Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

mitchy74

LittleVermin wrote: »

Indeed!

I see that aureole (post #273) also had the same max of 3p in 6 months from Shell - so useful for others to be able to quote and not just Shell trying to sign up lots of customers before selling their Scottish operation.

Which part of Scotland, please? Are you near a big LPG tank farm? Occasionaly people come on the forum who are miles from anywhere which is being suggested as a reason for a high price (which would be at least partially valid). Pricing is so opaque - it sometimes seems to be solely dictated by what the suppliers think they can get away with.

Central Scotland, just outside Falkirk.

No idea about LPG Farms but the Grangemouth BP is ten minutes from my house.

LittleVermin

mitchy74 wrote: »

Central Scotland, just outside Falkirk.

No idea about LPG Farms but the Grangemouth BP is ten minutes from my house.

Thanks. BP as well as Calor probably distribute from Grangemouth. Shell maybe from Mossmoran.

There's a fascinating part of the Competition Commission report - about LPG supply and distribution - at http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/current/gas/prov_find_app_c.pdf

A lot of the info has been cut - but at least you could try to work out who owns what on the depot map (figure 4). Enough to keep an LPG nerd happy for hours and hours! I cannot really see why the symbols for the different companies were deleted.

PS My comment about the max rise of 3p / 6 month meant this part of your deal seemed to be a current standard Shell contract clause - and no part of your local Scottish superdeal.

PPS Sorry: probably duff info in my para 4 in # 277. I've just found the following in the doc mentioned in #286 (next post):

3. How do I switch supplier?
If you have a dedicated tank and wish to switch supplier then you can contact either your existing supplier or the new supplier to say that you want to transfer your tank and terminate your contract (if you have a contract).

... so it sounds as if Flogas cannot start the clock ticking again just because the request to switch was made by Shell for you, without you signing the Switch Supplier Notice 1.
Good luck!

LittleVermin

OFT FAQs - new version 27 September 2010:

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/monopolies/OFT-Domestic-bulk.pdf

Info about Domestic Bulk LPG Market Investigation - info about individual supplies and metered estates - so should answer lots of questions which have been posted at various times in different LPG threads.

welshsue

Interested in the Mole Valley farming details above. Can anyone join this. I live in a rural area surrounded by farms but don't farm myself.
Would be interested to see what they could do on LPG for me.

Historian_2

Hello all -- I have just received a letter from my 'friends' at Calor stating 'You have recently benefited from a price that has been below our standard tariff and this special rate is due to end on 14 November 2010. Therefore from the 15 November 2010 your new price will be 39.65 ppl plus VAT.' I am currently paying 36.15 ppl plus VAT, so - by my calculation - this represents a 9.7% price increase.

I love the way they give me a whole ten days from receipt of the letter to respond to this! Anyway, trying to calm down, I have two questions for the group -

1. Is this a reasonable price at the moment?
2. What other suppliers could be available to me? (I live in Suffolk).

This is a very helpful group. I only wish I could say the same about Calor. I personally have no faith or trust in them whatsoever (from a pricing perspective).

Thanks all!

GrandadRob

Hi Historian.
Your price of 39ppl sounds reasonable from what I have seen. My last lot from Flogas cost 64ppl. But my blood pressure won't let me go there again.
Are you IN-CONTRACT. If so, there is little you can do, however if you are NOT IN-CONTRACT, you are free to switch suppliers. Make sure your new contract has a maximum price rise per six months included, check over recent posts on this subject. All the information you need is in this forum.

Historian_2

GrandadRob wrote: »

Hi Historian.
Your price of 39ppl sounds reasonable from what I have seen. My last lot from Flogas cost 64ppl. But my blood pressure won't let me go there again.
Are you IN-CONTRACT. If so, there is little you can do, however if you are NOT IN-CONTRACT, you are free to switch suppliers. Make sure your new contract has a maximum price rise per six months included, check over recent posts on this subject. All the information you need is in this forum.

Thanks for the quick response GradadRob -- To answer your question, I signed a contract with them in February of this year, so I guess am stuck with them until February 2012 at the earliest. Having checked the wording of their contract, it seems they have given themselves the right to increase the ppl by 3.5p in any six month period without me having any comeback. Over that amount and I can look elsewhere. Their presently proposed increase is - surprise surprise - exactly 3.5 ppl.

I cannot put into print what I think about how they treat customers. Incidentally, while I can give lots of examples of price increases from Calor, I can't tell you of a single time when their prices came down, even when the price of crude was tumbling. Like, I said before, I wouldn't trust 'em as far as I could throw 'em.

frankie

Historian wrote: »

Hello all -- I have just received a letter from my 'friends' at Calor stating 'You have recently benefited from a price that has been below our standard tariff and this special rate is due to end on 14 November 2010. Therefore from the 15 November 2010 your new price will be 39.65 ppl plus VAT.' I am currently paying 36.15 ppl plus VAT, so - by my calculation - this represents a 9.7% price increase.

Interesting! I had a letter too, only mine was a new price of 41.40 ppl Plus VAT! Was being charged 39.9 inc VAT

Prices certainly varies around the country, I'm in SE Cornwall.

I have contacted them and am haggling a 2ppl discount, should have gone for more now I've seen your prices!!

Agree with you completely about the short notice. I've still 55% in the tank and will no way be able to benefit from the original pricing.

Really thinking about Extra Fuels when my contract is up next June. Have to plod on and keep haggling till then!

welshsue

Historian wrote: »

Hello all -- I have just received a letter from my 'friends' at Calor stating 'You have recently benefited from a price that has been below our standard tariff and this special rate is due to end on 14 November 2010. Therefore from the 15 November 2010 your new price will be 39.65 ppl plus VAT.' I am currently paying 36.15 ppl plus VAT, so - by my calculation - this represents a 9.7% price increase.

I love the way they give me a whole ten days from receipt of the letter to respond to this! Anyway, trying to calm down, I have two questions for the group -

1. Is this a reasonable price at the moment?
2. What other suppliers could be available to me? (I live in Suffolk).

This is a very helpful group. I only wish I could say the same about Calor. I personally have no faith or trust in them whatsoever (from a pricing perspective).

Thanks all!

Blimey, shows how prices differ in different parts of the country... I am in Mid Wales and have just had the above same letter except mine is going up from 42.4ppl to 45.90ppl plus vat from 15th November. I am going to query this as my contract states no more than 2.5p and this is 3.5p, still a ridiculous amount of money though.
If I decide to go with another supplier, will they take over the tank or will Calor insist on an uplift fee???? Also, I have a credit of £500 on my account (pay weekly for gas) which I assume they will have to pay back if I switch.

val2761

Many thanks for the responses so far. The owner of the house I am soon to buy says she pays £68 a month for her gas . Is this the best way to pay for LPG or does it work out cheaper to fill the tank up front?