Watchdog - Energy prices are still too high

Geoffo_M

What a soft time Nicky Cambell gave that guy representing the energy providers. The prog had fully established by way of very impressive graphs how costs had reduced dramatically, but prices to consumers had remained steady, and would only come down a tiny bit at the beginning of April. So they get this tw*t in from the energy council who was allowed to waffle around like a politician, never answering the question and saying if people are really unhappy, they can shop around. Nicky didn't say shop where - all 6 of the providers are stitching us all up. Pathetic - complete waste of time.

Plushchris

Agreed, it was completely pathetic, no questions answered

"Prices are coming down and that a good thing for the consumer" - absolute rubbish, its just an insult to the public inteligence to think that an (up to) 10% drop is acceptable after hikes of 40-50% last year.

1carminestocky

You 2 should count yourselves lucky that mech seems to be either on holiday or has left the site or you would be staring at a very complicated graph or 2 now attempting to show you the error of your ways. Naughty boys.

icefall

oh man missed it, gonna have to catch the repeat, managed to catch the Dispatches NHS scandal though.

Anyone know when the Watchdog repeat will be?

mech_2

It's rather frustrating. I would have expected the current price reductions to be closer to 25% for gas (though less than that for electricity). Maybe there will be more palatable price reductions in the summer. Or maybe I was just wrong in my predictions in the first place. I can't figure out how these tiny price reductions make sense though.

It's too late now anyway. The heating season is practically over. I shan't bother worrying about it again until September now.

Sol00

I haen't watched tonight's Watchdog yet, but I completely agree about energy companies being stingy with their price drops.

savers_united

I am expecting further cuts in the retail cost of Gas around August.
It will probably be in the region of 20% depending on the level of cuts already implemented, in SSEs case cuts of around another further 16% are to be expected and another 8-10% for electricity.

Gas increased 50% last year on average, a 20% reduction this year will mean that rises last year were on average 20%.

My Gas bill in 2007 was £320, in 2008 it was £450.
I am expecting that to fall back to £360-80.

Hard to predict but if we stay at current wholesale levels it is inevitable, if it continues there may be further cuts early 2010.
I know its looking quite far ahead but the energy market at the moment is in freefall with no signs of recovery in sight, dont think it will improve until at least mid 2010.

roddydogs

Why would you want to watch "Watchdog"? the increases/low reduction are well discussed by Martin on this website

1carminestocky

savers_united wrote: »

I am expecting further cuts in the retail cost of Gas around August.
It will probably be in the region of 20% depending on the level of cuts already implemented, in SSEs case cuts of around another further 16% are to be expected and another 8-10% for electricity.

Gas increased 50% last year on average, a 20% reduction this year will mean that rises last year were on average 20%.

My Gas bill in 2007 was £320, in 2008 it was £450.
I am expecting that to fall back to £360-80.

Hard to predict but if we stay at current wholesale levels it is inevitable, if it continues there may be further cuts early 2010.
I know its looking quite far ahead but the energy market at the moment is in freefall with no signs of recovery in sight, dont think it will improve until at least mid 2010.

No, Phil Bentley said at the end of July 2008 that 'we are entering a prolonged period of high energy prices' and he's the managing director of British Gas so you must be wrong, savers united. I would check those figures again.

The only thing that can save these rip-off merchants now is a major war.

Geoffo_M

icefall wrote: »

oh man missed it, gonna have to catch the repeat, managed to catch the Dispatches NHS scandal though.

Anyone know when the Watchdog repeat will be?

Watch it here:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/03/energy_prices.html

savemoney

The guy who represents the industry said "that price for all customers will be lower in April". I recall that because mine haven't come down at all accept usage that is.

Although he never stated which April

They always used the argument that prices are higher because of the rise in wholesale oil prices which are linked. Now they say its because they buy well in advanced so we dont get the peaks and troughs. Now if they buy in advance surely prices will be much lower later this year