MSE News: Scottish Power to hike energy prices

2010

Have to agree entirely with JamesM above.

The rates for fixing are too high and people are doing exactly what SP want

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fixing, and doing it too quickly before other providers reveal their tariffs.
Also I don`t see why people are changing from the better deals they are on NOW when they have another 5/6 weeks to go until the 1st Aug.
They are losing 5/6 weeks at lower prices.

saintscouple

2010 wrote: »

Have to agree entirely with JamesM above.

The rates for fixing are too high and people are doing exactly what SP want

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fixing, and doing it too quickly before other providers reveal their tariffs.
Also I don`t see why people are changing from the better deals they are on NOW when they have another 5/6 weeks to go until the 1st Aug.
They are losing 5/6 weeks at lower prices.

SP and other energy suppliers know that the 1st August is the cut off date and that they would expect a max influx of people switching tariffs or suppliers. Knowing this, and having already added wording to their cheap online discount tariffs to the effect of 'limited availability', what is stopping them from pulling these tariffs nearer that time forcing people to either stay where they are or switching to an equally over-priced fixed/capped tariff?

So it's a gamble, either switch now and lose 'x' number of weeks at your current tariff prices, or wait nearer the time and risk losing out all together.
I won't be switching just yet, although won't be leaving it to the last minute either.

Froglet

My dilemma exactly,saintscouple.However ,at this time of year,the gas used is low but i am a high user of electricity and don't want to lose out on the chance of getting the direct12 tariff.So i will probably look to switch beginning of next month.

saintscouple

Froglet wrote: »

My dilemma exactly,saintscouple.However ,at this time of year,the gas used is low but i am a high user of electricity and don't want to lose out on the chance of getting the direct12 tariff.So i will probably look to switch beginning of next month.

Ditto, similar ratio of energy use as you.
It's fustrating as i have exceed my x number of kwh in the 1st quarter, thus currently being charged the cheaper tier 2 price.
Now switching to Oct 12 for me gives an increased tier 1 rate, but a decreased tier 2 rate.

Current OES12 - 16.332/9.472
New Oct 12 - 21.139/8.908

I'm assuming that switching to a new tariff resets your billing period. i.e OES12 will end with a final figure, and Oct 12 will start a new billing period hence i'll be starting on tier 1 as a new quarter.

Can anyone confirm this is correct, as if it isn't and you continue on your current cycle, being on the tier 2 it would be in my favour to switch now?

Hope the above makes sense.

2010

saintscouple wrote: »

I'm assuming that switching to a new tariff resets your billing period. i.e OES12 will end with a final figure, and Oct 12 will start a new billing period hence i'll be starting on tier 1 as a new quarter.

I would assume this as well.
The way tier one is worked is based over a full year, so if you start a new tariff, you start all over again

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yet another complication to consider.

2010

saintscouple

The following may be of interest to you.
Note the last line and my previous comment about the FULL year.


You are charged for 500 kWh at the primary rate per year, this is then broken up in to quarters for electricity.
If your bill covers an exact quarter of 91 days you will be charged your first 125 kWh at the primary rate.
Most of the time the bills cover slightly more or less than 91 days and this is why the amount of primary units used per quarter can differ.
Below is the calculation we use to determine your primary units on a statement;
500kWh for the year
Divide this by the number of days in the year 365
Then multiply this by the number of days the bill covers
This will then give you the amount of units that will be charged at the primary rate.
So for example, if your bill covered a 100 day period, you would be charged for 147 units at the primary rate. You will not in any circumstances pay for more than 500kWh in a year period.





PS adjust the yearly quota to your particular tariff.

Premier_2

2010 wrote: »

saintscouple

The following may be of interest to you.
Note the last line and my previous comment about the FULL year.


You are charged for 500 kWh at the primary rate per year, this is then broken up in to quarters for electricity.
If your bill covers an exact quarter of 91 days you will be charged your first 125 kWh at the primary rate.
Most of the time the bills cover slightly more or less than 91 days and this is why the amount of primary units used per quarter can differ.
Below is the calculation we use to determine your primary units on a statement;
500kWh for the year
Divide this by the number of days in the year 365
Then multiply this by the number of days the bill covers
This will then give you the amount of units that will be charged at the primary rate.
So for example, if your bill covered a 100 day period, you would be charged for 147 units at the primary rate. You will not in any circumstances pay for more than 500kWh in a year period.

The essence of your post is entirely correct. i.e. tier 1 usage is charged pro-rata on a daily basis.

However, I'm not sure where you are quoting from.

For both OLS12 and Direct 2012 tariffs, the tier1 levels are:
electricity - 225 kWh per quarter (900 kWh per year)
gas - 670 kWh per quarter (2680 kWh per year)

PeteM1967

I was finally informed on Friday about the changes to my OSE12 tariff:
Electric:
First 225 KWh 16.332 -> 22.214 (+36%)
Remainder 9.472 -> 10.681 (+12.8%)

Gas:
First 670 KWh 5.067 -> 7.621 (+50.4%)
Remainder 2.476 -> 3.5 (+41.35%)

With my annual usage this results in my bill going from £606 to £826 a rip off Britain increase of 36%!!!!

From checking with the price comparison sites OES14 is the best deal at £659 however I noticed that based on my usage I can fix with NPower - Fix 6 for just £697 which I have just done. Even better I used the Money Saving Expert cash back link to Simply Switch to initiate the change which should give me a £40 cash back.

Assuming the cash back is successful I will be effectively fixing for a year for the same price as it would have cost to stay with Scottish Power on their OSE14 tariff.

Even if the cash back fails I wouldn't have wanted to stay with an untrustworthy company like SP in any case so would willingly pay a premium to be free from them.

2010

Premier wrote: »

The essence of your post is entirely correct. i.e. tier 1 usage is charged pro-rata on a daily basis.

However, I'm not sure where you are quoting from.

Premier you are correct and I should have added in my post to adjust the yearly quota to your particular tariff.

Leodogger

Just received my email and couldn't believe my eyes. As others have said about theirs, ours is going up :

Electricity by 30% and Gas by a whopping £55% on the basic tier of units!!! :mad:

I am really angry about this and I think the government should be stepping in to do something about this.

I feel like writing to the papers !!!!

Also I tried using a comparison site, both Uswitch and Energyhelpline and they both came up with different answers, one said BG was cheaper, the other Scottish Power

Don't know what to do now !