Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

Equites

Has anyone living on a metered lpg estate renewed their contract recently and if so, what price did you get?

We are on a 50 house metered estate in NE Scotland currently served by Flogas under a umbrella agreement.
The existing 2yr deal ends next month and is 125.13p per cubic metre (32.50p per cubic litre).
As usual with Flogas the renewal letter is badly written as the renewal price quote is this "will move to 288.75" - waiting to find out if that is cubic metre or cubic litre.  And they also choose not to detail the new daily standing charge...

wwally

My recent contract renewal experience for the record:

• Flogas first offer 78p fixed for 12 months
• Flogas second offer was 60p fixed for 12 months
• AvantiGas 51p fixed for 2 years (may not include delivery, which makes it c56p)
• After switching (mega hassle) Flogas offer was 49p fixed for 12 months
• Calor 68p
• And today Flogas sent a letter saying new rate is 75p (out of contract)

I've switched to AvantiGas. Their customer services were fantastic - rapid and proactive.

Really makes me worry about the operation of the LPG market, and I will be writing to Ofgem about the changes that are needed.

Sorting_Hat

Ofgem have no say or input into the LPG market.

There is a pay to join trade association that not all LPG firms are in.

Thats it.

mcmullank

Equites said:

Has anyone living on a metered lpg estate renewed their contract recently and if so, what price did you get?

We are on a 50 house metered estate in NE Scotland currently served by Flogas under a umbrella agreement.
The existing 2yr deal ends next month and is 125.13p per cubic metre (32.50p per cubic litre).
As usual with Flogas the renewal letter is badly written as the renewal price quote is this "will move to 288.75" - waiting to find out if that is cubic metre or cubic litre.  And they also choose not to detail the new daily standing charge...

You should be trying to achieve a price that is under 50% more that you are currently paying.  That should be achieveable.

kassy64

Just had a letter from Flogas arrive this morning, yes, they are putting up the standing charge again (2nd time in this current contract). They quote extreme circumstances etc. My daily rate is going from 27 p per day to 41 p per day, not a massive amount in the grand scheme of things but just seems that contracts are not really being honoured (albeit only day rate has gone up on my a/c) but the good news is they have left my p per litre alone (still on 38p I think it is) but contract expires in January next year so expecting a big increase.

markmorgan

kassy64 said:

Just had a letter from Flogas arrive this morning, yes, they are putting up the standing charge again (2nd time in this current contract). They quote extreme circumstances etc. My daily rate is going from 27 p per day to 41 p per day, not a massive amount in the grand scheme of things but just seems that contracts are not really being honoured (albeit only day rate has gone up on my a/c) but the good news is they have left my p per litre alone (still on 38p I think it is) but contract expires in January next year so expecting a big increase.

I have just had my letter from Flogas yesterday too - I'm sure they just make up numbers.  My standing charge has increased from 21.9ppd to 32.85ppd and the delivery surcharge they added earlier this year has increased from £50 to £75.  Both of these are exactly 50% increases.  They are already stiffing me for 82.95ppl so they have kindly not put that up LOL.

LessImpecunious

markmorgan said:

kassy64 said:

Just had a letter from Flogas arrive this morning, yes, they are putting up the standing charge again (2nd time in this current contract). They quote extreme circumstances etc. My daily rate is going from 27 p per day to 41 p per day, not a massive amount in the grand scheme of things but just seems that contracts are not really being honoured (albeit only day rate has gone up on my a/c) but the good news is they have left my p per litre alone (still on 38p I think it is) but contract expires in January next year so expecting a big increase.

I have just had my letter from Flogas yesterday too - I'm sure they just make up numbers.  My standing charge has increased from 21.9ppd to 32.85ppd and the delivery surcharge they added earlier this year has increased from £50 to £75.  Both of these are exactly 50% increases.  They are already stiffing me for 82.95ppl so they have kindly not put that up LOL.

Does your contract not allow you to terminate if they put up prices excessively? For instance, my Calor contract is broken (by them) if they increase prices by more than 3.5p in any three month period...

Lisa_mj

kassy64 said:

Just had a letter from Flogas arrive this morning, yes, they are putting up the standing charge again (2nd time in this current contract). They quote extreme circumstances etc. My daily rate is going from 27 p per day to 41 p per day, not a massive amount in the grand scheme of things but just seems that contracts are not really being honoured (albeit only day rate has gone up on my a/c) but the good news is they have left my p per litre alone (still on 38p I think it is) but contract expires in January next year so expecting a big increase.

Had my letter today, standing charge increasing from 21.9p to 32.86p per day.  My fixed rate contract (33ppl) runs out at beginning of Feb, last top up was end of March, tank currently reading 78%, need to make sure I use enough gas before Feb to get another top up before my contract runs out

JerryW

Now renewed my lpg contract for the coming 2 years. The old one was fixed at 29p/l and I was braced for a significant increase. Offers were:

- Avanti 50p/l fixed for 24 months, + £66pa standing charge

- Calor: 48p/l + £66, fixed for 12m then variable

- Rose Gas: 68p/l + VAT for the first three fills, then variable, + £66 + VATpa

- LPG Save 52p/l for 12m then no more than 5p pa increase, and £60pa.

I then negotiated with Flogas direct and have accepted an offer from them of 47p/l inc. VAT fixed for 24 months, and £60pa inc. VAT. Given current market conditions, I am not unhappy.

I have asked Flogas to confirm that the price increase clauses in their terms and conditions (8.3 and 8.4) and the delivery charge clause 6.5 are superseded and of no effect.

I should say that over the past two years Flogas have been excellent, and I have no criticism of them or of the renewal discussion which so far has been trouble-free. If asked I would cheerfully recommend them, though I am aware that not everyone has had the same experiences as me.

Please let me know how you all get on, come renewal. The more information we have, the better...

JerryW

On a separate issue, I have recently acquired a motorhome that has a refillable (Gaslow) LPG tank. It has an automatic cutoff at 80% full, and is designed to be refilled from an autogas pump.

I am wondering if it is possible to refill the tank from my own bulk supply tank. Does anyone know if that can be done? If so it would be convenient and also cheaper than autogas. The lpg is not powering the vehicle, it is just used for heating and cooking, as the house supply itself is..