Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

Essexuser

The first year of my 2 year contract with Flogas ends on 13 May and I received a letter from them today reminding me the fixed price element of the contract ends at the same time and from 30th June my price is going up from 31.5ppl to 36.5ppl. I suppose that isn't too bad particularly as they've given me 6 weeks into the 2nd year at the old price, during which time I'll get a fill up that should take me up to November/December or so.

They cite the increase as due to the wholesale cost of LPG increasing with the increase in oli prices (apparently reaching its highest price in 3 years). Whether that equates to a 16% increase in the price to me is arguable but I'm not too bothered by it and I certainly can't be bothered to read though all the contractual small print around price rises and start arguing the toss with them.

D_n_B

I had a call from my supplier, AvantiGas, to say my contract expires soon. They were offering a fixed price for the first year and variable for year two. I really didn't know what contract I had as I inherited it when I bought the house and that company was then taken over by Avanti. The fact that they were now offering a fixed price that was 7p a litre lower than my last bill made me wonder whether I could do better elsewhere. I looked around online for a comparison service and found L.P.G Compare (you'll have to google it as the Forum won't allow me to post a link). Jon, who runs it, was incredibly friendly and helpful and took all the pain out of hunting around and calling different suppliers. He got me a deal which knocked 20p a litre off the new offer I had received, with a cap on increases in year two and £150 of free gas. He even advised me to try going back to Avanti to see if they would match this offer (even though he would then lose his commission). I did so and, with a bit of negotiation, Avanti offered me the same year one price with a good fixed price for year two and a credit to cover the first year's tank rental. I estimate this will save me close to £1000 a year!! It is incredible to realise how much I have been overcharged until now. This market is obviously one in which it pays to haggle. I would urge everyone to shop around and switch at the end of your contract, or get quotes to use to negotiate with your existing supplier. And I can't recommend Jon at L.P.G. Compare too highly. I have often read that there is no price comparison site for LPG, but there is - it is not quite the same as the usual comparison sites but it achieves the same outcome, ie a big saving with minimum effort. Now, how should I invest that £1000 a year?

Cheery_Daff

Just had a 'welcome' letter from Calor saying 'welcome to your new home and to Calor, your new gas supplier', and including a 2 year contract just needing my signature. We moved in a couple of months ago, Calor own the tank and gave us a half tank fill to put us on without us having to sign the contract with them. Not sure whether they have telemetery thing and know we're down to about 30%, or whether they just vaguely calculated that's roughly where we'd be now.

They've quoted 37ppl plus VAT until the end of March next year, and then 'variable', plus a standing charge of 17.28p per day plus VAT.

Doesn't sound like a great deal to me given what some of you are paying? They charged me 37ppl for the half tank fill at the start so I was expecting a slightly better deal once I signed into a contract but perhaps not!

I know there's at least one local supplier round here so I'll ring round later.

Cheery_Daff

Hmm, just spoke to our local supplier - 39ppl. Initially I just said no - but when I rang back to ask about standing charge, turns out they don't require you to have a contract!

Calor offered 37ppl for the first year and 'variable' in the second (always ominous...) so while 39ppl is more expensive, I'm tempted to go with it as we can always just go elsewhere later if necessary.

Contacted one more for a quote but need to make a decision in the next few days as at 30% now and the switching process will take a week or two.

Anyone else got a local supplier with no contract??

AdrianC

So... whose is the tank? Who's paying for it?

Cheery_Daff

Tank belongs to Calor (existing supplier). Local supplier said they come out and check it's compliant, then coordinate transferring it (is that the word?) from Calor to themselves. We pay standing charge to new supplier, 17p ish a day (roughly similar to what Calor wanted from us).

Presumably if we wanted to sign up to a contract with someone else in 6 months when the tank runs out again we could transfer it to someone else.

J_B

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Presumably if we wanted to sign up to a contract with someone else in 6 months when the tank runs out again we could transfer it to someone else.

I think you need to investigate further - most contracts are 2 year ...

Mister_G

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Hmm, just spoke to our local supplier - 39ppl. Initially I just said no - but when I rang back to ask about standing charge, turns out they don't require you to have a contract!

Calor offered 37ppl for the first year and 'variable' in the second (always ominous...) so while 39ppl is more expensive, I'm tempted to go with it as we can always just go elsewhere later if necessary.

Contacted one more for a quote but need to make a decision in the next few days as at 30% now and the switching process will take a week or two.

Anyone else got a local supplier with no contract??

Yes, HBS Chilbolton, 30ppl and no standing charge

Cheery_Daff

Thank you all :hello:

JB, I did specifically ask, and expressed surprise, and was assured that they require no contract. Of course, they'll need to organise taking over ownership of the tank, and you'd need to sort that out again if you switched again afterwards, but they said they are a small local firm, have plenty of happy customers who are happy to stay with them so they don't need contracts.

Anyway, I've now been in touch with WoldLink, who have sorted me out for 29.9ppl with a £66 a year standing charge, and capped at 3ppl increase in each 6 month period in the second year (so the max it will go up to is 35.9ppl) Fine by me so I've signed up.

Love this thread - I knew nothing at all about LPG til I started reading in here :j

Mister_G

Another vote for the small independent supplier, if you are lucky enough to have one nearby!