OMG - British Gas increases of 10.4% and 8.4% - WHAT PLANET ARE THEY ON !!!!!

[Westdene Seagull]

Just announced. All the big six deny being in a cartel yet they all put their prices up by similar amounts, at similar times and always just before winter !!!!!

There really is not word in the English language to describe them.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Just announced. All the big six deny being in a cartel yet they all put their prices up by similar amounts, at similar times and always just before winter !!!!!

There really is not word in the English language to describe them.

Yes there is ..... cockwombles.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Yes there is ..... cockwombles.

I thought of that but didn't think it was strong enough !

 

[cardboard]

Get fixed in before its too late

 

[Superphil]

Do you think the future and to freeze prices, as announced by the opposition party recently has anything to do with this?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Do you think the future and to freeze prices, as announced by the opposition party recently has anything to do with this?

No , its happens on a regular basis just before Winter sets in , if the profits aren't high enough then you get another increase in the Spring.

 

[dougdeep]

Won't somebody think of the shareholders?

 

[Yoda]

Won't somebody think of the shareholders?

But that's all they EVER think of.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Do you think the future and to freeze prices, as announced by the opposition party recently has anything to do with this?

No , its happens on a regular basis just before Winter sets in , if the profits aren't high enough then you get another increase in the Spring.

Indeed. Here's a story from October 2012 about increasing energy prices. Look who was at it this time last year too way before the Labour announcement.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19927350

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Do you think the future and to freeze prices, as announced by the opposition party recently has anything to do with this?

I doubt it. Regardless, it was a nice party conference announcement, but I can't see they'll be able to implement a freeze anyway.

 

[bluenitsuj]

Just announced. All the big six deny being in a cartel yet they all put their prices up by similar amounts, at similar times and always just before winter !!!!!

There really is not word in the English language to describe them.

There are plenty of words to descibe them, unfortunately they are all banned on here.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Well someone has to pay for those call centre staff whose job is to ring every household in the UK and ask them to come back to British Gas.

So glad I wasn't tempted - I stuck with Scottish Power fixed for 12 months tariff, what about the rest of you?

 

[Da Man Clay]

Get fixed in before its too late

Did exactly that yesterday as knew this sort of thing was coming.

 

[cardboard]

I'm fixed until Jan or Feb 2015 - and got a free hotel stay as part of the deal muchos happyness

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

And the Government Minister for Energy says it's regrettable! But they'll do nothing about it except give M.Ps a pay rise! We're all in it together!

 

[soistes]

I'm all for markets where there's a genuine basis for competition among producers/suppliers and for choice on the part of consumers, but in the case of most utilities and energy suppliers this is not the case. They are, for the most part, natural monopolies -- what's the basis of competition? it is after all the same gas coming through the same pipes regardless of who you buy it from, and it's the same electricity, generated at the same power stations, regardless of who you buy it from. So-called competition in this market just ends up with multiple organisations diverting resources into attracting customers from each other (resources that could be invested in R&D, new energy sources, and better distribution networks), and siphoning off surpluses to pay dividends to shareholders (surpluses that could be in invested in ... etc, etc), and government resources devoted to regulating the dysfunctional companies (resources that could be invested in... etc etc). There is no obvious way in which the introduction of competition in this market has benefited either consumers or the longer-term development of alternative approaches to energy that could help combat climate change.
Call me old-fashioned, but I'd renationalise the lot of them.

 

[reigate]

Get fixed in before its too late

I switched to BG last year as they were offering £200 cashback (and were cheaper than my then supplier SSE). Frustratingly I don't get the 2nd half of the £200 until next month, by which time it will be too late to switch and get a good fix.

Does anyone know how long it takes a new supplier to notity a current supplier that they are taking over the supply? If it takes a few weeks, I could switch now, and still get the £100 before the BG know i'm leaving?

 

[ElectricNaz]

Does anyone know how long it takes a new supplier to notity a current supplier that they are taking over the supply? If it takes a few weeks, I could switch now, and still get the £100 before the BG know i'm leaving?

I work for BG. I know it takes between 14 and 21 days to notify your current supplier. This is due to distance selling regualtions - Energy Companies's have to offer a two week cool-off period, during which point they aren't allowed to contact your exisiting supplier in case you change your mind and cancel in cool-off.

In our defence, we're offsetting the price for all pensioners and those with disabilities and vulnerabilities by giving them a addional £60 credit over the winter to cover the winter price increase, which is on top of the exisiting Winter Fuel Allowance. Don't think SSE did that.

It's true we have to think of the shareholders, because without them, there would be no investment in energy supply. Without dividends, there's no fresh investment. And also, without dividends being paid out, a lot of peoples pension schemes would be down the pan. If the government still owned the utilities, it would be roughly the same situation. They wouldn't exactly want to run at a loss.

And personally, I don't think this has anything to do with the Fuel price-freeze thingy. All thoughts are my own, as well.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Does anyone know how long it takes a new supplier to notity a current supplier that they are taking over the supply? If it takes a few weeks, I could switch now, and still get the £100 before the BG know i'm leaving?

As soon as your cooling off period with a new supplier expires they'll notify the old one that they're going to take the supply, so somewhere between 10-14 days after you've signed a contract usually.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Just announced. All the big six deny being in a cartel yet they all put their prices up by similar amounts, at similar times and always just before winter !!!!!

There really is not word in the English language to describe them.

It's a f**n disgrace.