Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?

GrandadRob

OK, To address the differences between my circumstances, and my neighbours, with reference to the 13ppl price difference.

1) Volume. They use loads more than me, firstly because their house and family are larger than mine. Secondly they leave it on most of the winter, because they have loads of dosh !!! :mad:

2) They have a tank larger than mine (mine is 1410 litres) and it is overground as is mine.

3) Don't know their tank rental or position in contract, but can find out.

So you see how that makes it WORSE. You would expect volume and the number of top up visits to make things cheaper !!

Also just around Christmas, their automatic tank sensor sent a request for top up to Countrywide. They ran out three weeks later and Countrywide had to make an emergency visit...

HateLPG

GrandadRob,

I think you explained in six sweet words (and three exclamation marks) exactly why they are paying so much more:

GrandadRob wrote: »

because they have loads of dosh !!!

This just underlines that LPG companies charge what they (think) they can get away with. In other words, if Mr. Next Door was not so willing or able to pay the higher price, chances are, he would have challenged the rises or changed supplier and therefore be paying somewhat less. Inertia, ignorance and the whole hassle of changing supplier are our biggest enemies.

I'm not a cheapskate, but I don't like being taken for a ride, and as a result, I am lucky enough to be paying just 36.5ppl at present (awaiting the imminent price rise letter any day now!). I told my neighbours about this price when I changed supplier about 6 months back, and suggested as there weere some good deals around, it might be worth their while to look into changing supplier too. I was talking to one of them about LPG just last week, and he said he thinks he's currently paying 44ppl, but he doesn't know and that he really ought to get round to looking for a cheaper supplier sometime.

Nuff said

GrandadRob

I have just had a conversation with the Calor call centre to confirm their figures ( 44.9ppl...£60 pa tank rental....3.5p cap in 3 months)

But something else came up that I had never heard before...

IS YOUR TANK AT LEAST THREE METRES FROM ANY SOLID OBJECT.

I explained that it stands ONE metre from my detatched garage, which is in the driveway away from the house. The garage is actually between the tank and the house. There is miles on the other three sides. The position was dictated and overseen by first British Gas and then Flogas, and has been serviced for 12 years since.
She then said that in order for Calor to service me, the tank would have to be moved.

Comments please..................will this never end :eek:

Ozzysmate

GrandadRob wrote: »

I have just had a conversation with the Calor call centre to confirm their figures ( 44.9ppl...£60 pa tank rental....3.5p cap in 3 months)

But something else came up that I had never heard before...

IS YOUR TANK AT LEAST THREE METRES FROM ANY SOLID OBJECT.

I explained that it stands ONE metre from my detatched garage, which is in the driveway away from the house. The garage is actually between the tank and the house. There is miles on the other three sides. The position was dictated and overseen by first British Gas and then Flogas, and has been serviced for 12 years since.
She then said that in order for Calor to service me, the tank would have to be moved.

Comments please..................will this never end :eek:

Just looking through the British Gas Installation Guidelines of 1996 that I have, they state:

"Site Requirements
Tanks should be sited 3m from the house or its boundaries although in certain circumstances this distance may be reduced. When required, our technical advisors will assist in choosing the most appropriate site and in suggesting suitable screening."

This extract is from the same guidelines that saw my prepared pit with concrete base to be too shallow for the tank when it arrived. It seems the dimension given didn't include the green box that sits on top of the tank and houses the controls and guage. With this green box sitting 12" iirc above the surface of the lawn, the installers solution was to remove the concrete skids that the tank should sit on.

Experts...Don't you just love 'em?

Ozzysmate

Results of my enquiries to date all during Feb:

Innergy: Supply only bottled gas to domestic properties in and around Leeds.

Lister Gas 50ppl Midlands area only

Extra Fuel: 50.23ppl Tank rental £120/annum

MVF: 46ppl for 3 months (Flogas supplied)

Calor: 44.9ppl for 3 months then capped at 3.5p/qtr. (their fair pricing clause)

Shell: 43.5ppl for 6 months then capped at 3ppl/6 month. Tank rental £100/annum.

Flogas: 65ppl with no cap Tank rental £40/annum. That's not an introductory price but must be their special loyalty price after 15 years. :rotfl:

Waiting for a couple of others to get back for info.

GrandadRob

The Shell deal looks better than the Calor one, even though the tank rental is £40 pa more. Their caps are better. The six month is of no interest to me, because summer is coming. But the further 3p in six months looks good for future fill.

Ozzysmate

The lady at Shell was very helpful. When I asked what was the likelihood of the price coming down with market trends, once the contract was signed, she replied that it had happened only once to her knowledge, in 2008.

The best time to enter into this contract would be later in the year when prices will hopefully be at their seasonal low. Even so, with a maximum of 12p going onto the 43.5, giving a contract end price of 55.5ppl it'll still be 9.5ppl less than I'm being offered today from Flogas.

With a low tank reading and faced with those figures, I'm tempted to just go with Shell. Another week and it's March, so I shall hang on to see what happens.

Just a thought with the unrest currently spreading in the Middle East, who will be first to use this as an excuse to up the price?

DAVID.T_3

GrandadRob wrote: »

I have just had a conversation with the Calor call centre to confirm their figures ( 44.9ppl...£60 pa tank rental....3.5p cap in 3 months)

But something else came up that I had never heard before...

IS YOUR TANK AT LEAST THREE METRES FROM ANY SOLID OBJECT.

I explained that it stands ONE metre from my detatched garage, which is in the driveway away from the house. The garage is actually between the tank and the house. There is miles on the other three sides. The position was dictated and overseen by first British Gas and then Flogas, and has been serviced for 12 years since.
She then said that in order for Calor to service me, the tank would have to be moved.

Comments please..................will this never end :eek:

If the side of your garage that the tank is situated is brick and has no windows, or doors on that side, then the garage can be viewed as a fire wall allowing you to be 1mtr from it. If not 3 mtrs.

cairndog

Yes Calor have issued updated tank position requirements ( I think it was 2009) which are very stringent indeed. I believe they were bound by the latest fire/health/safety regs. Problem for most people is they render their present and longstanding tank position illegal ! This has a number of implications which you can work out for yourselves. Most people can only keep their fingers crossed I guess.

GrandadRob

Ozzysmate, you sound like your position is the same as mine currently. I must agree that that Shell deal does sound the most promising so far, even with the £100 tank rental. I have requested a quote, but not replied as yet.