Essentials Tarrif - Essentially a rip off!

Cardew

1carminestocky wrote: »

1. Gotta watch for those first 4680 kW, though

2. But like you know maths isn't exactly my strongest subject

As statement 1 demonstrates;)

But whats a few thousand kWhs between friends!

1carminestocky

B*gger! I actually copied and pasted that from the BG site...although clearly something went very wrong, lol.

zzzLazyDaisy

Cardew wrote: »

There is still nothing on the internet about Click 5 prices being increased and the prices you quoted above in post #46 are 'wrong' and Click 5 is cheaper than Essentials.

That said I suspect that you have been given accurate information about the new BG prices by mistake as they are not yet to be released to the public.

Interesting - three different people gave me that info today in three separate phone calls. All assured me that Essentials is definitely cheaper than click 5. One actually worked my bill out on the two different tariffs using my actual usage from this time last year, and told me how much I'd save by moving.

As I say, i took the names of the people I spoke to, and hopefully the conversations will have been recorded at their end (they certainly have at my end).

It would be interesting to see if anyone else gets the same info - it is a freephone number after all, so it costs nothing apart from time (there is a lot of being on hold and recorded announcements).

That said..... I might check the website on monday and give them a call to double check (not that I'm paranoid, you understand.....)

Cardew

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Interesting - three different people gave me that info today in three separate phone calls. All assured me that Essentials is definitely cheaper than click 5. One actually worked my bill out on the two different tariffs using my actual usage from this time last year, and told me how much I'd save by moving.

As I say, i took the names of the people I spoke to, and hopefully the conversations will have been recorded at their end (they certainly have at my end).

It would be interesting to see if anyone else gets the same info - it is a freephone number after all, so it costs nothing apart from time (there is a lot of being on hold and recorded announcements).

That said..... I might check the website on monday and give them a call to double check (not that I'm paranoid, you understand.....)

I did call, and got the old rates quoted - although I suspect the girl was simply looking at the same internet site as we all are.

An announcement will be imminent!

bristolleedsfan

Cardew wrote: »

An announcement will be imminent!

U mean about Click 6 being launched.

SwanJon

I've not heard anything about any planned changes to Click 5.
Although I imagine for very low users it is possible for essentials to be cheaper because of the different thresholds.
The fact that essentials is fixed to Apr 09 at the old rates is true though.

As we've seen earlier, there has been some confusion about the price of essentials - it is designed to match the standard DD rate (currently the old standard DD rate), so until Click 5 changes for the average user click 5 is cheaper.

firsttimeholmes

Hi all

Just got off the phone to the Strategic Director at Centrica - very nice man!

Essentials is no longer a 'social tarrif' as a result of ofgems ruling about social tarrifs having to be cheaper than or equal to all tarrifs including online...

He was disappointed to hear of the failings of the call centre staff and has noted my comments about lack of tarrif information online, lack of staff knowledge etc. Apparently they are in talks at the moment about how to improve the essentials option and so hopefully we will see some positive outcomes from this - it doesnt look like it will become cheaper than click 5 at the moment.

I asked about giving essentials customers an online option which would therefore make click 5 prices more attainable and the feeling is that they dont want to discriminate between those vulnerable customers who do and dont have internet access - I said give them the option and those who dont will be running to their local libraries to be able to access a saving!!!!!!

The long and short of it is that I think he really did care and will do something about it. He was grateful for my call - I have asked him to look at these forum pages so he can see how bad it is for consumers...

Cardew

firsttimeholmes wrote: »

Essentials is no longer a 'social tarrif' as a result of ofgems ruling about social tarrifs having to be cheaper than or equal to all tarrifs including online...

The cynic in me would say that hurdle is easily overcome by increasing the price of on-line tariffs!

linni

Spoke to Brit Gas yesterday and he said that Essentials Tariff is the cheapest at present. The prices for Electricity in the South East area are:

Click 5: 21.605 Tier 1
7.077 Tier 2

Essentials: 14.193 Tier 1
9.348 Tier 2

1carminestocky

firsttimeholmes wrote:

Hi all

Just got off the phone to the Strategic Director at Centrica - very nice man!

Essentials is no longer a 'social tarrif' as a result of ofgems ruling about social tarrifs having to be cheaper than or equal to all tarrifs including online...

He was disappointed to hear of the failings of the call centre staff and has noted my comments about lack of tarrif information online, lack of staff knowledge etc. Apparently they are in talks at the moment about how to improve the essentials option and so hopefully we will see some positive outcomes from this - it doesnt look like it will become cheaper than click 5 at the moment.

linni wrote:

Spoke to Brit Gas yesterday and he said that Essentials Tariff is the cheapest at present. The prices for Electricity in the South East area are:

Click 5: 21.605 Tier 1
7.077 Tier 2

Essentials: 14.193 Tier 1
9.348 Tier 2

:rotfl: What a top company! Not.