Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

we have done pretty well out of sticking to variable with a 2000 litre tank. we used less than 30% (600 litres) for hotwaterband ch Over the winter period. played the market pretty well, I reckon with falling prices we have price per kwh less than comparable oil contracts. Plus, gas hob!

sk240 wrote: »

Flogas members, please see http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=53184481

Hi sk240,
I see you were trying to set up a Flogas users' group on Facebook. There's already a group called Flogas Sufferers (here) - though it doesn't have too many members. And maybe is not what you want!

AND Flogas itself is on FB - so you can 'like' them! Or post a comment. See here.

People might also like to see a write-up about the people on a North Devon estate who got Dominic Littlewood off the telly ("Don't Get Done, Get Dom") - referred to on the forum a few times - to help get their very different Flogas prices down. See http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/BBC-s-Dom-helps-Winkleigh-campaigners/story-12153047-detail/story.html

Briefly, according to the write-up from January 2010, different users, on the same metered estate, were paying from 35-47 ppl, with surcharges from 2-8.9 ppl, and standing charges from 12-18p. The programme was repeated earlier this year.

(Re-posting to the sticky Bulk LPG thread)
Hi everyone

When we moved into our house in Feb 2010, we became LPG users for the first time. In all innocence I signed up to the 2-year contract Calor offered. 2 years and a new, £6,000 central heating system later, we are mercifully out of contract. I have been shocked by how expensive LPG is, and particularly how Calor seem to have carte blanche to raise fuel prices, while contractually tying you into onerous penalty fees that make it financially non-viable to break your contract early. At one point I contacted Countrywide following a visit to this forum, and was told that yes, they could offer a price about 15p cheaper than Calor, but I would have to wait until I was out of contract.

When that day came (Feb 2012), I contacted Countrywide to complete the switch. However, we now received more bad news - apparently our tanks contravene buildings regs [Approved Document J [5:13]], and so no other supplier will take us on until the issues with the tanks are rectified. When I contacted Calor, they offered to sort out the tanks for £100, but I would have to sign up to a further 2 year contract. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do next? I've written to Calor pointing out that the tank maintenance was their responsibility, and that therefore I should not be required to sign a new contract or pay anything to get the maintenance done - but so far have had no reply. I also took it up with the surveyor (we got a full house-buyers survey - no mention made of tanks contravening building regs) - so far they are giving me the brush-off, but I will keep pushing here also. I am continuing to pursue Calor for a response, but it feels like I need an Ombudsman or other regulatory body behind me before they will take any notice. Can I sue them for non-maintenance of the tanks??

Any and all help much appreciated.

You don,t say what is the matter with the tank, but I would say £100 to fix is not the true cost to them, maintenance charges are only for the tank they are not for any siting issues, but obviously they are asking you to sign a contract to claw back the money spent on the re-site.

They have to continue supplying you to in or out of a contract, why not ask another company, although they can not take it on its current location it sounds like it is fixable so maybe they would move it free of charge (civils done to yourself) to gain your business, the saving you achieve will probably cover your civil costs in the first year, this will make you free to move anywhere in 2 years time.

Maybe a switching document from another may influence their decision? they probably do not want to loose your custom

fleurh wrote: »

(Re-posting to the sticky Bulk LPG thread)
Hi everyone

When we moved into our house in Feb 2010, we became LPG users for the first time. In all innocence I signed up to the 2-year contract Calor offered. 2 years and a new, £6,000 central heating system later, we are mercifully out of contract. I have been shocked by how expensive LPG is, and particularly how Calor seem to have carte blanche to raise fuel prices, while contractually tying you into onerous penalty fees that make it financially non-viable to break your contract early. At one point I contacted Countrywide following a visit to this forum, and was told that yes, they could offer a price about 15p cheaper than Calor, but I would have to wait until I was out of contract.

When that day came (Feb 2012), I contacted Countrywide to complete the switch. However, we now received more bad news - apparently our tanks contravene buildings regs [Approved Document J [5:13]], and so no other supplier will take us on until the issues with the tanks are rectified. When I contacted Calor, they offered to sort out the tanks for £100, but I would have to sign up to a further 2 year contract. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do next? I've written to Calor pointing out that the tank maintenance was their responsibility, and that therefore I should not be required to sign a new contract or pay anything to get the maintenance done - but so far have had no reply. I also took it up with the surveyor (we got a full house-buyers survey - no mention made of tanks contravening building regs) - so far they are giving me the brush-off, but I will keep pushing here also. I am continuing to pursue Calor for a response, but it feels like I need an Ombudsman or other regulatory body behind me before they will take any notice. Can I sue them for non-maintenance of the tanks??

Any and all help much appreciated.

Hi

Of your problems the first one they should fix, as this is a safety issue and if there was an emergency at your property and they we unable to turn of the gas this would be a problem.

Point 2 metal pipework the HSSE have brought in a ruling that all metal pipework must be changed, this is why Countrywide wont take it on but if you are moving the tank then this can be done at the same time, pipework is easy to fix.

The main problem is too near the boundary, the regulations state that it must be 3m from the boundary, although this can be reduced by a fire wall one meter from the vessel , but if you do this the fence and hedges must be removed, or maybe you can extend the base and move it away from the boundary, there are options but will need some civil works which I am afraid is at your cost.

There are options of screening, or maybe when you move it go to an underground tank, but this would not be free as most companies charge for an underground tank

I would explore other suppliers as it does not cost you anything for them to come out

fleurh wrote: »

Hi crazyz

The issues raised by Countrywide when they surveyed our tanks were:
1) safety cut-off valves corroded, no longer working
2) service pipe metal, building regs require plastic
3) position of tanks too close to property boundary, wooden fence, and over-hanging leylandii hedges

As Countrywide are unwilling to discuss taking our account over until the tank issues have been fixed, I assumed that other suppliers would react the same way, however perhaps it would be worth contracting a few to see if they're willing to do a deal including replacing the tanks.

Following other advice on this thread, i've emailed Sharon at the OFT so she has a record. Citizens Advice recommend sending a breach of trust letter to Calor, as the contact stated their duty was to maintain the tanks without requiring us to sign a contact extension to guarantee that maintenance.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone else took the breach of trust route, did you have any success?

Cheers
Fleurh