Lazy Utility Consumers - Huhne is toast

Blagsmid

Chris Huhne says that consumers don't bother to shop around for cheaper power, whereas they are happy to shop around for a cheaper toaster.

This is true. But the reason is that the toaster market works whereas the utilities market doesn't.

(The fact that Mr Huhne hasn't experienced that himself suggests he's too well-off to bother shopping round.)

Fix the market, Mr Huhne - make it worth our while to shop around.

moonrakerz

Typically stupid remarks from a typically stupid politician !

savemoney

I wonder if he can give advise on how to avoid having points on your licence

moonrakerz

savemoney wrote: »

I wonder if he can give advise on how to avoid having points on your licence

Ouch !..........

JSR

moonrakerz wrote: »

Typically stupid remarks from a typically stupid politician !

So you think Huhne is wrong when he points out that 60% of people never bother to switch and could save hundreds of pounds if they did?

Tariffs are complicated but the switching sites make it easy to find the cheapest one.

jalexa

JSR wrote: »

So you think Huhne is wrong when he points out that 60% of people never bother to switch and could save hundreds of pounds if they did?

I wonder what % of MP's have never bothered to switch their second home supplier? Given that they can claim it on expenses why should they bother.

And the expenses records don't indicate much "toaster shopping" beyond John Lewis.

JSR

jalexa wrote: »

I wonder what % of MP's have never bothered to switch their second home supplier? Given that they can claim it on expenses why should they bother.

How is that relevant in any way?

jalexa

JSR wrote: »

How is that relevant in any way?

I think the point I was trying (and obviously failing) to make is that an MP doesn't have much credibility on the issue and that Chris Huhne is an MP.:D

moonrakerz

JSR wrote: »

So you think Huhne is wrong when he points out that 60% of people never bother to switch and could save hundreds of pounds if they did?

Tariffs are complicated but the switching sites make it easy to find the cheapest one.

As a plain statement of fact, Huhne is not wrong - but he is ignoring one fact.

It is almost impossible to work out in advance who offers the best tariffs. If you think that the switching sites do this then you are sadly deluded !


Instead of adopting that "holier than than thou" attitude Huhne should be doing something about the way the energy companies price their wares.

Isn't that the reason people go into politics - to help their fellow man ? Or is it just to line their own pockets ??

mattcanary

In any case, if everyone switched to the cheapest possible tariff for themselves, then the utility companies would just increase their prices again anyway becasue their profits would go down. Chris Huhne is speaking out of his ar*e.

His party should get involved themselves, rather than passing the buck on to consumers.

penrhyn

Toast eh, Huhne will be more familiar with porridge shortly.