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MSE News: Call to reform pre-pay energy as 1.4 million cut off
Comments
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Has the alternative supplier confirmed this or was that just some speel from the existing supplier to put you off getting a better deal from their competitor?It would be a charge on top of their advertised rate on the comparason website becuase they have to pay to use swalecs electriciy in my area which would be representated by just a more expensive charge per unit.
Price of 1kWh of electricity using a halogen heater during the day = twice that of using a storage heater.I don't prefer to use an expensive heater...
Yet you said you have opted to use a halogen heater. If that's not a preference, I don't know what is.
But it won't be 17p per unit for cheap rate. Typical cost is about 5-6p per kWh.I only need heat in my studio flat from about 6pm to about 7pm when I'm getting ready for work the next day. I'd rather pay 20p for that heat directionally from a halogen heater than at 17p a unit from a storage heater I've had to put on top up at day rates as it's lost all it's heat before then.
You could have 3-4 times as much heat if you are currently being charged 20p per unit daytime.
If you are running out of heat before the night, you are either failing to load the heaters enough and/or allowing the heat to escape too quickly.
Refer to the manufacturer's instructions to ensure you operate them correctly if you decide to take advantage of the cheap rate heat storage heaters can provide in conjunction with E7.
Always best to keep on the best side of the landlord, so if he wants you to ask for permission, ask.I will ask about comming off e7 and see what they say, but it does say in my contract that I need to get permission from the landlord before any changes can be made to the flat and I would assume that would include a meter change.
But in the event he refuses, there's not much he can do if you go ahead without his permission ... and the chances are he won't even know.
The good news is that if he grants permission, you probably won't face the cost of restoring the property to the condition it was originally let in, in regards to the meter, when the tenancy ends, unless he stipulates that in the permission granted.
Btw, if you think you can get by with 1kW/1 hour of heat per day in the middle of winter, I suspect you are greatly mistaken ... and I'd be surprised the landlord doesn't also stipulate in the TA that you are required to maintain the property at an adequate level of heating, if for no other reason than to avoid damage to his property by frost; it would typically be a condition of his insurance (unless the water system is turned off and fully drained down)."Now to trolling as a concept. .... Personally, I've always found it a little sad that people choose to spend such a large proportion of their lives in this way but they do, and we have to deal with it." - MSE Forum Manager 6th July 20100 -
*shrugs*
I never normally have the heat on at night where ever I am and i'm out from 6am - 5.30/maybe 6 and normally go to bed by 9.
it's a tiny studio flat that's normally comfortably warmed by body heat - especially if I'm wrapped up in a duvet.
There's nothing in my contract about heating (other than if anything breaks down the landlord will fix it.) and it was vacant all last winter with the storage heaters unplugged.
As for comparative costs - I didn't say storage heaters would be cheaper, I said I object to them wasting their energy when i'm not there and find a 1 bar heater to give directional heat when I want it for an affordable price.
my attempts at using the heater were with input at 6 over night and output at 1. It's just carp old heater that doesn't keep the heat in.Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. Anne Lamott
It's amazing how those with a can-do attitude and willingness to 'pitch in and work' get all the luck, isn't it?
Please consider buying some pet food and giving it to your local food bank collection or animal charity. Animals aren't to blame for the cost of living crisis.0 -
It's not a "stupid fact" that they cost more, it's a fact of life. The cost of running the pre-payment network has to be paid for & pre-payment meters cause a hell of a lot of call-outs for the engineers. Why should I pay for these costs on my electricity bill when I am not a part of the cause of the increased costs?
"lucky enough" to live comfortably? Sorry, you make your own "luck". I commuted a 350 miles return journey every day for a year to secure a better paid job so I could climb out of poverty. Many people wouldn't do this and just say "the job is too far away". I don't consider I am "lucky" to be in a better position now than I was a year ago, I worked hard to achieve it...
Working within the industry its not even funny on how much is wasted on maintaining prepayment meters.Working within the gas and electric industry since 2008'0 -
What evidence do you have they are not? It is simply not true that these people do not have the money to pay for their fuel. They choose not to. There is absolutely no evidence that their household income is such that they could not afford to pay their bills.
It is really is quite shocking the way misguided idiots like you want to increase the bills of the poor so that a few delinquents can pay even less of their share.
Why do you not give a damn for poor people who do not blow their scant income and who pay their bills on time? Why do you want them to be poorer and subsidise professional avoiders? Your heartlessness is despicable.
You really are a contradiction. Why are you so opposed to fairness?
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:rotfl:You're not a serious poster are you?
Do you live on £65.45 or £102.75 per week or think you could do so as easily as you seem to imply is the case? (25+ single persons or lone parent, aged 18+ job seekers allowance & couples JSA)
I'll ignore the personal abuse (idiot!) What is your IQ by the way? Nowhere in my posts do I suggest unfairness, that the poor should be made poorer! You surely don't believe that of 2.5 million unemployed plus those on disability etc they are all lazy or "delinquent"?
Don't talk such nonsense!
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I am just making the point that we are the only country in europe that allows customers to have ppm to either use as a PAYG payment or for debt recovery. In every other if you dont pay you done get.
Since they have rolled out Smart meters in Italy, if you exceed the maximum useage you sign up to are cut off until you phone the supplier to go onto a higher useage tariff.
Just think when we all have smart meters in this country the supplier will have the ability to cut you off instantly the day you are late paying your bill or even put you on ppm without the need to speak to you or visit your house.
I can see your first point. As for your last I can only hope we also get a more effective regulator to protect the consumer too0 -
bat-out-of-hell wrote: »Oh, but your forgeting that pre paymant is SOOOOOO much more expensive to administer.....................
:rotfl:Oh yes, silly me! They are apparently not wealthy companies though (Swanjon told me so!)0 -
I'm another in the "if you can't pay for it you shouldn't have it" camp. Sorry, but I work and still struggle with the bills through the Winter. I get NO state help at all, so have to save throughout the year, often going without other things and budget for the more expensive months. That's life. Too many people in this country think they are entitled to a free living. If they are getting handout's then it's at the expense of those that are working - and like I said, I already struggle to pay my own bills, let alone start paying someone else's.
Given the economic climate & companies taking work overseas there may come a day when you are out of work. I hope someone else doesn't hold your views & leave you in the lurch then.
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...and why are poor people on prepayment meters any different from poor people on credit meters?
In terms of the articles context obviously because credit customers don't just see the power go off. Also because many of them may not have had a choice when the meter was imposed upon them as an alternative to disconnection 0 -
I really don't think that there is a 'stigma' attached to pre-payment meters.(PPM)
It is an inescapable fact that generally PPM are used by the less well off in society. However it would be a pretty small minded bigot that would have a negative reaction to people in such a situation.
You don't think some of the comments in this thread negative or bigotted ?:(0
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