LPG price comparison

LittleVermin

That's very good news, Margaret! And obviously worth all the digging! Thanks for the posting.

You don't tell us the price you negotiated - and I assume you don't intend to. But maybe you will let us all know the bare bones of your new contract, please?

Is it for 2 years? Or less?

For how long is the price you negotiated valid for?

Can you get out of the contract if the price goes above a certain level? What is this price?

Do you get money off when you sign up?

Do you get money off if you sign other people up?

Do you have to pay by direct debit?

I guess you have a regular 3/4 bed house - so not a massive user? And you are paying around £60pa tank hire?

Obviously knowing the price you are paying now would be really helpful for others who are also looking at their options!

By the way can you tell us who charged you 40ppl over the last 2 years, please? Did the price never vary? Has Calor really offered you a guaranteed 2 year deal at less than 40ppl?

You've probably noticed that lots of us on the LPG forums have posted the prices we have been charged - which has made the forums so useful. Some have even posted info about price guarantees, contracts, price changes, etc - adding to the usefulness.

Sorry about all the questions!

cheers,
John aka Little Vermin

PS What's the name of the :staradmin:staradmin:staradmin:staradmin:staradmin calor rep, please?

Margretwilkins wrote: »

I have just spent the last few weeks trying to crack this mystery of finding the best way to find and maintain a fair LPG price. I spent weeks contacting each supplier and found joy when I was given the details for my local Calor midlands rep who could not have been anymore helpful. Unusually for a rep the young man was sympathetic to my concerns and was able to quote me a cheaper price for my bulk supply than I had found elsewhere. I have concluded that prices are widely negotiable, after spending 2years paying 40ppl with my previous supplier I am happy I took the time to research and discover this. Good luck!

gem1979_2

Would be interested to know your prices too if you wouldn't mind Margret. We're with Calor who have just offered us £100 (£50 now, £50 12 months time) to renew but we're paying 46.4p/l plus VAT at the moment. Was 40.9p until a couple of months ago. We have a 2000l underground tank.

sylvia29159

Hi, Just a note to say we moved to this house with lpg fuel 8 years ago. We signed up with BP for fuel at 18p per litre. Over time this price has gone up and up and today just got another letter (2nd in 5 weeks) to say going up again, effective imediately.
It went up 2nd November by 5.5ppl and today by 8.5pp. They now want 67.95ppl.
Now time to reconsider and see if we can source cheaper fuel.
Can anyone suggest a better lpg company or would we be cheaper just switching to electricity?

frankie

sylvia29159 wrote: »

Hi, Just a note to say we moved to this house with lpg fuel 8 years ago. We signed up with BP for fuel at 18p per litre. Over time this price has gone up and up and today just got another letter (2nd in 5 weeks) to say going up again, effective imediately.
It went up 2nd November by 5.5ppl and today by 8.5pp. They now want 67.95ppl.
Now time to reconsider and see if we can source cheaper fuel.
Can anyone suggest a better lpg company or would we be cheaper just switching to electricity?

Hi

Have a look in the sticky Bulk lpg section. Lots of info on lpg prices and contracts.

Also, if you have not done so, can I encourage you to say thanks on the lpg manifesto.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=39205254&postcount=477

Spond_2

When we moved here ~4 years ago we had LPG from Calor. Neighbours all have oil so I cannot check advice from them. (Apparently previous owners of house went LPG to snub advice from family - I digress).

We switched to Countrywide in 2009 when monopolies commission made this possible. Countrywide are based in Worcestershire & supply to SW UK (not sure about rest of UK). Countrywide offered better price (I think it was 36p/L). There sales rep was very pleasant & I was able to negotiate down from their list price, however, I did not get agreements in writing. Calor would not barter on price as we were considered low volume users (~1800L/yr). Countrywide quickly increased prices (within 2 months) to match their list price & have subsequently increased prices (nearly 10p/L in last 2 months). I have just placed order and price is 57p/L.

Personally I don't think Countrywide had (or have) the infrastructure that Calor have. We wait 2-3 weeks for deliveries compared to a few days for Calor. If you monitor the tank level and place orders in time this is OK, but if tank runs low this can be hairy. I think they were newcomers to this area & maybe in a few years when they expand it will be better. For now though, we are not happy & am going to look for other suppliers or return to Calor when our contract is up in 2011. Calor contracts state (or used to) that they will not increase price by more than 7p/L during contract period - this is not case with Countrywide.

I have learnt from my mistakes & if you are choosing a supplier you might want to consider prices & infrastructure/ ability to deliver gas.

If you are having a new fit you could check for "oil consortium" in your locality. Our village has one. A number of houses are signed up. They can negotiate a better price for all and one tanker arrives and fills them all at the same time. You cannot do this with LPG.

Hope above does not sound like a promo for Calor (or downer on Countrywide) but you need to nail down prices, delivery, potential price hikes etc & get it in writing or READ the small print.

churchill73

sylvia29159 wrote: »

Hi, Just a note to say we moved to this house with lpg fuel 8 years ago. We signed up with BP for fuel at 18p per litre. Over time this price has gone up and up and today just got another letter (2nd in 5 weeks) to say going up again, effective imediately.
It went up 2nd November by 5.5ppl and today by 8.5pp. They now want 67.95ppl.
Now time to reconsider and see if we can source cheaper fuel.
Can anyone suggest a better lpg company or would we be cheaper just switching to electricity?

Hi
Have you thought of renewable technologies such as wood pellets. The government is launching the Renewable Heat Incentive this year to pay back over time your installation cost. Wood pellets are available quite readily on the internet through people such as woodpellets2u and work out cheaper than todays prices for oil, LPG and electricity.
Good luck

Chillybarns

Hi, 40p per ltr is pretty good, I am presently paying 47p +vat in Devon. I told my supplier Calor in Dec 09 that I had had a cheaper quote and they immediately came back with an offer of 38p plus £100 refund off the next bill if I would sign a 2 year contract, which I did. After 6 mths the price was increased to 43.5p then in Nov 2010 up to 47p + vat. As I signed the contract I am tied in for 2 yrs and therefore they can charge what they like. If you insist that you want to change you are liable for a "tank uplift charge" of £250 + vat and and the return of the incentive carrot of £100.My last bill for 1597 litres was £788.12! enough to make your eyes water! so stay a 'free' agent/customer.

patricia_topping wrote: »

I use a bulk storage tank with Calor for LPG and buy bulk at £0.40 a litre.
I am going to try and get them to reduce this as they want me to sign up to a 2 year contract and are offering £50 off to sign up and a further £50 off after the first year.