MSE News: Ofgem urges households to switch energy supplier

KimYeovil

bjudson wrote: »

One other point, why is BG allowed to get away with the words in their latest advert "we know it has been a difficult winter for you, that's why we are lowering our prices" what a load of BS...I guess I should write to the Advertising Standards Authority

On what grounds ? They have indeed lowered prices for a vast swathe of their customers.

bjudson

I am not disputing they lowered their prices but it is not because they are some caring company that thinks we have had a hard time over the winter, more likely because of the pressure put onto them by Ofgem

KimYeovil

"Pressure put onto them by Ofgem"?!? If any supplier throws that line in an advert then that's when you should report them to ASA for laugh out loud ludicrousness.

housebug

bjudson wrote: »

One other point, why is BG allowed to get away with the words in their latest advert "we know it has been a difficult winter for you, that's why we are lowering our prices" what a load of BS...I guess I should write to the Advertising Standards Authority

It's the same most years; the energy suppliers wait until the Winter is well and truly over to announce "price cuts". It's not illegal. Irritating yes, because they wait until the most profitable quarter of the year (for them) is over, but not illegal.

I find the banks' ads offensive in their blatant hypocrisy, in light of the current financial mess the entire Planet is is. You have two choices, hit the "mute" button on the remote or change the channel.

Plushchris

bjudson wrote: »

One other point, why is BG allowed to get away with the words in their latest advert "we know it has been a difficult winter for you, that's why we are lowering our prices" what a load of BS...I guess I should write to the Advertising Standards Authority

Advertising? British gas? BS????

Whatever next!?!?!?!

Cardew

bjudson wrote: »

I would like to second Anon's point about the way suppliers are now trying to lock in customer for up to 1 year. Clearly Ofgem need to start looking into the this practise and have it stopped. I regularily change suppliers when price dictates but I don't want to be tied to one supplier for 12 months. Come on Ofgem, pull your finger out

You don't have to be tied into one supplier for 12 months as most of the companies have penalty free tariffs.

Equally most of the companies offer the incentive of a cheaper tariff if you commit to staying with them for a fixed term. That practice is not unlike phone companies, Sky, Banks etc.

In any case the penalties for leaving early are not large and act as a deterrent to stop people who switch regularly for the cashback offered('Tarts').

thor

I see banks starting to be mentioned in this thread and I think that is very apt as the utilities like most companies these days are following the lead set by banks and building societies. All these different tariffs remind me of the deviousness of savings rates bonuses, widening margins and excessive charges where customers are treated like sh*t.
If you don't like it then change companies they say BUT where do you go when they are all at it?

Dave_save

Unfortunately we live in an age of legalised cartels, where the big boys have enough clout to keep us all in check. Thank god for sites like these, it does tend to keep them on their toes. But as we all know, the utility companies rely on the high number of people who've never ever switched supplier. Those are the very people keeping tariffs lower for the rest of us.

dori2o

talulahbeige wrote: »

What so many people seem to forget is that BECASUE OF THE GOVERNMENT all energy suppliers are comapnies who are there to make a profit, they are businesses

What people who slag off all the energy companies don't see is the amount of money that the government make energy companies invest in upgrading power plants or making things greener. That money has to come from somewhere so where else do you suggest? It already comes out of the profits!
If none of the energy companies made a profit who do you think would supply your gas and electric?
People also seem to forget the 10's of thousands of people who work for energy companies who when you demand price cuts get penalised by not receiving a pay rise as they are pushed by parent companies to keep the profit as high as possible.

And yet it is the very Party that allowed them to become private entities,allowing them to rip people off and make grossly inflated profits, that people now see as the saviours to the country??????