Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

lpg_2

heather8 try extragas they will sort you out a good deal !!

myjamfactory

My advice, after many years of dealing with the larger suppliers, is to seek out the smaller co`s.

I`ve found,via this forum, three alternative LPG suppliers who are willing supply to my home in Leeds.

The fact is, which is probably true of many utilities we need, size is BAD when it comes to the essentials of running your home.

Why not to use big companies

1. You don`t get to speak to somebody who cares about you and your actual needs. Employees are on auto-pilot and will not divert from script so the chance of getting a better deal over the phone do not exist, waste of time.
2. You are paying for the overheads of a BIG corporation, they look at the numbers game and will discount a little bit if they feel their market share is threatened or declining, they do not give a toss about you as an individual customer.
3. Big companies only have their bottom line interest at heart, i.e. profit. They do not factor in customer loyalty/satisfaction as part of their business, basically it costs money and they know they cannot live up to their promises so don`t really bother. We are all familiar with the am or pm - `take-it-or-leave-it` system with British Gas, BT, et al..

Why to give small companies a try

1. You are likely to speak to somebody who cares about their job and is seeking advancement within the small company, you will get quick answers even if they don't suit you.
2. Small co`s will cut their margins to get business..they work MUCH harder than big co`s..simply to survive.
3. Their overheads are miniscule comparatively, this is reflected in costs/service levels positively.
4. The service is better all round, first name terms are expected.

I`ve just emailed bdsfuels with an outline of my needs at 6pm, within seoinds I had a personal response from the sales dept confirming they will answer fully tomorrow.

Same goes for Extragas

It`s a clich! now but still true, without doubt..SHOP AROUND, check forums, look at websites..put in the effort.


Big companies make tens of MILLIONS form the publics apathy towards all their essential services and insurance cover for cars/houses etc..

look after your money!

Historian_2

This looks like great advice. My current supplier - Calor - has just advised they will be putting my price up to 37.15 ppl plus VAT effective December 7. Is there an easy way of checking competitive prices would anyone know? And does anyone know a reliable smaller supplier or two who would deliver to Suffolk?

Thanks all!

annscullamus

I would love to know too - Calor just told me that on Dec 7th my price goes up to 42.4p - 5p more than Historian. How can this be?

cairndog

Mine's also up to 42.4 what a scandal !! No alternatives here. We've paid out for a big log burner which will pay for it'self pretty quickly at this rate but we back it up with LPG central heating and the hob is gas.
It's a postcode lottery, many areas don't have much choice and they know this. So much for the wonderful 2 year long enquiry. What a JOKE. :mad:

HateLPG

Well, in response to cairndog and others, if you feel the CC ruling isn't working properly, then you should probably put your concerns in writing to the Commission and to your MP. It is my understanding that the CC always monitor and review rulings after they have been made, to ensure that they are working as intended. If they are NOT working, it is important that the CC know this.

Part of the trouble is that the big boys (well, Calor at least to my certain knowledge) have been a bit sharp with their "loyalty bonus" £100 incentive and have therefore successfully managed to hook people into new 2-year exclusivity contracts when they didn't really need to sign up. As a result, it seems that Calor are still in teh position where they are pretty much able to dictate the price.

As the CC point out in their FAQs on this ruling, just because your contract is over 2 years old doesn't mean that you are necessarily out of contract, just that any EXCLUSIVITY period has expired (ie, your supplier may well be obliged to continue supplying you under that existing contract, complete with its pricing and price cap structure but you are also free to move to another supplier without penalty at any time should you so wish)

frankie

I was 'sucked in' by Calor with their deal. Well to be honest not really 'sucked in'. I figured that their prices would rise in due course and that the £100 incentive would at least offset some of that predicted increase.

I think that the whole lpg issue covered by the CC has been a complete waste of time. Consumers are now probably worse off because even when you want to switch the new provider will tie you into at least a 2 year contract. As soon as you have switched then as sure as eggs are eggs the price will go up.

In my opinion it makes little or no difference which company (bulk supplier) you use that are all robbing bssssds.

How can they justify price increases when major energy suppliers are falling over themselves to get customers by being competitive.

There is no competitiveness in the lpg industry. They have a captive market of those people in rural areas who have no choices.

Rant over, for now!!

exiledtyke

cairndog wrote: »

Mine's also up to 42.4 what a scandal !! No alternatives here. We've paid out for a big log burner which will pay for it'self pretty quickly at this rate but we back it up with LPG central heating and the hob is gas.
It's a postcode lottery, many areas don't have much choice and they know this. So much for the wonderful 2 year long enquiry. What a JOKE. :mad:

Similar experience here in Berkshire.

Just been 'quoted' (told) by Calor that we are to pay 43.4 pence plus VAT from 7 December. I am going to ring around other suppliers, after 17 years of financial sloth.

Also taking steps with a wood burner, but expect there will soon be a local stitch-up on the price of logs. Neighbours with trees beware, I have a chainsaw and a trailer!

willurg

I moved from Calor earlier this year and contracted with Callow Gas (Droitwich). Their price being 33.5p excl VAT per litre. The price has now risen to 36.95p per litre. This is one of the smaller companies who insist that they maintain competitive rates for their supplies. It is only by sharing information on this site that we can monitor prices across the country and ensure we contract with the right company at the end of the current two year tie-ins. Maybe we should ask moneySAVINGexpert to provide a price board which would allow a supplier/price comparison site to be posted which would be maintained by LPG customers.

SD-253

found an interesting site which tells you how to switch suppliers and by supplying your postcode all the available suppliers in your areas BUT although I haven't checked them yet it gave me 7 suppliers and I very much doubt that there are 7 suppliers in rural Lincolnshire in fact 1 of the phone numbers was Manchester?? But none less worth using the site as 3 at least I know supply me. The site is uklpg dot org / change supplier dot php For those living in Lincolnshire discount gas supplies seem to be cheaper than flogas and Calour.....significantly cheaper. JB