MSE News: Npower to hike energy prices in January

davidgmmafan

MillicentBystander wrote: »

It's about time they were stopped from using this 'average' consumption figure as it seems to give the energy companies carte blanch to base all their 'headline' figures on. It does seem that they maximise the savings based on this mythical 'average user' - stray away from this mythical figure and the story can be somewhat different to the headlines. It's a nonsense figure, anyway. Anyone on here have exactly 20,500 gas consumption and 3300 electric consumption?

Yeah they should do a press release detailing every tariff, it would take how long? People wouls fall asleep, jobs would go undone.

I'm being a little tongue in cheek here but you get the point.

Personally I'd like to see a comparison on ANY comparison website saying unless you have accurate annual consumption the quote may be completely inaccurate.

howy22

While the energy comparison sites can take the work out of the detailed calculations their biggest flaw is not indicating the best time of year to switch. In my case with Npower there's no point in switching now, better to negotiate the best deal you can with them for now and move later. If I was to jump ship today I'd lose £100 end of year discount, around £150 in inflated winter primary units, charged an exit fee and possibly lose a cash back.
Maybe they should be required to make any adjustments during the summer months and all so called contracts finish just after these reviews, after all they do negotiate and purchase their energy needs well before they sell it.

JulieGeorgiana

pepe100 wrote: »

I know energy firms have been increasing their prices constantly for years but i have just noticed that my energy firm from April this year until November have also increased the calorific value 3 times , and considering i am on a capped offer it will be interesting to hear what they say when i call them next week to find out why . So check your bills when you recieve them .

The calorific value is set my an external company and not the energy firms. They have no control, and are told daily what it is.

If the value is higher, the gas is better, and therefore will provide more heat. It's all relative and there is nothing to be done about that.

JulieGeorgiana

I got my SIGN Online 18, based on my figures it's a 23.6% increase!!

I signed up until June 2011, I have an exit fee, on the basis that my prices will not rise before then!

How can they legally up my prices? and still charge an exit fee?

My problem is I use 2 x the average on electric, and 1/3rd the average on Gas! It would seem using more gas on this tarif would do me good!!!

MillicentBystander

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

The calorific value is set my an external company and not the energy firms. They have no control, and are told daily what it is.

If the value is higher, the gas is better, and therefore will provide more heat. It's all relative and there is nothing to be done about that.

HaHa...so Jack Dee was telling the truth here!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjvcs0QGjCA

JulieGeorgiana

MillicentBystander wrote: »

HaHa...so Jack Dee was telling the truth here!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjvcs0QGjCA

LOL yes! It's very funny!

Tiredofbeingdone

Incensed! Incandescent! Indignant!

I signed up for the Npower Sign On-Line 18 tariff having been sold it as a “good deal”. Yesterday, I received my letter informing me about my changed prices – I cannot believe the increases! Npower are of course reluctant to make it easy for you to find out what the actual changes to your charges are, and the only information they volunteer is a helpful (not): “Sign Online 18 prices are increasing on 4 January 2011, but will remain at least 2% cheaper than Standard prices as per your terms and conditions”.

I live in north east Hampshire and use a fairly typical 5750kWh of electricity and 36155kWh Gas per year. Having done a bit of reverse engineering of previous bills, I have arrived at the following results:
Electricity (unit) Old price: 7.28p, New price: 9.52p --- 31% Increase
Gas (unit) Old price: 2.37p, New price: 2.69p --- 14% Increase
Quarterly standing charge Electricity: Old price: £20.00, New price: £12.23 --- 39% Decrease
Quarterly standing charge Electricity: Old price: £34.00, New price: £37.69 --- 10% Increase

In combination with the standing charge and my consumption, this means my electricity bill will increase by 19.6% and my Gas by 13.28%! Npower quote an average increase of 5.1% so basic maths tells me that my massive increases must be subsidising someone’s bill. I wonder if their understanding of “average” is different to mine?

This kind of sharp practise should definitely come to the close attention of the regulator and a government keen to keep inflation in check.

MillicentBystander

This thread highlights why it is so important to have a good read of the T&Cs of any tariff before signing on the dotted line. The vast majority of these headline-grabbing online only deals have a clause in them stating they are guaranteed, for instance in this case, to be at least 2% less than their standard rate. Only problem being the price you've signed up to will in reality be up to 15% cheaper than their standard rate. You sign up, agree to the swingeing tie-in penalties (these normally amount to a not inconsiderable £145 with npower if you leave before you've been with them for less than 12 months!!) and then comes the sting in the tail. their T&cs (that you signed up to, probably unbeknownst to you) allow them to put up this online only headline grabbing so that is is in effect just 2% below their standard rate. No matter that this could actually mean a massive increase to the tariff you signed up to. The energy suppliers are devious !!!!!!!s, don't play into their hands.

marina101

My latest bill from npower is the most confusing bill I have ever received. Nowhere on the bill does it state when the price is going up. The table showing how my payment for the next 12 months has been calculated shows 10 levels of pricing. When I rang npower to ask for an explanation, they agreed that the bill is incomprehensible and that the tables are meaningless. I only have electricity, but at three different rates.
Usually npower overestimate my usage, last year by as much as 40% and it takes lots of arguing for them to agree to maintain current payment. This year they have underestimated the usage by 30% and the bill bears no relation to previous usage. Is this a way of making me pay in future at the higher prices? Has anybody else found their bills meaningless?

marina101

davidgmmafan

"In combination with the standing charge and my consumption, this means my electricity bill will increase by 19.6% and my Gas by 13.28%! Npower quote an average increase of 5.1% so basic maths tells me that my massive increases must be subsidising someone’s bill"

I don't think this is what's happening, I think they were selling at a loss on those tariffs or at best breaking even. However assuming you are correct it is worth pointing out that some have aregued this is what should happen - the differential between online and offline tariffs being too great. The rebuttal of course is that there aren't enough people with online tariffs to make this viable.