Sneaky Energy Companies

[Dave225]

I of course knew it was too good to be true.

 

I am sure others have read in the Press over the last few months where the Energy Companies have been bragging about how they have reduced the prices of gas or electricity or both, just because they are kind generous people who wish to make our lives happier. Of course what they did not mention was that they had followed the Gordon Brown book of economics where you give a little with one hand and then hide a charge with the other.

 

My own supplier has shouted that their gas prices would be reduced in March and so I checked their web page today to see what I am going to save. Yes the unit price of gas has gone down and they have also removed the 2 stage charge where the first 225 kwh in a quarter were charged at a higher rate. But surprise, surprise. They have now introduced a daily standing charge which had been dropped several years ago. So, even if you never switch on either gas or electric you will pay a daily charge. In my case as I have dual fuel it amounts to £190 per annum as although no changes in electricity prices were announced, they have been changed as well to include a daily charge. As we go on fairly long holidays it has always been a slight comfort to know that during that time we were not paying gas or electric. Not any more. £15.85 per month will be charged regardless. I do ask myself what the £190 per annum is to cover. My meters are between 5 and 20 years old so I suspect the cost of them has long been paid. Admin fees perhaps. Well it is all done by computer and I submit the readings except for once per year and a machine issues the bill to me by e mail. Maybe an expensive computer system.

 

Anyway, the bottom line is I checked my new charges against last years useage and the bill comes out to within £10 of last years figures, so not a lot of savings.

 

Some may advise moving to another supplier, so i did a comparison check with one of the sites Surprise surprise again. All the offers were within £50 of mine and they all again had standing daily costs included plus various ‘discounts’ that may last 3 months or longer or at the Company’s choice. Have they been talking to each other i wonder. Going for a capped rate meant an increase of 10% which may or may not be a good bet.

 

Of course come October and the unit costs will have to rise due to ‘wholesale price increases’ , justified by the fact that I have ‘benefitted from low unit costs’ and by this time next year I will be paying about 10% more anyway.

 

As they say, what comes around disappears.

 

[Guest Tracker]

I go to the U Save website every few months and as I know my energy consumption it is simples to compare and check and on the odd occasion that I have found that I am not on the best deal available I make a phone call to NPower and over the last ten years they have always come up with a matching or near matching deal which is why they still have my business.

 

It is unusual these days for loyalty to be rewarded so I guess they would do the same for anyone who asks?

[Paul-]

I'm with npower too, so I went to uswitch & put in my units & the charge but didn't mention my supplier.

 

guess what! if I switch to npower I can save ££££££££££££££££££££££s *-)

 

Paul