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

[Deleted member 18477]

I'm with british gas... maybe i wont be after this weekend...

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

As much as I oppose these companies being in private hands, I think the profit margins for the energy companies are less than folk think. It seems this country, despite being surrounded by sea and ample wind, has still not grasped how important it is to be self reliant and have a sustainable energy policy for generations to come.

 

[hybrid_x]

As much as I oppose these companies being in private hands, I think the profit margins for the energy companies are less than folk think. It seems this country, despite being surrounded by sea and ample wind, has still not grasped how important it is to be self reliant and have a sustainable energy policy for generations to come.

how can "a country grasp" something? a country is just land and a flag....it really cannot think or grasp anything.

oh, and the energy corps really do make mega profits....see their quarterly figures.

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

how can "a country grasp" something? a country is just land and a flag....it really cannot think or grasp anything.

oh, and the energy corps really do make mega profits....see their quarterly figures.

Perhaps I should say 'successive governments'.

The energy companies make large profits, but much of that is re-invested and not given to shareholders. I think the Beeb once suggested that the margins are as little as 3%.

My point, though, is that we are reliant on other countries, and with emerging economies increasing their demand, we must be looking for sustainable sources for future generations.

 

[attila]

Renationalisation without compensation. Tell Sid: TOUGH SHIT.

 

[gazingdown]

Well as they are mostly overseas, it won't be me.

The majority of shareholders, especially in large companies, are pension funds. Many funds are spread over many industries (all over the globe) and energy/utility companies feature highly.

If you have a pension, chances are a utility/energy company will feature in their portfolio.

 

[raba]

I worked in a British Gas office for five years and I can honestly say the customer service agents work extremely hard in spite of working for an employer who make it an uncomfortable place to work.

 

[cunning fergus]

I agree, renationalise. Unfortunately though that horse has bolted and is unlikely to return unless EU competition rules are changed. All the politicians know this; Ed Miliband didn't even mention the "n" word when he was regaling the energy companies, and threatening to fix prices. For a market out of control, nationalisation is the only solution, or at least start threatening to do it..........but he knows the realpolitik.

But then he knows the public are already paying approx. 20% on their bills to provide green subsidies and this is due to rise to 33% in the near future! Guess who was the cabinet minister at the time that signed that policy off?

Worse is the power of the companies themselves, they are like pigs in shit...........

http://www.eurelectric.org/media/79...pean_council_of_22_may-2013-030-0390-01-e.pdf

I suspect a letter from this organisation will carry more weight on future policy direction at EU level than a letter of complaint to your MEP.

Plus ca change.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Don't they make £20 a second profit?

 

[jakarta]

I agree, renationalise. Unfortunately though that horse has bolted and is unlikely to return unless EU competition rules are changed. All the politicians know this; Ed Miliband didn't even mention the "n" word when he was regaling the energy companies, and threatening to fix prices. For a market out of control, nationalisation is the only solution, or at least start threatening to do it..........but he knows the realpolitik.

But then he knows the public are already paying approx. 20% on their bills to provide green subsidies and this is due to rise to 33% in the near future! Guess who was the cabinet minister at the time that signed that policy off?

Worse is the power of the companies themselves, they are like pigs in shit...........

http://www.eurelectric.org/media/79...pean_council_of_22_may-2013-030-0390-01-e.pdf

I suspect a letter from this organisation will carry more weight on future policy direction at EU level than a letter of complaint to your MEP.

Plus ca change.

Another weapon in Farage's armoury then?

 

[SK1NT]

Done, thanks.

I'm with BG how do you get fixed?

Thanks

 

[brightn'ove]

No offense intended, but if you'd let them know your details and meter reads when you moved in, you wouldn't have had such a large bill. I'm assuming it was addressed to The Occupier, or to the previous tenants?

Estimated bills aren't money grabbing, they're based on prior household usage and weather trends. The reason they get sent is largely to encourage people to call in and provide their contact details, so we can properly bill the account to accurate reads.

If estimated bills weren't sent, people would just forget about their bills altogether (or purposely ignore having to call up / go online and sign up) and then end up with a massive bill to pay every year or so.

Views are my own.

I did sort it, but my point is that they send the bills purposely to known student addresses in the hope that the occupier will be scared into paying the bill straight away. It's shameful tactics, our landlord says every single one of their student tenants (they own many properties in York) gets the same letter through every year, whereas her regular tenants don't. It's nothing different from a scam company sending me an email or phoning me telling me that i owe them hundred of pounds, its an entirely false claim to debt... it should be illegal.

 

[unklbrian]

After years of puttin up with British Gas , 2 things have driven me over the edge

The CEO of BG giving himself a £2million pound bonus
10 Downing St informing us that we should wear extra jumpers to keep warm

Soooo - I've spent an hour online and changed to these folks

https://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/home/index

I have no connection with the company or any agents , but checked online and they offer the lowest standard rate tariff

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Switched to a fixed rate with Eon on Monday before the price rises. Cheaper than my existing tariff too.

 

[nicko31]

The countries biggest renewable provider isn't putting their price up at all, infact they dropped them on October 1. Renewables are the only future for our kids, complete no brainer..

 

[Shy Talk]

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.

Thats it, in a nutshell! Top post!