Energy Giants Are Told: Cut Bills Now

1carminestocky

GREEDY energy firms are facing mounting pressure to slash gas and electricity bills before Christmas.

Despite wholesale prices plunging by nearly a third since their peak in the summer, gas and electricity bills have not budged.

It means millions of struggling householders are facing a miserable festive season following energy price hikes plus record rises in fuel prices and rising food costs earlier this year.

The Daily Express has spearheaded a crusade for fairer prices to ease the burden on families crippled by the credit crunch.

Now the UK’s consumer watchdog is also demanding gas and electricity price cuts before Christmas.....

Wholesale gas costs have fallen 33 per cent and electricity 28 per cent from their summer high point. Gordon Lishman, director-general of Age Concern, said: “One in three pensioner households are in fuel poverty and this Christmas many will decide whether to eat or heat.

Companies must pass on the price decrease.”

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/71484/Energy-giants-are-told-Cut-bills-now


I'm assuming they won't take any notice....:rolleyes:

Ken68

Consumer Focus needs to focus on getting the tariffs made clearer..less of them and easier to understand.
With Winter Fuel Allowance of £250 and in some cases £400, the comment about 'heat or eat' is a load of tosh.

bristolleedsfan

Ken68 wrote: »

With Winter Fuel Allowance of £250 and in some cases £400, the comment about 'heat or eat' is a load of tosh.

+ less and less cold weather each winter that passes. :cool:

1carminestocky

Ken68 wrote: »

Consumer Focus needs to focus on getting the tariffs made clearer..less of them and easier to understand.
With Winter Fuel Allowance of £250 and in some cases £400, the comment about 'heat or eat' is a load of tosh.

To be entirely fair to My Mayo, it wasn't him who made that comment, it was Gordon Lishman, director-general of Age Concern. But I do agree, it would be a major victory for the consumer if the companies were forced to make their tariffs easier to understand. But, in the meantime, putting pressure on them to cut their prices IMO is the major task to focus on. Simpler tariffs can come later...

mel_mel

Just read this article thanks. Xmas is only a few weeks away and at the rate these companies work it will be next year before they start getting themselves into gear to think about it and work out how to do it. So like you all I won't hold my breath.

1carminestocky

It is also interesting to read the reader's comments on the article. They are the sort of comments that get people called trolls on here by certain self-appointed experts :rolleyes: Let's get real here: the feeling of the general public on the whole is that the energy companies are totally mistrusted and discredited.

Maybe if they have such a strong case they should actually try and get their point across to the public, surely any self-respecting company who thought they were being majorly wronged would be only too keen to do so. Can we assume the almost total silence of the energy companies since oil as well as wholesale gas/electricity prices has plummeted whilst they continue to push their ridiculous fixed tariffs tells us all we need to know about their motives?

BallandChain

1carminestocky wrote: »

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/71484/Energy-giants-are-told-Cut-bills-now

Thanks for the link. I notice that Eon have no plans to bring their prices down.

'The Energy Retail Association, representing all big suppliers, dismissed calls for prices cuts before Christmas.'

It looks as if it will be quite a few months before they actually reduce their prices.

lol, I think Reactor has visited that link. Check out the bottom of the comments page. :rotfl:

SEND THE TOP BOSSES TO PRISION

17.11.08, 1:15am
Legalised criminals,should be sent to prision,for causing suffering and deaths to thousands of people,fines are no good,these fat cats are bullies.
• Posted by: mackie • Report Comment

mech_2

It has been explained many times how the utility companies agree gas contracts well in advance of delivery. So if they're buying most of their gas 3 months ahead of time and the prices peak at the end of August, that means the most expensive gas would be being paid for... oooh... any day now.

But it has been demonstrated on this forum in recent months that it is futile trying to explain anything to the willfully ignorant. A complete and total waste of time.

icefall

Some classic comments on that page, thanks op

click view all at your peril!

1carminestocky

mech wrote: »

It has been explained many times how the utility companies agree gas contracts well in advance of delivery. So if they're buying most of their gas 3 months ahead of time and the prices peak at the end of August, that means the most expensive gas would be being paid for... oooh... any day now.

But it has been demonstrated on this forum in recent months that it is futile trying to explain anything to the willfully ignorant. A complete and total waste of time.

Do you have any informed knowledge about why a company like British Gas is STILL advertising its fixed price tariff in the most prominent position on its website, mech? I note they ahve now added a BEST BUY graphic to it as well :rotfl: I do note that even such an extreme apologist as yourself has had to admit that prices are just about certain to fall. Will you join me in condemning BG for still pushing its fixed deal now?

Geoffo_M

They should either renationalise the energy industry or buy the regulator a set of teeth for Christmas