Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

Den2Mark

Our Calor two year contract came to an end with Calor charging 48ppl. I have switched to CountryWide Farmers who offered 35ppl.,and cheaper tank rental at £60 per year. Countrywide say their price is the same everywhere they cover (midlands, parts of Wales, the south west down to Dartmoor). Calor immediately phoned to say they would match the price, but I have decided to try Countrywide for a couple of years. The 35ppl is only fixed for three months, so will have to see what happens after that.

LPG_customer

TRADING STANDARDS
I see that a couple of recent posts have had no joy with complaining to Trading Standards.

Try contacting Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06. They should (in theory) be able to advise you if you have been pressured or misinformed about your LPG contract or if you think the terms are unfair.

When I spoke to them, they quickly seemed to glaze over and called my case 'complicated'! They said that they would refer me to on to Trading Standards and get someone to call back within 48 hours. The person who did call me was very well informed about LPG Suppliers. I used their evidence of mis-selling to help sort out Flogas. Maybe this is worth a try rather than calling your local Trading Standards office direct?

COMPETITION COMMISSION FAQs
The Competition Commission Frequently Asked Questions about switching suppliers (see their website LPG pages) has been updated in September 2010.

There is suddenly a lot of information about metered estates - I sense there have quite a few questions asked about this subject!

It says that metered estates should get together to sort out contracts. I think that they now realise metered estates are not always a holiday parks and there is no official metered estates manager. Its more like a couple of residents who are sick and tired of price increases and are prepared to sort it out!

I would paste in the website link but the system wont let me!

longforgotten

Had a letter last week and Countrywide price now up to just over 38ppl ( sorry cannot remember exactly)

Started off with them at 32ppl back in Sept 2009

I'm happy with the price but interested to read Den2marks comments. Was the 35ppl an introductory price or was it duff information that we are all charged the same...........

GrandadRob

I think that the prices and offers quoted to those of us who are about to change suppliers are just opening gambits.
They have two years to get their money back, there is obviously no such thing as FREE gas.
So we all have to make a judgement call on this one.

mitchy74

Still trying to get away from Flogas but have managed to get the rate of 32.5ppl from Shell, which seems a fantastic price just now.

Obviously it has the minimum 3p rise every 6 months but it will get me through this winter, and the final 6 months of the 2 year deal will be during the summer when I dont buy gas anyway.

Den2Mark

Hi Longforgotten,
I think the sales rep meant that they (Countrywide Farmers) offered the same price to any new customer, wherever they were, be it on the edge of Dartmoor or next to their depot in Weston Super Mare. (I'm in Somerset)
Why they can't have one price for everyone beats me - but I guess it is because domestic users can't see what price each other are paying easily. Which is why this forum-thread is so helpful. Here are my thanks to everyone who has posted so far because it was a big help when I looked to renew contracts.

lamplighter2

reading the current posts on price of lpg flogas have just put my price up to 39p had a check not much difference so will stay with them but will not alow them to think they can just hike up there prices every 3 months which they are doing. had no reply from the energy secetery not even a thank your for your e mail, we are the foggoten who live in the sticks and it is to much trouble for them to look into. i just wish we could get our word out to make the lpg suppliers wake up and stop ripping us off. never see lpg go down when petrol does it never goes down just keeps rising so the lpg suppliers must be rubbing ther hands with glee when the price per barrel drops, as they say lpg is subject to the price of crude, what bunkum how was it that many years ago they burnt off lpg at the refinerys they do not now. i could go on i have looked at oil, wood straw but the cost just do not tally up to switch so stuck with lpg:mad:

Rosyglow1

Hi all
I've just joined 'cos Calor have put my price up to 46.1 (!) ppl +VAT. Contract has expired and having phoned Flogas I was on the brink of going for a their 38p offer but baulked at the new 2 yr contract. The websites are not informative, so you know if there is any compay that does not require a long contract? Perhaps I'd be better of just trying to negotiate with the devil I know? In south Wales, we manage to use about 1500litre pa (but don't keep very warm on that!).

Thanks guys

LittleVermin

Rosyglow1 wrote: »

Hi all
I've just joined 'cos Calor have put my price up to 46.1 (!) ppl +VAT. Contract has expired and having phoned Flogas I was on the brink of going for a their 38p offer but baulked at the new 2 yr contract. The websites are not informative, so you know if there is any compay that does not require a long contract? Perhaps I'd be better of just trying to negotiate with the devil I know? In south Wales, we manage to use about 1500litre pa (but don't keep very warm on that!).

Thanks guys

Hi Rosyglow,
Unless you own your own tank the minimum contract seems to be 2 years - and the maximum is 2 years now (see http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/monopolies/lpg-faqs.pdf ). You can get possible suppliers for your post code from http://www.uklpg.org/supplier-search/ ). Flogas do not seem to have maximum rate of rise in their contracts so, based on that and postings on these LPG threads, I'd avoid them.

Why not post prices and terms for the different suppliers on this forum? - I'm sure people will comment and offer advice.

Quite a lot of us seem to have scarlet faces after dealing with our LPG suppliers rather than a benign rosy glow - good luck!

PS You could probably buy the tank off Calor - and then ask different companies to fill it depending on the price they offered - but most people would probably not recommend owning your own tank. All sorts of (necessary) safety regs: see other posts.

Rosyglow1

Thanks Little Vermin, that's very helpful and kind of reassuring - we're all at their mercy basically! I agree it feels a bit too risky to take responsibility for the tank safety even if it does save a bit.