Will the British Gas rise really happen?

kenshaz

British Gas have just reported double profits and large dividends

Curry_Queen

I've read several threads recently discussing the price hike by BG, but I'm surprised no one else has mentioned the recent tv ad campaign that BG have launched.

The basic message they convey is that if BG increase their prices there will be no point in switching providers because everyone else will follow suit, so it will be far easier to just stay with BG!

worldtraveller

Scottish Power have just announced price increases from 1st March this year, of 15% in their gas price & 8% in their electricity price.

CLICK HERE-BBC NEWS

Poppycat

It is getting beyond a joke. It wont be long before it will be those that can afford to heat there homes, and those that cant. Sadly those that can't are increasing every year. Isnt life wonderful

scaldyflash

Stonk wrote:

It's a bit like council tax rises. Every year we're fed scare stories about it rising, say, 15%, and then when it's "only" 8% people are actually happy. Well I'm flippin' not! It's still 3 to 4 times inflation.

My guess is also about 15% for gas. I don't mind this as much as I mind council tax going up. The wholesale cost of gas is far higher than it used to be, and we cannot expect the gas companies to sit these making a loss (they aren't charities).

C'mon of course they aren't charities, but they are making BILLIONS of pounds a year for their executives and shareholders and I cannot remember a time when they have given us, the end user, a substantial decrease in charges when wholesale oil and gas prices have fallen.....can you ? It's been a one way street for many a year !

kenshaz

We need intervention by the regulator

alared

These companies are making vast,obscene profits and also conning the public with all their "switch to us,we`re the cheapest" nonsense.

If just one of them announced a genuine price DECREASE you would be knocked down in the stampede to switch to them.

Poppycat

I sent SP and the regulator a humours email Not that it will do any good but at least my conscience is clear.

worldtraveller

"Following the further substantial rises in wholesale energy costs British Gas has been forced to increase its gas and electricity domestic energy prices by 22% with effect from 1 March 2006" Centrica Statement 17/2/06

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4723648.stm

Not quite a 25% increase, but very close. Mind you, we're talking about British Gas here and they have pretty much been ahead of most of the game on pricing for some time now, haven't they!!

Poppycat

They will all follow now, its just a matter of time, hopefully not as bad as BG. I suppose I can thank myself lucky its only 15% with SP.