Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

Mister_G

mfmaybe wrote: »

Well the sad update in our saga is that the man from the alternate supplier came along - and said he can't supply us, as our tank is under a tree . It's an underground tank so I'm a little surprised it matters. I don't think he was trying to make a fast buck as he didn't talk about offering to move it. He just said the only other suppliers in our area were Calor and Shell, so it might be worth trying them to see if they will bend the rules more.

He then asked what I was being quoted and when I told him, said I was far and away the most expensive he'd heard of. He told me (as I've read on the thread here) that Flogas are causing big problems for his business by offering a current introductory rate of 42.5p. So he suggested shouting long and hard at Flogas, threatening complaints to LPGA, mentioning OFT/Competition Commission, and at least seeing if we can get a fill at a cheaper rate.

I'm not sure I even want to bother though :mad:. We are now looking into replacing our boiler with an oil filled one (we are about to replace the boiler anyway) as at least that would give us the flexibility to change suppliers. However theft makes me nervous as there was a lot of it about last winter.

This is all a bit unfortunate - as our gas ran out last night . Our entire fault for letting it run so low; but until I found this thread i thought the best we could save by shopping around would be a few pence a litre. So now we have no heating, hot water, or cooking gas; so may yet have to succumb to Flogas' astronomical rates for another fill :mad:

Hi mfmaybe

You may like to look at my earlier post #939. This relates to Calor, but was regarding an 'illegally sited tank'. I managed to get Calor to do something about it, but then I left them because they broke the contract.

Not sure if Flogas would be so 'amenable'.

LittleVermin

Mister_G wrote: »

...You may like to look at my earlier post #939. ...

Link to Mister G's post #939: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=43397982&postcount=939

Also link to the local supplier - HBS in Chilbolton - he mentions: http://www.hbsfuels.com/Where_HBS_Fuels.html

Mister G: you posted in May when you were paying 46ppl - are you still paying 46?

mfmaybe

Thanks everyone. I've had a busy day at work so no chance to get on here.

Will have a look at the other links etc later as I am hoping to leave the office soon! However WRT renewables etc, we would love to, but....

Our house is old and not brilliantly insulated. We've therefore been advised that ground/air source heat pumps are not for us. We looked into solar but again advised we have too many trees to make it financially viable. Also we are hoping to move in a year or two, so the investment isn't really worth it. The same could be said for the oil option of course, so we haven't decided either way as yet! We've talked about it at length with various suppliers at homebuilding shows; as well as with our heating guy who specialises in renewables. We are hoping to do a new build in the future, so it will be super-insulation and hopefully ground source heat pump, with perhaps a very small oil boiler in reserve; but for now I think we are fairly reliant on fossil fuels sadly.

The tree in question is a 100+ year old beech. Much taller than our house, beautiful, but not really pruneable. We'd be taking out all of one side of it, which would make it very unstable, so you'd have to remove the whole tree. We've swithered about doing this, but because it is so close to house, garage, boundary fence and indeed the road, it's a rope and chainsaw, piece by piece job, and going to be pretty expensive. The guy did also note that the roots must be all around the area the tank is, which isn't the best plan...

We rent the tank (or at least, we pay Flogas a daily charge to do nothing with it). I can only assume Flogas fitted it. When we moved in, it was early 2008 and therefore before you could (theoretically at least!) switch suppliers without changing tank. Flogas were the supplier when we moved in, so I'd have to deduce they fitted it. It's an interesting thought about them illegally filling a tank.

Better get home for now, to our non-heated house :cool:

LittleVermin

The UK LPG market is dominated by Calor and Flogas (guesstimate of 70% combined) with around 10% each for BP, Shell and the independents. BP and Shell maybe want out. Flogas already has an 'arrangement' with one independent, Countrywide (see here, based on a very useful post by DAVID.T).

Flogas is also owned by DCC, so maybe the latest news of DCC's growth by acquisition will be of interest (with thanks to Lotus-eater, posting on the oil thread):

http://www.chrispomfret.co.uk/2011/09/dcc-continues-inexorable-march-to-total.html

The "Competition Commission" - what's that?

The OFT - as part of its off-grid energy study - has already taken action against Boiler Juice, a DCC company - see here. Boiler Juice runs a less than transparent price comparison site. Well, at least heating oil users can compare prices on-line, even if a little murkily! The only on-line bulk LPG prices I know can be found through the links on here.

..

annaps

Thanks for a very useful thread everyone, I will definitely be avoiding Flogas!

We are tenants on a six-month lease and when we moved in I asked Calor (current suppliers) if we could not sign a two-year contract as we might have to leave before then if our landlady wanted the house back. They agreed and we've been on a rolling contract since then.

So if you're tenants, definitely worth asking if this is possible.

We are still switching away from Calor now though, as they've put prices up enormously in the time we've been with them

LittleVermin

annaps wrote: »

.......
We are tenants on a six-month lease and when we moved in I asked Calor (current suppliers) if we could not sign a two-year contract as we might have to leave before then if our landlady wanted the house back. They agreed and we've been on a rolling contract since then.

So if you're tenants, definitely worth asking if this is possible.

We are still switching away from Calor now though, as they've put prices up enormously in the time we've been with them

Welcome to the forum!

Really useful to hear of Calor's flexibility - many thanks!

Do you have the prices Calor has charged you available, please?

How easy is it proving to switch to another supplier since Calor presumably owns the tank - and another supplier will - also presumably - want a standard 2 year contract?

GrandadRob

Now that sounds like a loophole................think I will just become a tennant.....................:beer:

Mister_G

LittleVermin wrote: »

Link to Mister G's post #939: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=43397982&postcount=939

Also link to the local supplier - HBS in Chilbolton - he mentions: http://www.hbsfuels.com/Where_HBS_Fuels.html

Mister G: you posted in May when you were paying 46ppl - are you still paying 46?

Just arranged a 500 litre top up at 45ppl.

bobhawke

mfmaybe wrote: »

Thanks both - such helpful replies!

Does anyone know anything about Johnstons oils. They seem to supply domestic Bulk LPG locally but not sure if they are owned/affiliated with other companies.

Consistently found them to be much cheaper than Flogas, Calor, scottish fuels, etc
The gas side of their business is JGas. They are the only option around Lothian and Borders for avoiding DCC (flogas and other subsidiaries) and Calor.

If you're planning on moving soon then you could do what i do; I never really put my heating on, I just wear extra clothes and have a small cabinet heater that I use if I need extra heating. Cabinet heater runs on butane gas bottles that I get for £23 and they last me for a few weeks.

Wouldnt be surprised if your tree has a preservation order on it too.

HateLPG

Have just seen an interesting quote on another site. Apparently:

[the LPG user] telephoned Flogas and was told they do not negotiate with groups/syndicates now, only individuals

Can anyone confirm or deny?