Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

hardwrit3r

Started looking around for alternative quotes. Flogas said they wanted pics of installation and said it doesn't comply. Said regs have tightened and they could not take it on. Calor installed it 10 years ago and have been filling it ever since. Anyone have similar experience? Am I going to be locked into current supplier for ever? Or worse still told they won't supply either. It's an underground tank so moving it not easy! And only just had the boiler replaced!

J_B

hardwrit3r wrote: »

Said regs have tightened and they could not take it on. Calor installed it 10 years ago and have been filling it ever since.


It's an underground tank so moving it not easy!

Just curious (sold our LPG House a few year back) but what rules have tightened for underground LPG?

hardwrit3r

They weren't exactly specific. Just did not seem to want to take it on

richbeth

hardwrit3r wrote: »

They weren't exactly specific. Just did not seem to want to take it on

We had similar issues, twice ! They should tell you what the issue is but if they don't just get another supplier to come round.

You can easily search and find the current requirements e.g. there is some detail here
https://www.calor.co.uk/home-energy/new-to-lpg/my-options/lpg-installation-options there are similar requirements on other sites so check against them.

The first issue we had an above ground tank and the regs had changed to give a bigger gap between the tank and trees. We were too close, couldn't change supplier and so couldn't negotiate a deal so we moved to an underground tank. It was a bit of a pain but paid for itself in the first year.

Second time a supplier thought that the pipe work went under the house which wasn't allowed. It didn't so we had the pipework changed to make it obvious it went into the house and took pictures whilst the work was in progress to prove it didn't. That was a trivial change of pipe but did mean some plastering in the house. IIRC they had queries about something else but we satisfied them.

When we couldn't negotiate a deal we were on 50p+ per litre, when we could it dropped to 30p, we use 3000L a year so £600 a year saving. Bottom line is id the potential issue, bite the bullet get compliant and/or make sure it's obvious you are.

ps suppliers will provide a free tank and take a way the old one for free or a small fee so it's not necessarily as expensive as you might think

this is a post with what we did https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/74117457#Comment_74117457

Jez1009

Based in Warwickshire.


Just coming to end of 2 year Flogas Contract 32p Year 1/37p year 2 via LPGSave. Underground tank.


All prices below assume max increase in year 2 is applied although most are capped maximum increases and would be applied each six months. Callow is a spot price and not contracted with tank rental at £15 for 3 months.


Calor claim to have a fixed contract price for 24 months but no doubt will have clause in their contract to get out of this if they so desire but they look the best value at the moment.


Quotes from various suppliers as below:
Company Year 1 / Year 2 Tank rental
LPGSAVE (Flogas) 36p/42p £80.00
Calor 35p/35p £91.72
Calor Bio 37p/37p £91.72
Avanti 38p/44p £110
Callow 40.79p £60.00
LPGCompare (Avanti) 38p/48p £110.00
Flogas 37p/43p £80.00
ExtraFuel 36p/42p £120.00


Update - Flogas now offering 33p year 1 and max cap increase of 2.5p in Year 2....

makeni555

We just fixed by renewal with FloGas -

2 year fixed 34 p/l + VAT Standing charge about 17 p/d

Thats it no free gas etc... Calor has the same via a quote on their website but I'd heard on here some suppliers can still increase a fixed price and Flogas didn't on our last fix (also 2 years at 31.5 p/l)

3500 litres per year

makeni555

To add to my last post:

Be wary of FloGas sales - been a bit slippery with us on this one - kept saying 34 p fixed and 2 year contract, but apparently that doesn't mean that its a fixed price of 34 p for 2 years.

I emailed for clarification after agreeing to renew with them yesterday.

Going to calor as their fix is fixed for 2 years in entirety - who'd have though calor being more upfront! Considering what sometimes gets said about them (mind you I hear Flo gas isn't better - seems the case here)!

hardwrit3r

Hi richbeth
Thanks for the info. Will try other supplier and see if they have an issue with it.

JerryW

hardwrit3r wrote: »

Started looking around for alternative quotes. Flogas said they wanted pics of installation and said it doesn't comply. Said regs have tightened and they could not take it on. Calor installed it 10 years ago and have been filling it ever since. Anyone have similar experience? Am I going to be locked into current supplier for ever? Or worse still told they won't supply either. It's an underground tank so moving it not easy! And only just had the boiler replaced!

Flogas presumably want business so I'm surprised they felt able to turn it aside on the strength of photos and without giving a reason. When I went from Calor to Flogas they never even mentioned the tank at all. I would press Flogas to be more specific.

Calor have a legal responsibility to make your tank installation compliant with current regulations, or get you to, if it is your problem (eg overhanging trees). This includes all of the pipework to the point where it enters the house. In my case Calor moved (and replaced) my aboveground tank and replaced all of the pipework. It must have cost them a lot, the pipework went underneath 3ft of concrete and they kept losing the mole drill ..

All of these companies will get away with what they can, but if you know your stuff they will do what you want, the sales staff are too sharp but the engineers are a decent bunch, in the main. Ask Calor to send you an engineer to review the installation and comment.. they will

bobmac62

Pricing for this month advised as 31.59 ppl + 5% VAT on the FLOGAS monthly pricing schedule, up from 30.87 ppl in November.