sense of energy usage in the new place. I’m on British Gas SVR for gas and electricity (ridiculous rates!). Had nearly 4 months here and our usage has set the DD at £151 a month. Now, the old place had electricity only, at a far lower unit rate and standing charge and paid £150 (probably the solar panel pumps etc!). Plus I had all the logging to do for primary heat (4 fires, 6 - 8 tons a year). The wood was ‘free’ but it’s not really. Machinery, tools, fuel, tree surgeon when required for tricky stuff and of course the big one, time. OK, it was a bigger house but so far, gas rocks!
Darth Vader
From the Dark Side
I've just had our dual fuel renewal from EDF. The SO goes up from £123 pm fixed to £219 SVR which is a little less than I calculated from web info. Or a fixed 2 years at £424 pm and a £200 exit fee. Hmmm I'll take my chances on SVR.........
DV
DV
Ponty
pfm Member
It’s getting silly, with worse to come in the autumn. It’s mortgage money in some cases for people with inefficiency heating / draughty houses.
PhilofCas
pfm Member
And for ones who crank the heating up and walk round the house in shorts, t shirt and flip flops, cannot for the life of me get to grips with that one.
(I.e. get a jumper on and turn down the heating
).
JensenHealey
pfm Member
I am fully expecting that when our current 2 year deal ends this autumn, that the new bill will indeed look similar to our old mortgage payments (we paid off several years ago now)
Not much I can do about it - old house, only secondary glazing allowed (already done) and because the attics are living space, there is not much more insulation I can add. Also house is solid brick construction (no gap), grade II listed and conservation area. The house is 1/2 of a larger unit - and the next door bit is about to undergo a major refurb which includes adding extra internal insulation to the external walls (that's allowed), but a loss of living space I am not prepared to accept. BUT they are also extending up into the attics and down into the basements so will be taking on extra heat loss up there.
£190 per month for me now - going to jump to around £500 maybe? I would not be surprised.
Not much I can do about it - old house, only secondary glazing allowed (already done) and because the attics are living space, there is not much more insulation I can add. Also house is solid brick construction (no gap), grade II listed and conservation area. The house is 1/2 of a larger unit - and the next door bit is about to undergo a major refurb which includes adding extra internal insulation to the external walls (that's allowed), but a loss of living space I am not prepared to accept. BUT they are also extending up into the attics and down into the basements so will be taking on extra heat loss up there.
£190 per month for me now - going to jump to around £500 maybe? I would not be surprised.
PhilofCas
pfm Member
I hope not for you JH.
Your post prompted me to have a look on our new supplier, there’s a new feature, a forecast, here’s ours:
Ponty
pfm Member
Holy smoke. I’m sure my old place would be £300 a month now just for electric on the new tariffs. Consider moving to a smaller, more efficient house? It’s been liberating and a revelation for us in so many ways.
clivem2
pfm Member
It sounds like we have similar houses and constraints. Our fix used to be £200, we’re now paying £450 but that’s before the next increase.
clivem2
pfm Member
That’s something we need to consider before our type of house takes a hit in value due to energy costs. The cost SDLT is a big negative though…if we downsize (downvalue) we can save on SDLT but it puts us in the hottest part of the market which has a lot of negatives too.
Caledon1297
pfm Member
Ofgem's guesstimate in May (£2800) for the so-called 'Price Cap' in October is looking increasingly over optimistic; surging future contract prices through June & July have seen energy analyst Cornwall Insight raise its previous forecast of £2980 to today's forecast of £3244.
(as a reminder, April's 'Price Cap' is £1971)
Perhaps reflecting the above, Octopus Energy have just released their July fix with electricity unit rates of circa 50p/kWh, and gas circa 17p/kWh.
(current SVT is circa 27p/kWh & 7p/kWh)
A bad situation is getting much worse!
(as a reminder, April's 'Price Cap' is £1971)
Perhaps reflecting the above, Octopus Energy have just released their July fix with electricity unit rates of circa 50p/kWh, and gas circa 17p/kWh.
(current SVT is circa 27p/kWh & 7p/kWh)
A bad situation is getting much worse!
Ponty
pfm Member
Yeah, the cost of moving is crazy, so it has to be right. We moved to a similar value house but in a more expensive area. It’s now a doddle to run, lock and leave for when we want to go travelling and because we can walk to everything, our petrol and diesel usage is sod all. Council tax lower as well, which is all only going to go one way (where we were in Wales, nice house = v high council tax). Spending more on beer though as I’ve got half a dozen great pubs within 5 mins walk. Socialising the dog I call it.