This is why British Gas survives!

Heinz

Visiting an elderly (mid-80's) relative yesterday, discussion got round to the ever-increasing cost of gas and electricity.

She told me she had read the article in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday - exposing the massive rises most suppliers had imposed in recent months - and admitted that she knew that British Gas, her suppiler for both utilities, was the most expensive.

The 'justification' for not changing was, "I know I'm paying more but I've been with them a long time and, at least, I know where I am."

Try as I might, I could not convince her to make a freephone call (you guessed it, she's still with BT - because she has a few shares - for her telephone calls too) with a view to switching supplier(s). Even offering to do so on her behalf resulted only in a repetition of the "I know where I am" phrase.

I left, thoroughly depressed because I know that the rise she can expect in her pension will not cover even a tenth of the increased costs she will have to pay to stay warm in the coming winter.

Cardew

BG most expensive for both utiliities? Gas yes, but very rarely electricity.

Actually I have some sympathy with her decision. Look at the number of threads here where people swap time and time again and have endless problems chasing a cheaper deal.

Better advice would have been to opt for last years BG fixed to April 2010 tariff, for peace of mind and now very attractive rates.

Similarly some of the 'chase the cheaper phone call deals' have been a hassle, and depending on how much the phone is used, not worth the bother.

My parents had a similar attitude as they simply didn't want the frustration involved in changing; and in many ways I don't blame them.

Heinz

Sorry, I should've linked to the information in the DT (can't find a link so I've re-typed it below).

The below figures* are those in the DT 'Energy Saving Special' insert dated 12/8/06:

Gas (calculations done on 3/8/06)

British Gas £706.51
EDF Energy £641.99
Scottish Power £621.68
Powergen £544.02
Scottish and Southern Energy £541.11
npower £536.35

Electricity (calculations done on 3/8/06)

British Gas £428.16
Scottish Power £379.08
npower £364.15
Powergen £357.91
EDF Energy £357.17
Scottish and Southern Energy £340.58

Dual Fuel (calculations done on 3/8/06)

British Gas £1119.77
Scottish Power £990.26
EDF Energy £971.43
power £879.50
Powergen £874.87
Scottish and Southern Energy £865.45

*Their calculations included price increases from all 'the big 6 suppliers' up to and including that of British Gas announced on 27/7/06. The annual cost was based on a medium usage customer (20,500kWh gas, 3,300kWh electricity) on standard tariffs paying on receipt of bill, averaged across all regions.

trets77

Cold and Cruel it may sound but i,m glad there are people out there paying to much.

if not how could i save money. !!!

some people are just stuck in their ways. maybe it,s more prevelent in the older generation. my grandmother is nobodys fool she is with staywarm who give a discount to pensioners.

i have ZERO sympathy with anyone young or old with that attitude . but if they know the facts and don,t act what more can you do ?

too much Hassle . life is hassle. you could say going the shops ws too much hassle, getting your blocked toilet sorted was too much hassle.

hassle vs Reward/savings on GAS/ELEC must be one of the best ratios in favour of the savings to be made on this entire board IMO

Cardew

trets77 wrote:

Cold and Cruel it may sound but i,m glad there are people out there paying to much.

if not how could i save money. !!!

some people are just stuck in their ways. maybe it,s more prevelent in the older generation. my grandmother is nobodys fool she is with staywarm who give a discount to pensioners.

i have ZERO sympathy with anyone young or old with that attitude . but if they know the facts and don,t act what more can you do ?

too much Hassle . life is hassle. you could say going the shops ws too much hassle, getting your blocked toilet sorted was too much hassle.

hassle vs Reward/savings on GAS/ELEC must be one of the best ratios in favour of the savings to be made on this entire board IMO

I wasn't aware that anyone asked for your sympathy.

I merely stated that some elderly folk view things differently - perhaps when you and I are 80 we might think differently.

By the way people paying too much for their utilities do not make your utilities cheaper and hence you "save money." It ain't a co-operative they are running; it is a for profit company and the shareholders benefit!

oldwiring

I am but a week and a bit from 70 and still have an active and keen mind, but I can see how in a few years I might be content not to be hassling myself to get the best deal. Provided I'm not then in penury, saving a few £s may not be top of my list; family amd remaining friends would be.Afrer all I won't be able to take it with me. Another factor which might apply to many elderly is that the switching process is not understood. Perhaps they expect a man or men to call to dig up the drive!

This is OT but I intend that I and OH will have in place an EPA so that my offspring can look after my affairs. If they in our best interests decide to alter suppliers, so be it,

Another thought is this. A child of elderly parents need to think, if its desire to change things is genuinely for the parents' benefit now or for it's at a sad but later time.