Metered Estate newbuild queryh

Moneysaver2018_2 · 5 February 2018 at 8:31PM

Hi everyone!

We are seriously considering a newbuild property. Unfortunately it is on metered flogas. I have established that they are currently paying 35ppl. I am also very aware that this will probably steeply rise having done some research, I have asked to have an air source heat pump installed (I will pay) but they are not going to. I have several queries. Some related to lpg some to newbuild.
A) we currently use 12500 in a 3 bed semi (husband and I), 15 years old not very well insulated and doesn't hold heat well am I right to estimate 18000 kW for a five bed detached? I'd rather over estimate.

How much has your prices fluctuated per litre? I've done the sums for up to 70ppl and although it's exceptionally high we can do it.

C) Can I expect good insulation in a new build?

D) has anyone installed a heat source pump in a new build after the build? It hasn't been built yet but they won't do it.

E) any specific experience with flogas? What should I typically expect to pay? I'm worried that they could rocket over 70ppl.

Standing charge is 13p a day.

We love the house so much it's a case of weighing up whether we can justify the price increase!

Moneysaver2018_2 · 5 February 2018 at 9:12PM

I hope someone can help

thozza · 5 February 2018 at 10:00PM

There is a sticky thread 'Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?' at the top of this forum page which has a huge amount of information about LPG pricing, amongst the posts are several about metered estates, you can use the advanced search to find them. On a metered estate you will need to have some sort of owners forum to negotiate with suppliers, but there is guidance on this in some of the posts.

With a new build home you will be getting an EPC which should give you a fairly reasonable idea of the space heating requirements which will be quoted as a guideline figure given under the last section 'your homes heat demand'. New build homes have a high level of insulation as they need to comply with current Building Regulations which are quite onerous.

The price of LPG is linked to the price of oil (not directly, but it does tend to move with oil prices), and therefore it is difficult to predict what it will be in future. Over the last 7 years for us, it has been as high as £0.50ppl and as low as £0.25ppl, but it will vary by individual supplier. Your current price quoted of £0.35ppl is reasonable, and if you can form an owners consortium, you will be in a strong position to negotiate decent pricing every 2 years.

In the end, it will come down to personal choice, LPG is very controllable, clean and straightforward if you are used to mains gas, and it runs standard radiators without problem. If the house had been built with and ASHP, then the design of the heating system would be different to the conventional radiator system which I imagine the developer will be installing, it is not probably not going to be straightforward to switch between gas and ASHP without investment.

Moneysaver2018_2 · 5 February 2018 at 10:06PM

Hello Thozza! Thanks so much for your reply - so perhaps budgeting for up to 68ppl is covering most eventualities. I assumed that it would be rare for it to drop once it increases, going by the threads it seems that they tend to rise after the initial 6months period. I have been quoted to install an ASHP today and it's higher than the general price shown as the house itself Will of course be set up for lpg. I am really unsure about the uncertainty but love the house and think it will sway me. No epc yet - house isn't built, will start once I exchange, if I do, not sure how I can get hold of epc. Are you on a metered estate?

Thanks again

turns out I'm not very decisive when a lovely property with lpg appears!

thozza · 5 February 2018 at 10:34PM

We're not on a metered estate but I have a colleague who is. Their price has fallen and risen over the last three years since the house was built, but they are also in a residents association who negotiate for all the properties, so do have a reasonable negotiating position as they buy a lot of LPG collectively.

Regards the EPC, the developer should be able to give you a view of the likely banding and even the space heating demand, maybe from a similar property.

Moneysaver2018_2 · 5 February 2018 at 11:21PM

That's a really good point. I thought we were doomed just because it's on an estate - didn't realise that it could be a positive thing in terms of negotiation. Can you recall whether he has paid well above other consumers on lpg who pay for their own gas for their own tank?

Thanks so much for your replies

J_B · 6 February 2018 at 4:44PM

I think that basically ...

Each home-owner has a separate contract with the supplier, and as they all move into their houses at the same time, all the contracts have a different end date.
Thus, when your contract ends, you can't threaten to take your business elsewhere as some others are still tied to the original supplier.

Good luck!

Ectophile · 6 February 2018 at 9:12PM

thozza wrote: »

With a new build home you will be getting an EPC which should give you a fairly reasonable idea of the space heating requirements which will be quoted as a guideline figure given under the last section 'your homes heat demand'. New build homes have a high level of insulation as they need to comply with current Building Regulations which are quite onerous.

That's the theory. But only if you but the one house on the estate that was actually tested against the building regs. The rest of them will have been thrown together as quickly as possible. The builder will claim the rest are all the same and don't need testing.

Metered Estate newbuild queryh

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free