Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

LittleVermin

Red364 wrote: »

Just got off the phone with Mole Valley .....

Last 12 months we used 5000+ ltr's

MV was .41p/ltr +vat

<snip>

I know MV is probably the way to go but they don't fix prices....

Check out posts by Rhino666 (e.g. here)- MV is their supplier. Quite a few posts! (Click on the username - Rhino666 - and then select "Find More Posts by Rhino666").

Interesting post by mixit1 (here) in November 2010 - their Flogas price of 45ppl dropped to 30ppl when they joined the MV scheme (they were already MV members).
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LittleVermin

Another useful chart is the Whatgas weekly average autogas price: http://www.whatgas.com/petrol-prices/lpg-prices.html

I cannot paste the actual chart - it's copyright of Whatgas - but the autogas price is a useful proxy for bulk LPG prices so might be useful in bargaining. Major suppliers may pooh-pooh Cardiff Gas and Extra Fuel (as shown on HateLPG's very useful chart here) as small niche suppliers but autogas volumes are high.

You need to strip out the fuel tax (currently 31.6p/kg ....and convert kg to litres for LPG) to get the LPG price....but most people will just be happy to see the shape of the curve!
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vernall

wonder if i could ask someones help/advice please?

i have just moved into a rented house in a village just outside Worcester (West Mids) with an above ground LPG tank at the rear of the property.

Completely new to LPG,always lived in houses with mains supply.

Some of these questions I should/will ask the landlord but thought Id check on here to see what others say.

The tank is at 65% full at the moment,3 bedroom,2 adults(and a cat lol)water/heating/hob are gas.......how long should this last?i know depends on how much heating is on and how big the tank is i guess.

Would the owner own the tank or rent it from a supplier?I see from having a look on this forum suppliers charge a yearly rental for the tank,i pressume this is if you dont own it?and if you do you dont pay this?

Would he have an ongoing contract with a supplier that I need to carry on with or is that voided as soon as a new tenant moves in?

How would I go about finding a new supplier in my area?and am i always tied into a contract of 2yrs?(or whatever).how do i come off if i move within this contract period?

The house has not been rented out before,his parents lived there until January but he has completely renovated it.

sorry if these seem really dumb questions lol

LittleVermin

vernall wrote: »

... rented house in a village just outside Worcester (West Mids) with an above ground LPG tank .........

The tank is at 65% full at the moment,3 bedroom,2 adults(and a cat lol)water/heating/hob are gas.......how long should this last?......

Would the owner own the tank or rent it from a supplier?I see from having a look on this forum suppliers charge a yearly rental for the tank,i pressume this is if you dont own it?and if you do you dont pay this?

Would he have an ongoing contract with a supplier that I need to carry on with or is that voided as soon as a new tenant moves in?

How would I go about finding a new supplier in my area?and am i always tied into a contract of 2yrs?(or whatever).how do i come off if i move within this contract period?.....

Welcome to the forum - and the wonderful world of LPG!

Average use is around 2,500l p.a. but some forum users say they only use 1000l, others 6000l a year. The size of the tank should be on the tank - if not you could get a good idea from measuring it and comparing to drawings on the internet (e.g. here).

Most tanks are rented from the supplier - whose logo will most probably be on the tank. If the tank is rented only the owner can fill the tank (with a few exceptions). Rent for your overground tank should be about £50-80 p.a.

You can get a list of suppliers for your area from the UKLPG website (by putting your postcode in here) - probably Callow, Flogas, Carver, Cardiff Gas, Countrywide Farmers, Listers, Calor and Avanti - plus there will be non-UKLPG members like Extra Fuel and also farmers' co-ops like Mole Valley Farmers. You'll find comments about most of these on the forum.

Contracts for domestic bulk LPG supply cannot be for more than 2 years - but people who are renting have posted that they have got rolling shorter contracts (6 months rings a bell - try "Search this Thread" to find the relevant post).

When people sell a property, the existing LPG supply contract ends (though some suppliers do not seem to make this clear to the purchaser, who is free to choose a new supplier). I do not know what happens when you rent ...which is why I hoped someone in your situation would have answered your post!

Since very few people who rent properties with LPG post about their experience please let us know how you get on.
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chubbs85240

Hello all, I am hoping someone can help

I have just about had a heart attack when I read someone say they are able to get LPG at 41-45 ppl

I am currently paying 71.95 ppl and when I asked BP gas for a deal the other week, they offered 66.95 but I had to tie in for 2 years (currently not on a tied contract)

I looked at this before and ended up so confused I did nothing about it, and at the moment am seriously thinking about ditching LPG for OIL, however, looking at the cost per litre quoted on this thread, I dont think I'll need to if I can save 25-30 ppl as this would knock about £100 a month off my heating bill

I was paying around 30ppl when I bought the house 4 years ago and it only ever goes up

my last tank of around 1200 litres cost £900

acccording to the UKLPG site the following will supply me


Avanti Gas Ltd

0808 208 0000

Gleaner Oils Ltd

01343 557400

Calor Gas Ltd

0800 181 4527

Gaulds Gas

01467 620542

01506 656535
Flogas

0800 574 574
Mac Gas

0845 300 0038


SO my question is, should I be able to get prices of around 45 ppl or is this because the person lives in England near a terminal or something....


thanks


Edit to add, my postcode is AB and my usage is around 3000-3500L p.a.

I also phoned macgas and said after reading online that people were getting around 50ppl I wanted a better deal - they mentioned the fact I had asked for a deal in August (when on the phone about something else). I was offered a 5ppl discount then, so fixed at 66.95ppl for 6 months - I said yes and that was rubbish.

He came back 5 mins later and offered 49.95ppl + VAT fixed for 6 months and 49.95ppl +VAT variable after that for 18 months. Exclusive contract and no increase above 2.5ppl in any 6 months unless its justifiable - sounds pretty good?

Ok - I may not need your help :P as am getting there myself, but any input is very welcome.

Update 2

Just spoke with Jgas (johnston) and they have offered me 46ppl+VAT fixed for 6 months.

they also said they have there last price increase was April 2011.

this sounds a pretty good option, as in April 2011 BP charged me 59ppl inc vat and thats gone up to 72ppl inc vat

Update 3

Just spoke with Calor, who offered 48pl +vat fixed till july 2013 and £150 of free gas on switching

LittleVermin

chubbs85240 wrote: »

<snip>
Update 2

Just spoke with Jgas (johnston) and they have offered me 46ppl+VAT fixed for 6 months.

they also said they have there last price increase was April 2011.

this sounds a pretty good option, as in April 2011 BP charged me 59ppl inc vat and thats gone up to 72ppl inc vat

<snip>

Welcome to the forum!

Thanks for all the info. It looks as if your heating will be MUCH cheaper this winter!

You asked in a pm about J Gas. Several people have posted about them - positive comments, if I remember right, but use "Search this Thread" just above the posts on the right.

Interesting that J Gas say they last had a price rise in April 2011 - as that's when the price had risen appreciably then seemed to stabilise (see the chart here)- i.e. a very good reason for the rise! Can you ask them what their price was before, please, and over what period? It would be good to have their prices on the chart(s) that HateLPG makes up and he or I post every so often (e.g. here for last 2 years).

If you check Border Lass's post (here) she was quoted 42ppl by J Gas, guaranteed for 6 months - but she says she uses 4000l p.a. while you say you use 3000-3500l (and were quoted 46ppl). Maybe some room for negotiation there? Of course she may be much closer to their depot (but note that most of the suppliers use each other's depots down here in Cornwall and Devon, or so I was told by a tanker driver, who should know!).

Good luck - and please keep us posted.
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vernall

thanks very much for your reply,with moving(and still doing so) havnt had chance to speak to landlord yet...the side of the tank says calor-so guess that means theyre my only option???on the silver faceplate on the end its a bit rusted but i can make out capacity 1200 litres of water...is this correct lol?having a quick read on these forums i see people saying 4000litres a year-at 50p per litre thats £2000 i thought it was supposed to be cheaper fuel lol

Lum

vernall wrote: »

i thought it was supposed to be cheaper fuel lol

That only works if you're putting it in your car.

n.b. don't try to fill an LPG car from your home tank, it's illegal and probably dangerous.

LittleVermin

vernall wrote: »

thanks very much for your reply,with moving(and still doing so) havnt had chance to speak to landlord yet...the side of the tank says calor-so guess that means theyre my only option???on the silver faceplate on the end its a bit rusted but i can make out capacity 1200 litres of water...is this correct lol?having a quick read on these forums i see people saying 4000litres a year-at 50p per litre thats £2000 i thought it was supposed to be cheaper fuel lol

At present the 1200l tank is owned by Calor which is the only company which can fill it (that'll be in the contract the property owner has).

I suggest you ask the owner how many litres per year his parents used, and the last price in ppl (and when!) they paid Calor. Of course you may use more (if you like the house warmer, etc) or less (if you are out at work daytime and they weren't, etc).

It may be that the owner still has time on the standard 2 yr contract to run. He may have to pay a penalty for breaking this contract if he wants to.

If he wants to switch suppliers it's easy and quite likely he could get a better deal, especially with all those potential suppliers (Callow, Flogas, Carver, Cardiff Gas, Countrywide, Listers, Calor, Extra Fuel, Mole Valley ..). Maybe he'd prefer the contract to be in your name in which case you might try for a short term rolling contract.

If you/he switch, the new supplier can buy the tank off Calor, or bring in their own. All you/he needs to do is sign a form (after you've chosen the new supplier, of course!).

There are comments on most of your potential suppliers on the forum.
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HateLPG

Having directly asked questions about this a few weeks ago, and been fobbed of with a load of (frankly) twaddle, we now hear:

"The Office of Fair Trading has invited comments on the acquisition by Flogas UK (part of DCC) of BP's LPG distribution business in the UK."

From: stockmarketwire.com

So, now that comments have been "invited", it is perhaps time to ensure that appropriate comments are forthcoming.

I don't know who is dealing with comments on this matter at the OFT, but in the first instance, I'm sure Sharon Dias (Sharon.Dias@oft.gsi.gov.uk) will be able to help, or at least advise who is the correct contact.