Just moved into a house with a shared Calor LPG system, any way to reduce costs?

Lum

Just started renting a new place. It's a nice bungalow that we picked because it is completely wheelchair accessible. Problem is, LPG heating, which is supplied by Calor.

It's on an estate with 17 properties, a shared LPG tank and our own individual gas meter.

I'm already looking at if it's possible to add a thermostat to the boiler (which is a Vickers model) but beyond that I'm a complete newbie to the LPG game.

Is it possible to change supplier on a shared system? is there any scope for negotiating a better deal? Do Calor offer disability discounts? Anything else I should know.

There's a massive thread at the top of the forum starting in 2008 that mentions upcoming "new" legislation, but no update that can be easily found, anyone got a link to said legislation?

LittleVermin

Lum wrote: »

Just started renting a new place. ...........Problem is, LPG heating, which is supplied by Calor.

It's on an estate with 17 properties, a shared LPG tank and our own individual gas meter. ..............................

Is it possible to change supplier on a shared system? is there any scope for negotiating a better deal? .................

There's a massive thread at the top of the forum starting in 2008 that mentions upcoming "new" legislation, but no update that can be easily found, anyone got a link to said legislation?

Welcome to LPG!

I hope you have not signed ANY agreement with Calor - because if you have you'll have locked the whole estate into a 2 yr exclusivity supply with Calor from the date on the contract!

The Competition Commission Order you refer to is here.

Unfortunately suppliers rather like metered estates - who wouldn't like a cash cow? The wholesale price for bulk LPG has been falling for several months and one independent (Cardiff Gas) currently has a price of 42ppl (see here). You'll probably be charged in cubic feet or cubic metres (link for info here).

Suppliers also like metered estates because very few of them change suppliers. Usually each incoming owner/tenant is signed up for 2 years (probably without being told the implications!). The estate's supplier cannot be switched unless everyone is out of contract.. so switching suppliers is very, very rare.

I hope others will be able to help with your other questions. And I hope you'll be able to contribute to the forum on the

LPG game

as you so rightly call it! There are only a few posts on metered estates.
..

Lum

Haven't signed anything yet, just called them and asked them to send out the paperwork.

Unfortunately I have no contact details for the estate management company, and only a postal address for the landlord. There's 17 properties on the estate so I have no idea if switching suppliers is possible or likely. Two of the houses are also up for sale.

Any idea what Calor charge at the moment, or does it vary based on how much they can shaft you for?

LittleVermin

Lum wrote: »

.....

Any idea what Calor charge at the moment.. ?

Whatever they like! Different people, different prices. Same street, different prices. Same usage, different prices. Ofgem does not deal with LPG, only the former nationalised utilities. For individual users (i.e. non-estate) what you pay depends largely on the initial price you got on your 2 year contract.

or does it vary based on how much they can shaft you for?

... see subject line!

Some of the prices Calor are charging people are on the 'Bulk LPG ..' sticky. Plus quotes for new contracts - where they often offer tasty prices as they know they can increase prices later. MAJOR LPG SUPPLIERS LOWERING PRICES WITHIN A CONTRACT ARE (almost) AS RARE AS HEN'S TEETH!

I suggest you talk to your neighbours to see what they are being charged - and also try to find out the length of time on peoples' contracts. And also to find out if the supplier has ever changed! The management company might help - but then they may be doing rather well with things as they are. I wonder if the major suppliers charge the estate builders the full price for the LPG infrastructure?

Please keep us posted - but maybe move the discussion to the 'Bulk LPG ...' sticky so it doesn't get lost.
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Lum

Will have to wait and see what Calor come up with. I told them on Monday 18th that I was moving in and gave a meter reading, still haven't even heard from them.

I found a letter from 2008 to the previous occupant from Calor, where the price was 30p/litre, no idea if that was low or high for the year.

I also note that Calor's website is currently offering Fixed prices until March*

* 2012
Seriously, I'm not making this up

Lum

Still no paperwork from Calor at all, and it turns out the LPG tank is buried so probably not going to be replaceable by a new supplier any time soon

Lum

Finally had some paperwork and just done a meter reading and now I'm scared.

In the two months we've been here, according to the meter we have used 53 M^3 of LPG. Or at least the meter is marked as M^3 and the counter has increased by 53 units.

I seriously hope this is after expansion from liquid to gas, because that's 53000 litres of gas = 2208 litres of liquid @ 43 ppl = about a grand's worth of gas.. in two months... in summer!

Please someone tell me that isn't right and I've screwed something up in my calculations?


Edit: I have screwed up, I was given the wrong expansion ratio for liquid into gas. A bit of googling and I find that you actually multiply the M^3 figure by 3.665306 which works out at around 90 quid for the two months.

Panic over


Edit2: As for the contract, I crossed out all the clauses relating to a 2 year exclusivity deal, which their phone operator said they were fine with, so will see if they accept that. I haven't yet sent off the form, sending it tomorrow, so if this is not a good approach, please tell me!

From what I can see though 43ppl isn't too bad right now. The phone operator also seemed surprised that the rate I'd been quoted was so low, claiming it was the lowest she'd seen for a metered estate, then let slip that they were currently in renegotiation with the management company over the supply for our estate.

Of course this could all have been a complete fabrication intended to stop me from trying to mobilise my neighbours into switching supplier, but I haven't been able to find LPG much cheaper than this.

LittleVermin

Lum wrote: »

......The phone operator ....... then let slip that they were currently in renegotiation with the management company over the supply for our estate.

Answered in the Bulk LPG sticky here.
..

PasturesNew

Lum wrote: »

In the two months we've been here, according to the meter we have used 53 M^3 of LPG. Or at least the meter is marked as M^3 and the counter has increased by 53 units.

I seriously hope this is after expansion from liquid to gas, because that's 53000 litres of gas = 2208 litres of liquid @ 43 ppl = about a grand's worth of gas.. in two months... in summer!

My guess is that there's a division by 100 in there somewhere and it's £10

Lum

PasturesNew wrote: »

My guess is that there's a division by 100 in there somewhere and it's £10

No, was just using the wrong expansion ratio for LPG. Had it as 1:27 when it's actually 1:320