Price Increases - Any More on the Way?

macman

No doubt they will announce an increase at end November to come into effect on 1/1/13...

Mr_K

They'll be watching the weather forecasts and time any increases for the first cold snap.

violetta

This was on the front of the Mail at work today (lots of could be's, rises feared etc):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2214815/Power-bills-soar-AGAIN-Winter-price-shock-looms-millions-households.html

dealsearcher

There are two things wrong with the present system:

1. There is no transparency as to when prices will increase until the point these companies have to inform us. Even the Daily Mail don't know what is happening.

2. They all appear to operate as a cartel as prices always seem to rise with all of them at the same time. You all seem convinced that now SSE have raised their prices the others will inevitably follow. Now why would we think that?

The government and regulators appear to be trying to deal with this but they are really quite ineffective. Now why should that be?

dealsearcher

So British Gas have announced a price rise. Big surprise!

Actually that wasn't entirely sarcasm as in fact no one seemed to be aware that they were actually going to increase their prices until they did. However I am sure that the British Gas board of directors would have known. Surely the government can require these companies to indicate when they are likely to increase their prices? Certainly their boards of directors would know well in advance when it is likely to happen.

The government should force them to make this information general knowledge so that we can all make informed decisions. There would then be genuine competition in the market.

Then there is the profit these companies are making ...

macman

Er, they have to give one month's notice of any increases, which is exactly what they are doing. Prices will rise on 16/11.
It has been clear for weeks that prices were going to rise, after SSE announced their increase. The only question was who would blink first.

dealsearcher

They have to give a months notice. They didn't before did they? I am sure the people at the top of the energy companies will know in advance of that as well otherwise how can they plan ahead and be so well briefed when they come on the Radio 4 Today programme? They certainly are well prepared to rebuff the arguments put to them and that brief has clearly been communicated to all who speak for them.

Clear for weeks that prices were going to rise? It's as clear as mud. That is exactly why everyone is complaining!

You don't work for the industry do you macman? You seem awfully sympathetic to their cause even if they raise prices having just revealed profit increases of 23%! We're all in this together. Really?

thor

dealsearcher wrote: »

There are two things wrong with the present system:

1. There is no transparency as to when prices will increase until the point these companies have to inform us. Even the Daily Mail don't know what is happening.

2. They [STRIKE]all appear to[/STRIKE] operate as a cartel as prices always seem to rise with all of them at the same time. You all seem convinced that now SSE have raised their prices the others will inevitably follow. Now why would we think that?

The government and regulators appear to be trying to deal with this but they are really quite ineffective. Now why should that be?

Corrected your post for you.

grahamc2003

dealsearcher wrote: »

They have to give a months notice. They didn't before did they? I am sure the people at the top of the energy companies will know in advance of that as well otherwise how can they plan ahead and be so well briefed when they come on the Radio 4 Today programme? They certainly are well prepared to rebuff the arguments put to them and that brief has clearly been communicated to all who speak for them.

Clear for weeks that prices were going to rise? It's as clear as mud. That is exactly why everyone is complaining!

You don't work for the industry do you macman? You seem awfully sympathetic to their cause even if they raise prices having just revealed profit increases of 23%! We're all in this together. Really?

I'm always surprised when other people are surprised at energy bill increases. I don't like it at all, but that's no reason not to expect them this year, next year and the next for the foreseeable future - all well above inflation. Why can I be so certain? Well the government and the decc have told us so (if it weren't perfectly obvious anyway!).

Those windmills don't get built without many billions loaded onto our bills. The grid extensions necessary for offshore windfarms - again many billions - are all paid for by you and me. The fits, the free light bulbs, the loft insulation and many other such things (some advantageous and sensible, some not), all go on bills in some form or another. The grid itself has to operate more inefficiently to enable intermittent generation (windmills/solar) - again, more onto bills. Smart meters? Well they're are goin g in at the moment, at a cost of double figure billions, and about £400 for each one (incidentally, these are being rushed in to enable scheduled power cuts in a few years - better to have them scheduled and controlled rather then random). All these costs are guaranteed to rise for years to come, as are your bills. Another tens of billions not yet factored in is the building of many Nuclear stations in the future, when the public will suddenly demand them after the first winter of power cuts (now probably five years away or less if the eu gets their way and forces the closure of our large coal fired stations before the end of their design lives).

I'm afraid the public demands over the last few years has guaranteed the large price rises we see today, and will see over the next decade. (Also don't confuse todays 7% increase as a 7%pa increase, because there'll be more than one per supplier per year.

macman

dealsearcher wrote: »

They have to give a months notice. They didn't before did they? I am sure the people at the top of the energy companies will know in advance of that as well otherwise how can they plan ahead and be so well briefed when they come on the Radio 4 Today programme? They certainly are well prepared to rebuff the arguments put to them and that brief has clearly been communicated to all who speak for them.

Clear for weeks that prices were going to rise? It's as clear as mud. That is exactly why everyone is complaining!

You don't work for the industry do you macman? You seem awfully sympathetic to their cause even if they raise prices having just revealed profit increases of 23%! We're all in this together. Really?

As soon as SSE announced their increase in September it was perfectly obvious that the others would follow. It's been widely flagged up on this forum, and everywhere else in the media. If you missed the boat on a cheap fix in the Autumn you can hardly blame that on being caught unawares.
No industry connection at all-what a cheap shot that is.