British Gas Major Price Rise Special Email Discussion

tessie_3

Have you heard of equipower and equigas? They appear to be a company based on fair trade and prices are much lower than british gas. However, is this too good to be true, or are they guranteed to be a safe company to go with? If they were to fold, what would happen then?

Thanks

lisyloo

However, is this too good to be true

The principles of the company are very good and not too good to be true, but a price rise is coming in about a month or so.
As they have not raised prices for a year then logic would imply that the rises could be quite steep.

So whilst it's based on good principles, there won't be quite such a big gap shortly and they are not cheapest for everyone.

My own posistion is that I'm hanging fire until I know what their new prices are. I may switch at that time.
Bear in mind that most people don't use much gas at this time of year so there isn't much harm in hanging fire on that one.

RolandYoung

I think you have missed one compelling reason to switch for many British Gas customers. British Gas say that the price increases are due to a 70% increase in wholesale prices. If we assume a large percentage of their customers are on a capped/fixed tariff until 2009. All the increases must be carried by the standard tariff customers. These customers should switch to a supplier who does not force them to pay double. Sadly a lot of these standard tariff customers will be loyal, vulnerable people who just want to pay a simple fare tariff for this essential commodity. I shudder to think what the standard tariff will be by 2009!!!

Cornwall2000

jem16 wrote:

The one that affects EDF Energy which London Energy is now called.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5210670.stm


To be honest it's a bit difficult to work out but I did another comparison with energyhelpline and then clicked on "Your tariff details".

I then phoned CS and asked for details. After quoting me their standard prices, I think we eventually found the online prices as she finally quoted me what energyhelpline were saying for "Your tariff details". If it is correct it's more than the 19% and 9.1% quoted.

I don't think I'll be sure until I get my next bill whcih isn't due till early September.

However it still works out cheapest.

I had the same experience with EDF - I am on the online tariff and have not had a price rise since I joined in January. The letter they sent out showed rates that were more than the 14.9% rise quoted in the same letter. Calls to customer service met with total confusion, but I eventually spoke to an intelligent lad in the cancellations department who confirmed that the rates in the letter were correct for me, but that newer customers to the online tariff would be gettting different, higher rates.

At 2.579p for the first 1465kWh per quarter, and 1.907p after, they are now slightly (£20 pa) more expensive than ebico at my level of consumption, but I will hang on for Ebico's expected price rise in September. As I am getting a cheaper tariff off EDF than the one available for new customers I am inclined to hang on to it and see what happens. Ebico could well work out better in the long term though, and I like the idea of a company with ethics.

Rog

wallofbeans

help! im a little confused and worried... we are in the middle of changing from british gas and london electric (or whatever it is now called) to powergen for both...

i followed the advice on this site and went through one of the comparison sites and powergen seemed to save us quite a chunk of money...
but now im nervous because ive heard powergen have just had a price increase (two weeks before we start using them!) and am worried they arent going to be anywhere near as good a price as they were when i looked into it a month ago...

also, can anyone tell me what a reasonably monthly payment for gas and electric in london should be (2 bed terraced house) because powergen have just told me what my monthly payment will apparently be and it doesn't seem that good...

very worried now!
can i still get out of the powergen thing if it turns out they are now not so great?

any help would be wonderful!

charlie_1978

I see a lot of comments on various forums regarding this subject asking why the energy watchdog or the government not taking any action about this ridiculous price hike, but I think the real question should be what are British Gas Customers going to do about it? I think part of the problem is that this nation’s public have grown soft and the main reason that companies like British gas get away with outlandish acts such as this is because we simply sit back and allow them to do it. I mean the absolute cheek of this enormous price rise to be followed with the announcement that they have made a profit of £992 million in the last 6 months and that their share holders are enjoying a substantial increase in dividends simply says to me that British gas are having a good laugh at their customers expense (mainly because they will most likely get away with it). Do we forget that as consumers it is actually us who hold the power over these companies and not the other way round? Why do British Gases customers simply not vote with their feet and move supplier? Yes I know people will argue that other companies will simply follow suit but the fact is that this nation’s public needs to make a stand and say "we will not tolerate treatment like this any longer". If people started to move supplier away from British Gas in their millions and prospective new customers choose to go to one of the many cheaper suppliers (of which there is a large selection) then I am pretty sure that British Gas would change their tune very quickly and a message would also be sent to the other energy suppliers that we will simply not stand for this. I personally would love to see The Sun start a campaign to boycott British Gas as the message would reach the millions needed to achieve this. What do you think????

penrhyn

I think its a bit daft reviving a thread that's 2 years old.