What would YOUR ideal energy bill look like

KimYeovil

moonrakerz wrote: »

How about a blindingly simple pricing structure which will HAVE to be followed by all energy suppliers ?

When I drive down the road I can see at a glance that Tesco's petrol is cheaper than the Esso garage round the corner.

I don't have to work out how much petrol I am going to use over the next 12 months.
I don't have to pay a standing charge when I drive onto their forecourt.
I don't pay a higher price for the first two gallons when I fill the tank.
I don't have to work out if it is cheaper to buy my petrol at a much reduced rate at night and pay more per gallon during the day.
I don't have to agree to buy all my petrol from Tesco for the next 12 months.

I find it hard to believe that ANYONE could come up with a more confusing way of pricing energy than that used in the UK at the moment - it is just completely bonkers !!!

My "starter for 10".
A daily standing charge and ONE single price per kWh from all suppliers.

Sorry I must go now, just seen a pink animal with a curly tail fly by my window.......................

Completely crazy and contradictory suggestion! You don't want to pay a standing charge for driving on to a forecourt but you are advocating a daily standing charge for domestic fuel? That is bonkers.

What is wrong with two-tier tariff?

KimYeovil

jd87 wrote: »

When it gives your account balance it normally says things like "£42.27 credit" or "£42.47 debit".

This can not be a serious post. If a householder has not learned by their 18th birthday such elementary vocabulary or has not grasped it after one or two bills then ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you suggest will make it any clearer.

KimYeovil

Pincher wrote: »

It's the tariff structure themselves that are too complicated.

Make standing charge compulsory and calculated daily,
separate from the unit rate: so no Tier 1 and 2.

So you pay for the units that you use, plus a known standing charge, and that's it.

Another hater who wants the poorest to have their bills massively increased. Yes, it is fairer - why should the frugal be subsidised? - but it is funny the two contradictory anti-two-tier camps. One party are anti-two-tier and bleat about "it's terrible charging people more the less they use" whilst the other party are rubbing their hands with the prospect of the frugal facing a doubling of their bills!

moonrakerz

KimYeovil wrote: »

What is wrong with two-tier tariff?

The less you use the more you pay per unit - if that isn't crazy what is ?

KimYeovil

moonrakerz wrote: »

The less you use the more you pay per unit - if that isn't crazy what is ?

A daily standing charge. The less you use the even more you pay per unit - if two tier is crazy then that is even crazier.

I can not undertand your crazy contradictory stance. If you think paying more the less you use is crazy why the blazes are you advocating a daily standing charge?

intermynan

KimYeovil wrote: »

A daily standing charge. The less you use the even more you pay per unit - if two tier is crazy then that is even crazier.

I can not undertand your crazy contradictory stance. If you think paying more the less you use is crazy why the blazes are you advocating a daily standing charge?

Well said! I cannot believe some people think a standing charge is fairer than a T2 pricing system. Crazy!

Plushchris

moonrakerz wrote: »

I don't have to pay a standing charge when I drive onto their forecourt.

Yes you do, its called road tax..

Pincher

I didn't say it was fairer.
The OP was about easier statement.

There is an infrastructure maintenance and upgrade cost, separate from the units that you use. Somebody has to pay for it.

I know somebody who uses his parent's car, and doesn't pay for the insurance, service, road tax and just fills the tank when he uses it. Great stuff, so all you have to do is to get National Grid to adopt you and call NG daddy, and hey presto, no standing charge.

jmcdyre

As well as clearer prices etc already mentioned I'd like to see as much past usage as possible using graphs instead of or as well as bar charts. All energy companies should hold usage data and forward it to new supplier when customer changes. The meter readings can also be put on the graph, with E or A next to them. This will enable more accurate estimates of usage from start of contract based on past performance.

grahamc2003

The whole supplier business has grown into a massive complex monster designed purely to confuse customers. It's perverse really, and serves no one.I shudder to think how much of our bills goes on all the costs of tens of thousands of people constantly switching suppliers, with some being biullied into it, some switching purely for a cashback, some switching for a different tariff which has disappeared by the time the long drawn out complex switching process is complete, and some stuck on very high tariffs and penalised for being loyal.

So i'd say limit the number of tariffs each supplier may have, to say five (for each area). Then limit the number of discounts which can be applied.

A further quick simplification would be to bring back the standing daily charge, and get rid of tier 1 and 2 - it's fine saying 'it's simple and everyone should understand them' but the facts are that probably half the population have no idea about tier one and two (and turn off when you say the word 'tier'). For 99.9% of consumers, the tier system works in exactly the same way as the standing charge anyhow -the gainers are extermely low users like those with second homes - and i see no reason why they shouldn't pay the standing charge for the fixed costs of their supply whether or not they use anything.

Also, i'd like to see no penalty for early closure if a 'fixed term' and 'fixed disount from standard' rises due to a rise in the standard tariff.