Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

SD-253

HateLPG wrote: »

I didn't realise this, but Therese Coffey MP recently stated in parliament that:

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?gid=2011-01-19a.268.0

I will repeat loudly, for those who skip-read this thread :

...anyone who does not have access to mains gas is allowed to claim for a dual fuel discount from all their suppliers.

I've had a look at the EDF website, and they "generously" state (December 2008)

http://www.edfenergy.com/media-centre/press-news/EDF-Energy-addresses-Ofgem-concerns-101208.shtml

I would hope that this scheme is by now extended Nationwide - if not, I, for one, will want to know why not! From what I can gather, OFGEM requires all electricity companies to make that tariff available to all customers who are unable to get mains gas.

I am not entirely sure that there was a duel fuel discount available to me (Scottish Power). Does anyone know if all companies give duel fuel discount? Obviously I would not notice as I always click electricity only. Furthermore is it back dated (the discount I should have got)? Something that people should note most if not all suppliers will penalize you if you change companies before your contract ends. BUT this “fine” is I believe £30 for virtually every company for electricity only tariff (am I right?) But they do not always charge this if you change to another one of there tariffs? IE you can follow the price falls down but not bother (obviously) in changing when prices rise. This means I am on the best tariff that my company ever offered. Changing tariff now to another company (or with Scottish Power) would result in £142 rise and the loss of a £63 reward at the end of the contract. Result my electrify bill is £21 a month without the reward. This was clearly a loss making tariff I suspect without taking into account that £63 was the same for everyone no matter how much electricity they used........A weird tariff if you ask me?? And one that will never be repeated. PS will I have to inform my electricity supplier that I have no access to mains gas?

SD-253

HateLPG wrote: »

Shell makes nearly £1.6m profits every hour

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/03/shell-profits-nearly-one-point-six-million-an-hour

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9f542f82-2f62-11e0-834f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1CswKpdaT

Enough said

Isn't Shell a very large company with businesses all over the world?

cairndog

Yes Brandeberry I'd also like to know how we discover what each company gives as a dual fuel discount? I suspect they will say they automatically include this when a new customer ticks "no" to the "have you got mains gas" question.

SD-253

cairndog wrote: »

Yes Brandeberry I'd also like to know how we discover what each company gives as a dual fuel discount? I suspect they will say they automatically include this when a new customer ticks "no" to the "have you got mains gas" question.

I cannot remember being asked that question ("have you got mains gas") Is this asked when you sign up to an actual supplier? as I cannot remember being asked at a comparision site.

bobmedley

I queried British Gas on this point & got a waffly email in response stating I got DD discounts and that covered this requirement.

I think it's BS, but because it looks as if the sums are low I can't be bothered to take it any further.

frankie

brandeberryj wrote: »

I cannot remember being asked that question ("have you got mains gas") Is this asked when you sign up to an actual supplier? as I cannot remember being asked at a comparision site.

When I switched to EDF in November and they sent the usual bumf and paperwork, there was a section on the contract that you ticked to say that mains gas was not available.

If no mains gas was available they gave you a whopping £8.50 at the end of the year!!

Don't know if any other suppliers offer this sort of big money give away though.

Seems to me that in order to compensate, mainly rural, customers that all electricity companies could compensate/level the playing field by being obliged to allow customers a decent 'rebate' of this type. This would go some small way to alleviate the high cost of energy experienced by non-gas grid consumers? I'm sure that the companies could stand the cost of this, even if they were to somehow claim it back from taxes?

GrandadRob

I am with EDF, I phoned them to ask the question. They started out very positive that I already got the discount. After checking through, it turned out that I did NOT. So I got it backdated as well.
Don't just assume, check it out, agreed it's not much, but add up all those with any one company...................

GrandadRob

Just spoke to the Countrywide rep. He quoted me 42ppl and £50 pa tank rental. I then informed him that the delivered to my neighbour last week at 55ppl..........is their normal practice. He said that the practice of charging different people different prices for the same product did bother him ! but apparently not Countrywide....amongst others. He would not offer any further contract enhancers.

I must decide this weekend because of the level in my tank. Shell price was horrible, the local small companies have all ignored my last email.

So it seems to be Countrywide at 42ppl, or Calor at 44.9ppl with the 3.5ppl price rise in 3 months get out clause. I forgot to ask Calor about their tank rental... Anyone fill me in on that one ?

Any thoughts on this one please..which one to go with.

LittleVermin

GrandadRob wrote: »

Just spoke to the Countrywide rep. He quoted me 42ppl and £50 pa tank rental. I then informed him that the delivered to my neighbour last week at 55ppl..........is their normal practice. He said that the practice of charging different people different prices for the same product did bother him ! but apparently not Countrywide....amongst others. He would not offer any further contract enhancers.

I must decide this weekend because of the level in my tank. Shell price was horrible, the local small companies have all ignored my last email.

So it seems to be Countrywide at 42ppl, or Calor at 44.9ppl with the 3.5ppl price rise in 3 months get out clause. I forgot to ask Calor about their tank rental... Anyone fill me in on that one ?

Any thoughts on this one please..which one to go with.

My post on the dormant (good!) LPG/LPG Prices thread is relevant:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=36351243&postcount=183 and this refers to an earlier post by HeldtoRansom in 2008.

I wouldn't sign up with ANY supplier unless they gave a maximum rate of price rise (which was acceptable!) - unless they had a monthly price which tracked the wholesale market (e.g. Extra Gas - uniquely, I believe).

I guess Calor will charge a similar rental figure (i.e. around £50 to £60) to Countrywide.

If your neighbour is paying 55ppl for the same juice, from the same tanker, from the same company, you just might inquire how far into his 2 year contract he is {I'll leave you to add smileys, unsmileys, exclamation marks and question marks}.

At least the Countrywide rep appeared to have a conscience .... while he gave you the wonderful never-to-be-repeated* introductory price.

Please look at HateLPG's useful charts! http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=41113706&postcount=689

Extra Gas's price this month is 50.23ppl so that's probably a fairish retail price at the present time. (ref: DAVID.T, who knows about these things - actually being in the industry and not given to producing bovine excreta - endorsed following Extra Gas's price as being an indicator of price trends.)


*until the next potential victim.

And, NO, I do not work for Calor, before anyone asks!

Den2Mark

Hi GrandadRob,
I signed with Countrywide Farmers in Oct 2010 at 35ppl. In early Feb 2011 they raised the price by 7ppl, i.e. to 42 ppl. I queried with them why they raised my price by 7ppl while another of their customers on this thread had only a 4ppl rise. The Customer Services person told me that they were regularising all their customers, who were not on introductory rates, at 42 ppl. When I signed up last year I asked for a limit on the price rise in a given time period, but the sales rep said they didn't give such a limit because they couldn't predict market price fluctuation. He said that if I found they were raising prices out of line with the market price then I could break the contract under unfair trading laws.
So far I have found Countrywide reasonable to deal with, though there was a three week delay between order and delivery for my last order. My contract says that the price they charge is the price at time of order, not delivery, and they kept to that, despite the price going up in the three week wait.