Avoid using GAS and ELECTRIC !

mardatha

Is anybody else wondering, like me, why the power companies are getting away with not reducing their charges AT ALL now that oil is much much cheaper ...? If we let them get away with it, then they'll get away with it!!

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

mardatha wrote: »

Is anybody else wondering, like me, why the power companies are getting away with not reducing their charges AT ALL now that oil is much much cheaper ...? If we let them get away with it, then they'll get away with it!!

Me and MrT was just talking about this yesterday.None of the power companies have put prices down and I'd like to know why they can't be forced to do so.They may have to buy in advance at a set price but that's not our fault and this is a bad winter compared to what we've had in recent years.
Surely they can't justify NOT reducing them for much longer.After all they were quick enough to keep increasing them.And not by small amounts either.

Primrose

I agree with Mardatha and MrsTittlemouse about energy prices. I'd love to start a consumer boycott of all them all and just not use any power at all. Unfortunately that's not practical but in this house we're doing the next best thing and trying to avoid giving them any more business than necessary. We're really vigilant about using as little as possible.

purpleivy

I've just found cold air coming into the house! We have an extractor in the utility room that doesn't seem to have flaps over the outside, so there's a [STRIKE]howling gale[/STRIKE] draught coming in there. Don't often need it on, so looked around and found dh's DIY woolly hat, which seems to stretch nicely over the box. Still some draught, so have filled the hat with a scrunched up duster! Thought it was cold out there, but didn't want to put the rad on!

Decola

The utility companies know that most of us are a captive market - we have no choice but to use their products because most of our homes have been designed to be consuming boxes incapable of going off grid.

If we boycotted fuel by using as little as possible - what's to stop prices rising again to maintain profit? Utility companies will still site the need to invest in new power stations and infrastructure, and will likely grab as much money as they can get away with. The current practice of increasing direct debits is a case in point.

I'm saddened to read the number of contributors to threads who are cold simply because they can't afford to heat their homes to a decent standard. My own room is currently 10c and I'm wearing an outdoor coat - which is effective, but shouldn't be necessary at the close of 2008.

belfastgirl23

Well for once Northern Ireland gets the good news first

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7782531.stm

gas and elec prices going down. That said I think ours went up by more than those in other places...

jan2januk

Hi
Just read my statement online and BG want to increase our dd for gas from £65 to £117 per month. I read our meters daily so I know it doesn't need to be that high. We would only need to pay £117 per month if it was winter all year round! So I've emailed them to say I'm not agreeing to it, but will agree to a much smaller increase. Waiting to hear what they say!

Jan

isitenough

Martin was on the TV this morning talking about the prices for DD's going up. He said get an accurate meter reading and tell them. Are you in credit? If you are then ring them up and ask them nicely to reduce the DD. If that doesn't work (after asking them nicely to tell you why it needs to go up if you've got some credit after the meter reading) then he has a template on the website (GMTV this morning not sure about here yet) to write a letter about it.

mardatha

its up to every one who pays by DD and is in credit to DO THIS NOW. Otherwise you're letting them take your money, for something you have alread paid for --and they gain the interest on it as well ! Why not set up a special bank acc and pay the DD into that instead--then check the meter reading when the bills comes and pay it from that account --what's hard about that ??! Stop letting them get away with it !!

pagangirl

Thanks for all the info re direct debits for fuel payments - I pay quarterly, but was thinking of going on DD - NO WAY am I changing now if they are putting payments up like that - when I get my bill, I double check its right and then pay the bill.(keep a spreadsheet on the computer to log each weeks usage, and add up as I go along, so know pretty well how much it will be) No overpayments, no credit, just exact amounts. It must be a nightmare for them to just put up payments like that - especially when people are working to a budget. :eek: Hope you manage to batter them down payment wise.

I did hear on the tv that the boss of Eon said 'when they bring the charges down - the public will not be getting the full amount of reductions as Eon need to keep some in reserve for repairs etc' ? Anyone else heard this??? Am really annoyed coz this is my supplier ! They're quick enough to put prices up, but when it comes to bringing them back down.........:mad: