Coal prices

pink_princess

mrsgemini wrote: »

We are paying £12 per bag for smokeless briquettes here in the N.E.

What i only pay £ 9 in durham:eek:
Signed petition thank you

SEE

pink_princess wrote: »

What i only pay £ 9 in durham:eek:

What weight are you getting for your money, is it 50kg?

pink_princess

Hi see its actually 55kg

SEE

pink_princess wrote: »

Hi see its actually 55kg

£9 for 55kg:p Lucky lucky you. Whats the name of the firm?

pink_princess

I don t actually know,they knocked at the door two years ago(they were just starting up a round) offered it to us £2 pound cheaper than we were paying.
Its also better quality not so little bits,burns well (not that brick type yuk)
They come once a fortnight and we ve had no problems with it.
I want to get into paper brick making though make it even cheaper .(im a cheap skate lol)
HTH
PP

Lady_Python

Have signed the petition (although I haven't had the confirmation e-mail yet) and will pass it on to as many people as I can think of.

We're opening up our coal fire soon which also has the added benefits of being able to burn a lot of rubbish so no maggots this year and I'll use the ash to dig into the ground where I grow some of our veg.

What really does annoy me is we're sitting on enough coal in this country to keep the home fires burning for hundreds of years and keep a lot of people in work, yet we're importing inferior coal from other countries - and all because a minority of people who have probably never had a job in their lives, or done anything worthwhile or have been born with the silver spoon in their mouths make a loud noise about the environment:mad:

SEE

pink_princess wrote: »

I don t actually know,they knocked at the door two years ago(they were just starting up a round) offered it to us £2 pound cheaper than we were paying.
Its also better quality not so little bits,burns well (not that brick type yuk)
They come once a fortnight and we ve had no problems with it.
I want to get into paper brick making though make it even cheaper .(im a cheap skate lol)
HTH
PP

Can you ask them to start a round in the West Mids:D

SEE

Lady_Python wrote: »

Have signed the petition (although I haven't had the confirmation e-mail yet) and will pass it on to as many people as I can think of.

We're opening up our coal fire soon which also has the added benefits of being able to burn a lot of rubbish so no maggots this year and I'll use the ash to dig into the ground where I grow some of our veg.

What really does annoy me is we're sitting on enough coal in this country to keep the home fires burning for hundreds of years and keep a lot of people in work, yet we're importing inferior coal from other countries - and all because a minority of people who have probably never had a job in their lives, or done anything worthwhile or have been born with the silver spoon in their mouths make a loud noise about the environment:mad:

Thank you:beer:

Dawni

Have signed the petition (or will have when the confirming email arrives); at least it feels like I'm doing something. I'm outraged that coal can be sold at whatever the industry feels like charging for it, especially as I personally know lots of elderly people, including my mother, who use it. Many of these people are on a limited income and really can't afford coal at its present price, in spite of the government's fuel payment.

We're still paying £16 a bag in my part of N Ireland; time it was back to £12 as it was a few months ago.

Stuckupahill

andygo999 wrote: »

Hi, I don't think there is. I've just emailed this to the Office of Fair Trading. Don't know if they'll do anything....hard to prove collusion...


[EMAIL="enquiries@oft.gov.uk"]enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]
Could you tell me if anyone is investigating the appalling rise in the price of coal to householders in the UK.
It's increased from around £100 a tonne in 2006 to £300 a tonne today (depending on what type you order).
There aren't that many coal producers and they all seem to be putting up prices.
A number of coal producers have published their annual reports - which show the AVERAGE price for a tonne of coal is just £38.
http://www.energybuild.co.uk/downloads/EnergyBuild_AR2008.pdf
http://www.ath.co.uk/html/investor_information/latest_results.html
That figure includes coal supplied to power stations - and obviously they will pay less.
But why should domestic users be paying almost 10 times as much for their coal, and why isn't there a regulatory body overseeing the price of domestic coal.
I've already spoken to Ofgem and they only cover gas and electricity.
Could you also tell me if the OfT is going to refer the coal producers to the Monopolies Commission for price fixing.

Here's the reply from Office of Fair Trading...they don't want to know.....and won't get involved unless someone can prove prices are arrived at "by agreement, or reflect an abuse of a dominant position or anti-competitive practices in the UK".

Am signing the petition anyway...anyone have any other ideas?

Andy


Telephone 08457 22 44 99
Our ref EPIC/ENQ/E/50742 Fax 0207 211 8391
Date 7 January 2009 Email [EMAIL="Enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk"]Enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

Thank you for your email of 17 December regarding the price of coal.

By way of background, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is responsible for making markets work well for consumers. We achieve this by promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive. Our primary duties include the enforcement of competition law, and the application of consumer protection legislation in respect of matters that adversely affect the collective interests of UK consumers. We also have a role in educating consumers, government and business, and taking informal action where appropriate. For more information on the work we carry out please visit our website at www.oft.gov.uk.

The main law covering competition in the UK is the Competition Act 1998 (the Act). In brief, the Act contains two main prohibitions. The Chapter I prohibition prohibits price fixing or other anti-competitive agreements which prevent, restrict or distort competition. The Chapter II prohibition prohibits conduct which amounts to an abuse of a dominant position.

In general, the price that a business sets for a particular product or service is a matter for its own commercial judgement. The OFT does not have a role as long as prices are not arrived at by agreement, or do not reflect an abuse of a dominant position or anti-competitive practices in the UK.

High prices do not necessarily indicate anti-competitive behaviour. The long term increase in the price of coal to which you refer can be explained by a variety of factors including the increased global demand for coal, particularly from emerging economies such as China. The lower price paid by larger customers such power stations is due to efficiencies in supplying the quantities purchased, as you suggest. Before any formal action can be taken under the Act, further evidence would be required to suggest that high prices were contrary to prevailing market conditions. In view of this, we will not be taking any further action in relation to your complaint at this time.

We appreciate the time you have taken in bringing this matter to our attention. Our intention not to make further enquiries into this complaint at present does not preclude the OFT from revisiting the matter should further information come to our attention.

Yours sincerely


Terry Ridout
Enquiries and Reporting Centre
Office of Fair Trading