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Energy Bills
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Just checked. You are right, apologies.1
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Word of warning to anyone considering taking up a British Gas fixed energy tariff
Don't use their calculations of your future energy costs to make your decision
The illustrations are completely made up based on nothing to do with your actual consumption
Tucked away in the tiny tiny print is the fact that their calculations are all based on their "typical" household i.e. one that doesn't exist
Same goes for their 'calculation' of your required direct debit - on ours at the start of a new fixed price period they swapped our actual current position of £300 in credit for a totally false position of £75 in arrears, all to justify increasing the DDr by £15/mth
The fixed rate tariff might be a good choice but you have to do all the sums yourself using your actual consumption, the BG illustrations are meaningless
Paying increased DDrs obviously doesn't mean you get overcharged, just that you might pay earlier than necessary and BG owing us money isn't what we'd choose.
Recent experience also suggests they won't agree to more accurate monthly DDrs until you are £100s in credit
Their prices aren't horrendous but their conduct is shameful0 -
Billy_Mix said:Word of warning to anyone considering taking up a British Gas fixed energy tariff
Don't use their calculations of your future energy costs to make your decision
The illustrations are completely made up based on nothing to do with your actual consumption
Tucked away in the tiny tiny print is the fact that their calculations are all based on their "typical" household i.e. one that doesn't exist
Same goes for their 'calculation' of your required direct debit - on ours at the start of a new fixed price period they swapped our actual current position of £300 in credit for a totally false position of £75 in arrears, all to justify increasing the DDr by £15/mth
The fixed rate tariff might be a good choice but you have to do all the sums yourself using your actual consumption, the BG illustrations are meaningless
Paying increased DDrs obviously doesn't mean you get overcharged, just that you might pay earlier than necessary and BG owing us money isn't what we'd choose.
Recent experience also suggests they won't agree to more accurate monthly DDrs until you are £100s in credit
Their prices aren't horrendous but their conduct is shameful
We are pretty careful with our usage (smart meter is a massive help with that). Energy companies refuse to believe that 2 people living in a 3 bed semi can consume as low as we do. No amount of previous usage will persuade them so they are always trying to up our Direct Debit. I got angry with them in August and told them we were stopping paying until we had worked down our credit. We haven't yet worked through the credit so haven't paid a bill all winter. I'm keeping control of my DD from now on. Don't mind overpaying a bit in summer to even out the seasonality but that was simply taking the piss.2 -
cantersaddick said:Billy_Mix said:Word of warning to anyone considering taking up a British Gas fixed energy tariff
Don't use their calculations of your future energy costs to make your decision
The illustrations are completely made up based on nothing to do with your actual consumption
Tucked away in the tiny tiny print is the fact that their calculations are all based on their "typical" household i.e. one that doesn't exist
Same goes for their 'calculation' of your required direct debit - on ours at the start of a new fixed price period they swapped our actual current position of £300 in credit for a totally false position of £75 in arrears, all to justify increasing the DDr by £15/mth
The fixed rate tariff might be a good choice but you have to do all the sums yourself using your actual consumption, the BG illustrations are meaningless
Paying increased DDrs obviously doesn't mean you get overcharged, just that you might pay earlier than necessary and BG owing us money isn't what we'd choose.
Recent experience also suggests they won't agree to more accurate monthly DDrs until you are £100s in credit
Their prices aren't horrendous but their conduct is shameful
We are pretty careful with our usage (smart meter is a massive help with that). Energy companies refuse to believe that 2 people living in a 3 bed semi can consume as low as we do. No amount of previous usage will persuade them so they are always trying to up our Direct Debit. I got angry with them in August and told them we were stopping paying until we had worked down our credit. We haven't yet worked through the credit so haven't paid a bill all winter. I'm keeping control of my DD from now on. Don't mind overpaying a bit in summer to even out the seasonality but that was simply taking the piss.
Challenger energy companies are a million miles ahead of the legacy providers (such as BG) in terms of tariffs offered and user friendly apps. The divergence between suppliers in tech is only going to increase as legacy providers are tied up in red tape and tired systems.4 -
Water is a fundamental of life.
However capitalism has made it into a saleable commodity, where profit comes before affordability, repairs, improved pipe work, prevention of the polluting (ironically) of water.
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cantersaddick said:Leroy Ambrose said:cantersaddick said:cafcnick1992 said:cantersaddick said:stop_shouting said:Chizz said:Huskaris said:Chizz said:Huskaris said:cafcnick1992 said:I'm sat here waiting for Led By Donkeys to put up a poster about the price cap going up by £300 instead of down, as promised by Labour.
Led by Donkeys (in itself a phrase which is factually and demonstrably incorrect) are just a bunch of bellends.
It's almost as if a government of any colour is very weak to resist market forces. It's just one party get off without the scrutiny of the other.
I only ask because they've garnered a reputation of speaking truth to power which would be diminished if they were to criticise a goal set for 2029, several years before the deadline.
"A reputation of speaking truth for power" is stretching it a bit too in my opinion, which I'm allowed to have :-)
They have been going for 72 months: 67 months and four PMs from the Conservative party, eight months with Starmer in charge. It's not surprising they've campaigned more against the right than the left, given those figures. They are allowed to pick and choose sides though.
Incidentally, what did you mean by "in itself a phrase which is factually and demonstrably incorrect"?
I know its not on topic but allow me this one post. This just perfectly demonstrates how warped the political conversation in the UK has become. By any independent measure this labour government on both economic and social policy are still pushing hard capitalist, go for growth, support big business, low welfare, low regulation, cuts in spending, low govt intervention, low service provision, high levels of private sector involvement, anti immigration messages and agenda. Yes they want reform and to get public services working again and yes they have raised a small amount through some taxes to do this but if you take the slightest step back you can see that whilst being to the left of what we've had since Johnson took a lurch to the hard right we are still at best being run by a centrist govt. I'd argue that socially this govt is further right that David Cameron.
Taking that step back for some perspective. You have the US system, the European system and then way off you have proper social democracies like Scandinavia and Japan. We have historically been in the window between the US and European systems, sometimes we are closer to one than the other. We have been since 92 moving ever closer to the US system, this government have moved us a bit nearer to the European system but when you see major economies in Europe having serious conversations about introducing wealth taxes you realise just how far off we are. They have big business controls that we can only dream of, anti short-termism measure in dividend payments, employees on the board to ensure long term prospects for companies etc. controls on shareholders power, much more government intervention in key industries and sectors (energy, water, transport etc.). And even those countries and economies can barely be called left wing.
We are such a long way from even the European model (which is simply a reigned back capitalism) and millions of miles from anything that can be described as socialism or even social democracy such as Scandinavia or Japan. Get your head out of the UK drain and see some big picture here.0 -
Billy_Mix said:Word of warning to anyone considering taking up a British Gas fixed energy tariff
Don't use their calculations of your future energy costs to make your decision
The illustrations are completely made up based on nothing to do with your actual consumption
Tucked away in the tiny tiny print is the fact that their calculations are all based on their "typical" household i.e. one that doesn't exist
Same goes for their 'calculation' of your required direct debit - on ours at the start of a new fixed price period they swapped our actual current position of £300 in credit for a totally false position of £75 in arrears, all to justify increasing the DDr by £15/mth
The fixed rate tariff might be a good choice but you have to do all the sums yourself using your actual consumption, the BG illustrations are meaningless
Paying increased DDrs obviously doesn't mean you get overcharged, just that you might pay earlier than necessary and BG owing us money isn't what we'd choose.
Recent experience also suggests they won't agree to more accurate monthly DDrs until you are £100s in credit
Their prices aren't horrendous but their conduct is shamefulThe estimates from their app / website state:- Your estimated cost is calculated using your estimated annual energy usage and the unit rates for where you live, your daily standing charge and any discounts. If we can’t validate an estimate for your annual energy use, we’ll use industry averages.
I’ve regularly changed to their latest fixed rates at no cost as rates have improved and you get the option to set your own DD sum.0 -
BalladMan said:cantersaddick said:Billy_Mix said:Word of warning to anyone considering taking up a British Gas fixed energy tariff
Don't use their calculations of your future energy costs to make your decision
The illustrations are completely made up based on nothing to do with your actual consumption
Tucked away in the tiny tiny print is the fact that their calculations are all based on their "typical" household i.e. one that doesn't exist
Same goes for their 'calculation' of your required direct debit - on ours at the start of a new fixed price period they swapped our actual current position of £300 in credit for a totally false position of £75 in arrears, all to justify increasing the DDr by £15/mth
The fixed rate tariff might be a good choice but you have to do all the sums yourself using your actual consumption, the BG illustrations are meaningless
Paying increased DDrs obviously doesn't mean you get overcharged, just that you might pay earlier than necessary and BG owing us money isn't what we'd choose.
Recent experience also suggests they won't agree to more accurate monthly DDrs until you are £100s in credit
Their prices aren't horrendous but their conduct is shameful
We are pretty careful with our usage (smart meter is a massive help with that). Energy companies refuse to believe that 2 people living in a 3 bed semi can consume as low as we do. No amount of previous usage will persuade them so they are always trying to up our Direct Debit. I got angry with them in August and told them we were stopping paying until we had worked down our credit. We haven't yet worked through the credit so haven't paid a bill all winter. I'm keeping control of my DD from now on. Don't mind overpaying a bit in summer to even out the seasonality but that was simply taking the piss.
Challenger energy companies are a million miles ahead of the legacy providers (such as BG) in terms of tariffs offered and user friendly apps. The divergence between suppliers in tech is only going to increase as legacy providers are tied up in red tape and tired systems.
I’m on Dec 24 V1 now and the benefit to fixing is looking tight.0 -
With Octopus on a 12m fix and happy with them in all respects. Checked their current fix rates (MiL asked me to have a look at fixes for her) and they've risen considerably above what I took out in August last year.0
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BalladMan said:As has been bought up on here before, Octopus are more flexible in controlling monthly payments. You have total control to set DD in app, pay more in one off payment if needed, request a refund if in credit. I have never had a hard sell from them re: Direct Debit (other than suggested values via an email that offer guidance, but not enforcement)
To be fair, they replied pretty quickly saying that they won't put the payments up and that they'd also look at their communications to make it clearer what customers should do if they don't want to change their payment.0 - Sponsored links:
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Friend Or Defoe said:I'll put money on Lions Led by Donkeys doing a stunt on Labour during this term.1
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Covered End said:BalladMan said:cantersaddick said:Billy_Mix said:Word of warning to anyone considering taking up a British Gas fixed energy tariff
Don't use their calculations of your future energy costs to make your decision
The illustrations are completely made up based on nothing to do with your actual consumption
Tucked away in the tiny tiny print is the fact that their calculations are all based on their "typical" household i.e. one that doesn't exist
Same goes for their 'calculation' of your required direct debit - on ours at the start of a new fixed price period they swapped our actual current position of £300 in credit for a totally false position of £75 in arrears, all to justify increasing the DDr by £15/mth
The fixed rate tariff might be a good choice but you have to do all the sums yourself using your actual consumption, the BG illustrations are meaningless
Paying increased DDrs obviously doesn't mean you get overcharged, just that you might pay earlier than necessary and BG owing us money isn't what we'd choose.
Recent experience also suggests they won't agree to more accurate monthly DDrs until you are £100s in credit
Their prices aren't horrendous but their conduct is shameful
We are pretty careful with our usage (smart meter is a massive help with that). Energy companies refuse to believe that 2 people living in a 3 bed semi can consume as low as we do. No amount of previous usage will persuade them so they are always trying to up our Direct Debit. I got angry with them in August and told them we were stopping paying until we had worked down our credit. We haven't yet worked through the credit so haven't paid a bill all winter. I'm keeping control of my DD from now on. Don't mind overpaying a bit in summer to even out the seasonality but that was simply taking the piss.
Challenger energy companies are a million miles ahead of the legacy providers (such as BG) in terms of tariffs offered and user friendly apps. The divergence between suppliers in tech is only going to increase as legacy providers are tied up in red tape and tired systems.
I’m on Dec 24 V1 now and the benefit to fixing is looking tight.1 -
Thanks.
I'll stop thinking about it then.0 -
Rizzo said:BalladMan said:As has been bought up on here before, Octopus are more flexible in controlling monthly payments. You have total control to set DD in app, pay more in one off payment if needed, request a refund if in credit. I have never had a hard sell from them re: Direct Debit (other than suggested values via an email that offer guidance, but not enforcement)
To be fair, they replied pretty quickly saying that they won't put the payments up and that they'd also look at their communications to make it clearer what customers should do if they don't want to change their payment.I have also saved 100s on the tracker over the last 2 years.2 -
BalladMan said:Rizzo said:BalladMan said:As has been bought up on here before, Octopus are more flexible in controlling monthly payments. You have total control to set DD in app, pay more in one off payment if needed, request a refund if in credit. I have never had a hard sell from them re: Direct Debit (other than suggested values via an email that offer guidance, but not enforcement)
To be fair, they replied pretty quickly saying that they won't put the payments up and that they'd also look at their communications to make it clearer what customers should do if they don't want to change their payment.I have also saved 100s on the tracker over the last 2 years.0 -
Energy bills will fall by 7% in July - the first drop for a year, energy regulator Ofgem has announced.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7zdzz83y0o1 -
Gas and electricity prices will rise by 2% for millions of households under the latest cap announced by energy regulator Ofgem.
The increase, which is slightly more than analysts expected, means a household using a typical amount of energy will pay £1,755 a year, up £35 a year on the current cap.
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Another increase, and the claim on tv news was because of the WHD?Hang on a minute most of us pensioners will not get this till after Christmas if past payments are any guide. And iit is a bit rich that this is what we originally had!
The current government made a decision to do this, yes the economy is in a mess, but to claw back money again before we even get it , seems a bit rich! Seems to me we are paying a premium for the race to get green, and although this is desirable , this race to reach this needs to be looked at, same with heat pumps and electric cars for me , is not realistic on my income.
I never thought 15 years ago , that the Labour Party would behave like this?0 -
ken from bexley said:Another increase, and the claim on tv news was because of the WHD?Hang on a minute most of us pensioners will not get this till after Christmas if past payments are any guide. And iit is a bit rich that this is what we originally had!
The current government made a decision to do this, yes the economy is in a mess, but to claw back money again before we even get it , seems a bit rich! Seems to me we are paying a premium for the race to get green, and although this is desirable , this race to reach this needs to be looked at, same with heat pumps and electric cars for me , is not realistic on my income.
I never thought 15 years ago , that the Labour Party would behave like this?
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/warm-home-discount/
Our bills are linked to the most expensive form of energy and that is gas,which is linked to international markets. The sooner we improve the grid and move towards renewable energy , the cheaper our bills will become.7 -
The cost of wholesale gas and electricity on the octopus tracker in the last 3 months is the followingGas: 5.24p
electricity: 20.21p
If the cost of the energy cap is meant to reflect the wholesale price, what is every single KWH of power to be consumed in the price cap +5p higher (26.35 pence per kWh).Energy in the UK is a cartel with OFGEM as the don controlling the manor.3 - Sponsored links:
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BalladMan said:The cost of wholesale gas and electricity on the octopus tracker in the last 3 months is the followingGas: 5.24p
electricity: 20.21p
If the cost of the energy cap is meant to reflect the wholesale price, what is every single KWH of power to be consumed in the price cap +5p higher (26.35 pence per kWh).Energy in the UK is a cartel with OFGEM as the don controlling the manor.We have privatised it so there must be a slice for the utility companies.Even if it were still nationalised there would be a difference.0 -
I've had a couple of times in the past few weeks where I've been being paid 4p a unit of electricity on Octopus agile.
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valleynick66 said:BalladMan said:The cost of wholesale gas and electricity on the octopus tracker in the last 3 months is the followingGas: 5.24p
electricity: 20.21p
If the cost of the energy cap is meant to reflect the wholesale price, what is every single KWH of power to be consumed in the price cap +5p higher (26.35 pence per kWh).Energy in the UK is a cartel with OFGEM as the don controlling the manor.We have privatised it so there must be a slice for the utility companies.Even if it were still nationalised there would be a difference.It’s is therefore not the wholesale price the energy companies pay. The 5p addition on top for MOST of the country not on a wholesale tracker, is to pay for these ‘benefits’ and much more on top.I just find it shocking more are not up in arms about it.0 -
BalladMan said:valleynick66 said:BalladMan said:The cost of wholesale gas and electricity on the octopus tracker in the last 3 months is the followingGas: 5.24p
electricity: 20.21p
If the cost of the energy cap is meant to reflect the wholesale price, what is every single KWH of power to be consumed in the price cap +5p higher (26.35 pence per kWh).Energy in the UK is a cartel with OFGEM as the don controlling the manor.We have privatised it so there must be a slice for the utility companies.Even if it were still nationalised there would be a difference.It’s is therefore not the wholesale price the energy companies pay. The 5p addition on top for MOST of the country not on a wholesale tracker, is to pay for these ‘benefits’ and much more on top.I just find it shocking more are not up in arms about it.I’m not sure what new aspect we should be up
in arms about beyond the already known profits the utility companies make. Is your point their margin is growing (and their overall financial performance) and the cap needs to be closer to that to stop greater profit margins than were seen pre Ukraine times?So how do Octopus make any money?
They must make a margin themselves. To some extent they might subsidise from the other tariffs they offer I imagine. So I guess even their tracker must give some margin to
themselves.To be fair the advice today from the regulator was to look at fixed tariffs. A fixed tariff is a choice which may or may not be better than the tracker and is where utility companies can both lose and profit.I imagine the chancellor sees increased tax revenue from the utility companies with the current set up. I doubt the country can afford to drive the real cost to consumers down too far currently without tax rising else where.We are buggered as end users ☹️0 -
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If I had my time over I’d be out of this country quicker than shit off a shovel.6
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valleynick66 said:BalladMan said:valleynick66 said:BalladMan said:The cost of wholesale gas and electricity on the octopus tracker in the last 3 months is the followingGas: 5.24p
electricity: 20.21p
If the cost of the energy cap is meant to reflect the wholesale price, what is every single KWH of power to be consumed in the price cap +5p higher (26.35 pence per kWh).Energy in the UK is a cartel with OFGEM as the don controlling the manor.We have privatised it so there must be a slice for the utility companies.Even if it were still nationalised there would be a difference.It’s is therefore not the wholesale price the energy companies pay. The 5p addition on top for MOST of the country not on a wholesale tracker, is to pay for these ‘benefits’ and much more on top.I just find it shocking more are not up in arms about it.I’m not sure what new aspect we should be up
in arms about beyond the already known profits the utility companies make. Is your point their margin is growing (and their overall financial performance) and the cap needs to be closer to that to stop greater profit margins than were seen pre Ukraine times?So how do Octopus make any money?
They must make a margin themselves. To some extent they might subsidise from the other tariffs they offer I imagine. So I guess even their tracker must give some margin to
themselves.To be fair the advice today from the regulator was to look at fixed tariffs. A fixed tariff is a choice which may or may not be better than the tracker and is where utility companies can both lose and profit.I imagine the chancellor sees increased tax revenue from the utility companies with the current set up. I doubt the country can afford to drive the real cost to consumers down too far currently without tax rising else where.We are buggered as end users ☹️My main point is that the differential between wholesale price and price cap is increasing, this is the largest gap I have seen since I have been on a wholesale tracker.It’s so unclear how much additional every home is paying to subsidise the ‘benefits’ introduced this winter, but it is significant (quick maths suggest £10s of per home).0 -
ME14addick said:ken from bexley said:Another increase, and the claim on tv news was because of the WHD?Hang on a minute most of us pensioners will not get this till after Christmas if past payments are any guide. And iit is a bit rich that this is what we originally had!
The current government made a decision to do this, yes the economy is in a mess, but to claw back money again before we even get it , seems a bit rich! Seems to me we are paying a premium for the race to get green, and although this is desirable , this race to reach this needs to be looked at, same with heat pumps and electric cars for me , is not realistic on my income.
I never thought 15 years ago , that the Labour Party would behave like this?
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/warm-home-discount/
Our bills are linked to the most expensive form of energy and that is gas,which is linked to international markets. The sooner we improve the grid and move towards renewable energy , the cheaper our bills will become.
The council also have reduced the qualification level based on savings to a very low level, I live in a victorian end of terrace, but I have a 'warm house' ? it is based on a complicated formula, and even my MP could not obtain it on our behalf. (there is a different criteria for each council)
If you think that energy prices are going down in any meaningful way in the next couple of years, by which time I will be in my late 70's, I do not think will cut in till a few years later. I do not have cavity walls, and a plastic poly carbon roof on my small conservatory, which I cannot get a grant for. So the heat conservation is the way to go, but no grants available. Yes, I have had the 'Green advisors down here'. got some pipe lagging, and reflective material for the back of the rads., not forgetting the draught proofing, 2 whole roles, ( I bought extra). So the 'rhetoric' by politicians in reality produces very little in my experience.
Of course the average bill, is another bit of nonsense, as it depends on several issues, and as an elderly person, with mobility issues my heating is above average. My EPC is 'C'. Like a lot of pensioners I fear the cold weather.
Just telling you as it is for myself, (both on full state pension's as we both worked).
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Octopus markup on the tracker is about 12p for electric and 2p for gas per kwh if I remember correctly.0