Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

MoneySaverKate

LittleVermin wrote: »

Hi Kate - and welcome to the forum (and the wonderful world of LPG).

Sorry you only have Calor and Avanti - plus Flogas (and BP, if the take-over does NOT go through).

Paddock Wood's post code is TN12, I think, and that's just outside Rose Gas's delivery are but might be worth ringing John Rose.

You could also try Mole Valley Farmers - you need to join Mole Valley Plus (for £10 a year, I think) but you do NOT need to be a farmer.

You could also try Extra Fuel - they'll get another supplier to deliver (down here in Cornwall Flogas is sub-contracted - I pay Extra Fuel's price, not Flogas's!). Extra Fuel is no longer a member of uklpg.

Look back in this thread for posts about Rose Gas. I think ironnick has been with Rose Gas for 3 months now so may be able to help.

There may be other independents. If you're outside Rose Gas's area you could ask if there's an independent for you. Independents' prices go up and down as the wholesale price varies - some like Extra Fuel and Cardiff Gas post their prices on the web. Watch out for Countrywide Farmers (you're not in their area so this warning is for other readers!) as their prices seem to go up ... and stay up (see several posts! ... so they are like Calor, Flogas and BP ... and, it seems, Avanti).

How much will you use? Cooking doesn't use much so it's mainly heating - and since you're out daytimes that cuts the amount too. The average use is around 2000 litres a year but you'll find people posting that they use only 1000 litres, etc. Depends how many rooms you heat, how warm, insulation, draughts, etc etc.
..

Just wanted to say thanks to LittleVermin for this - damp proofing work has taken over my life but I'm now back in negotiation mode for my LPG. Jumping up and down on Calor at the moment but will also try the others you mentioned. Good to know 2000 litres is the average - I'll use that for calculating my comparisons.

Thanks again and I'll port back on where I end up!

Kate

SD-253

Just had 600 liters delivered for 50.9 which includes VAT. Still being charged 60 + VAT for tank. Had an unsolicted letter addressed to the occupant from LPG home heat. Rung them wanted 55p PLUS VAT and 100 rental. ENERGAS is my company they don't seem to have any problem with my low usage IE 280 pound spent in 18 months (had a load of wood for my wood burner and in hospital for ages). This is the phone number for Energas office 01623528857. This is the salesman who used to work for Energas but is now working for a sister company so might be usefull 07876658259. There is no reason why you shouldn`t exagerate your useage to get a lower price after all predicting the future is not mine or anyone elses strong point although some people seem to think they can do it! So ignore anyone who says you should give an accurate "guess" of your expected consumtion. Also there is no reason to pay more than 60 pound rent for your tank and if you are low user that would make a difference to your over all price.
I am told that Flogas is part of that Irish company that has very strong monoplistic tendency anyone else heard that??

SD-253

PS Energas always warn you if they expect to raise prices although it is only a warning they don't give you a date. AND they did not inform me that they had lowered prices by 5p only found that out when I did a price comparison and of course they said it was going to go up soon. But the letter with the warning is better than the other companies which tell you it has gone up afterwards.

SD-253

PPS I am out of contract by about 8 months and I did not bother to negotaite on price!!
I live on the Lincolnshire Wolds. I think that salesmans number quated above is now in Yorkshire. Also I have no contract and never have with Energas so they can theroreticaly raise there prices by as much as they want.
One last thing customer service is excelent no problems at all.

Opps one more thing they replaced my tank with brand new one 6 months ago and did not raise the rental.
When I say contract I mean one with a price clause in it. I did have a ordinary 2 year contract.

SD-253

MikeB77 wrote: »

Hi,

I came across this site when I was researching my problem and I was hoping the group could help with some advice.

We signed up with Calor in 2009, after refurbishing our house in Surrey and fitting an LPG tank. They delivered the tank, the builders buried it where they told us to.

Last month, fed up with the rate Calor was charging, we tried to switch to Flogas at a rate of 42ppl for about 4,000 litres per annum. However, when they looked at the tank they found it was made in 1977, had only one certificate supplied (from 2002), had no cathode inspection certs or conversion certificate (it was an above ground tank). Flogas have (understandably) refused to take the tank.

Calor never said we would be burying a 30 year old + tank, they implied we would be getting a new one. I don't want to be stuck on Calor, as, aside from this they left us without gas over Christmas 2 years ago when it was -10 outside. Can anyone suggest what my options are (other than suing them for the cost of fitting a Flogas tank?)

We are also nearly out of gas - are there any suppliers that will just come and fill the tank for us until I can get this sorted?

Thanks,
Mike

There seems to be some problems with underground tanks no company seems to like them. I assume they are difficult to inspect. Inspection is done or supposed to be done by the driver when he delivers. The only advice I can give is to check the price of having an above ground tank fitted. This should be the hard standing but not all the pipe work as most will be in place. The 4,000 litres a year should help no end. You may or even have to do all the work yourself and they just inspect it. When I had my new tank they emptied the old tank directly into the replacement tank took out the old tank and put in the new one.

SD-253

MikeB77 wrote: »

Hi,

Last month, fed up with the rate Calor was charging, we tried to switch to Flogas at a rate of 42ppl for about 4,000 litres per annum. However, when they looked at the tank they found it was made in 1977, had only one certificate supplied (from 2002), had no cathode inspection certs or conversion certificate (it was an above ground tank). Flogas have (understandably) refused to take the tank.

Calor never said we would be burying a 30 year old + tank, they implied we would be getting a new one. I don't want to be stuck on Calor, as, aside from this they left us without gas over Christmas 2 years ago when it was -10 outside. Can anyone suggest what my options are (other than suing them for the cost of fitting a Flogas tank?)

We are also nearly out of gas - are there any suppliers that will just come and fill the tank for us until I can get this sorted?

Thanks,
Mike

I realy don't know how they get away with underground tanks as you are not supposed to fence in an above ground tanks as it stops the dispersal of the liquid/gas if there is a blow out.

SD-253

jeepjunkie wrote: »

Just to recap I still have a bulk tank but recently out of contract. We don't heat using LPG anymore so just running the tank down on the hob as far as we can prior to a new kitchen so not going to renew. I would also add that Calor have had nothing but excellent service....

BUT

Hopefully this is of interest... Yesterday I received a contract renewal letter from Calor and the ppl price quoted was 59.4 with a daily standing charge of 16.9p!!! Two years ago we paid 36ppl.

I guess this serves as a reminder to negotiate hard/possibly switch supplier every two years...

Sheer lunacy as my electric in the same time frame has gone from 8.71p to 9.32p per unit. Thank god for the ASHP

I think you will find that you will be lucky to get electric at 12p a kilowatt now are you on an old contract? If so when it ends you are in for a nasty shock. By the way how much have you got in your tank?? A pub landlord told me a cylinder (big bottle) lasts him 6 months of cooking, not massive on food but all the same won't it take you one hell of a time to use up??

frankie

Well, as my previous post, I'd been expecting it. Calor price rise from Oct 1st (that's brilliant notice!!) from 48.9 plus VAT to 52.4 plus VAT.

They had the cheek to say I'd 'benefited from a price that has been below our standard tariff and this special rate is due to end on Oct 1'.


I guess it could be construed as a 'special rate' because I haggled for it, but it begs the question (and I will be asking them) what is the 'standard tariff' and is that what I am, on now?

Recall trying to get a 'standard tariff' price in the past and got nowhere!

Ah well, tank is full and should last out till contract end when I have to start the whole sorry procedure of getting the best price all over again. Bl***dy lpg!

Smithm_3

frankie wrote: »

Well, as my previous post, I'd been expecting it. Calor price rise from Oct 1st (that's brilliant notice!!) from 48.9 plus VAT to 52.4 plus VAT.

They had the cheek to say I'd 'benefited from a price that has been below our standard tariff and this special rate is due to end on Oct 1'.


I guess it could be construed as a 'special rate' because I haggled for it, but it begs the question (and I will be asking them) what is the 'standard tariff' and is that what I am, on now?

Recall trying to get a 'standard tariff' price in the past and got nowhere!

Ah well, tank is full and should last out till contract end when I have to start the whole sorry procedure of getting the best price all over again. Bl***dy lpg!

Interesting - I've got exactly the same letter but my 'standard rate' has gone from an apparently discounted 50.9p up to a standard 54.4pppl.


Looks like their standard rate is '4p more than you were paying'. Swines.

[Deleted User]

SD-253 wrote: »

I think you will find that you will be lucky to get electric at 12p a kilowatt now are you on an old contract? If so when it ends you are in for a nasty shock. By the way how much have you got in your tank?? A pub landlord told me a cylinder (big bottle) lasts him 6 months of cooking, not massive on food but all the same won't it take you one hell of a time to use up??

Hi,

That's a recent fixed price electric contract and the bulk tank is going down a few percent a year on the hob so should last another 23 years :rotfl: Hopefully I'll get a new kitchen before then

Cheers