Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

Ace_gas_guzzler wrote: »

Does anyone know whether it's possible to get hold of a gauge that reads in litres that can be installed in the feed pipe going from the tank to the house? I'm trying to get an idea of how many litres per day our central heating uses with various combinations of radiators turned on and different programme settings on the timer. I gather our Aga uses 60 litres per week approximately but can't find out what to expect from our central heating boiler. Many thanks for any clues on this one! The boiler is a Ferroli Sigma 60-100.

thozza wrote: »

I looked around for a means of measuring gas usage, but short of installing a gas meter, with all the associated expense, drew a blank.

My method is a bit crude, I note our tank meter readings on a twice weekly basis, and knowing the capacity of the tank, I can approximately arrive at gas usage. We also have an AGA, and this runs all year, water and heating is also on LPG. Our usage varies between 6L per day in summer to 25L per day in winter.

Apparently your boiler has an efficiency rating of 78.3%, whereas a modern condensing boiler can be 92.0% efficient, with the cost of LPG at roughly £0.50 per litre, that 18% difference in efficiency would probably give a pay back on a new boiler in quite a short period (less than 2 years at 4000L usage per year).

Handyman1 wrote: »

dougal123 wrote: »

Here is the section of Flogas Terms and conditions (on Flogas website) that may allow them to increase price beyond the quoted Fixed and Cap prices.


Contract usually has fixed price for one year and then a cap on increases by several pence every 6 months. if there are any Lawyers out there that can explain the terms and conditions and say what they are legally allowed to do it would be much appreciated. It looks as if you can withdraw from contract if they increase beyond limits but!! there are undoubtedly clauses that will make this uneconomic.


5.7 Where the cost of supplying the LPG increases due to:
5.7.1 any underlying increase in the cost of LPG as evidenced by reference to the relevant Platts LPG price index for North West Europe (taking into account any relevant exchange rate issues);
5.7.2 any increase in our direct transportation costs; and/or
5.7.3 any increase (not related to clause 5.7.1)in the cost to us of purchasing LPG from our suppliers,
we retain the right to pass on such increases to you by increasing the price of our LPG.
We may increase (in a single step or a series of steps) the price of LPG for the reasons listed at clauses 5.7.2 and 5.7.3 by no more than five pence per litre in any twelve month period. Please note that no such limit shall apply to any increase which reflects an increase in the underlying cost of LPG (as set out at clause 5.7.1). For the avoidance of doubt, the maximum increase in the price of LPG (the "Upper Annual Limit") in a given period is:
(a) the cost increase over the corresponding period due to clause 5.7.1; plus
(b) the cost increase over the corresponding period due to clauses 5.7.2 and/or 5.7.3 together,
where (a) is an unlimited increase and (b) shall be limited to a maximum of five pence per litre in any 12 month period.
5.8 We will notify you in writing regarding any proposed increase. If our prices are increasing due to an increase in the underlying indexed price of LPG as set out in clause 5.7.1 then we will provide you with details of the relevant Platts index pricing in effect as at the date of the notice and as at the date of our last price increase.
5.9 If we have sought to increase the price of LPG supplied to you at a rate higher than the Upper Annual Limit then you may, within two weeks of receiving notice of the price increase, terminate the Agreement by giving us not less than forty two days' notice in writing (during which time the original pricing shall apply).
5.10 If you fail to pay us on the due date we may charge you interest (both before and after judgement) on the amount unpaid at 4% above the base rate from time to time of the Bank of England per annum and also recover from you any reasonable administrative and legal costs incurred by us in recovering overdue amounts from you.
5.11 We acknowledge that you have a right to withhold monies to us where you have a genuine dispute against us in relation to the LPG and/or Services and we will not charge interest in respect of overdue payments in genuine dispute.

It disturbs me to know such a contract exists. Every day I have customers telling me we are overcharging because they can get a 38p fixed price and I try to convince them to read the small print.

Translated the contract above means that if they sign you up in the summer months when LPG is normally cheaper (and when most swap suppliers) they can add the full cost of the wholesale increase in LPG when winter comes, this could be up to 12p per Ltr + 5p per ltr for increased costs!!!!! Next year they can increase by another 5p plus if wholesale has increased add that on as well.

The 38p has now become 60-65p and they have not broken a single term of the contract. Unfortunatley a lot of people still like "headline" prices