MSE News: Is British Gas about to raise energy prices?

bob_bank_spanker

sillygoose wrote: »

My current cost BG (standard rate) about £2100, Scottish Power will be about £1870 (89% of BG) so OK 11% whoopee!, and yes there were other rates cheaper but with 'hidden' costs of exit fees and they will raise shortly in line anyway eliminating the difference.

My point being is I can't think of many other things in a free market with only an 11% range of prices.

So you admit the "you would expect a 10% price differential - it's a cartel" statement was nonsense?

macman

Since bob works for Centrica (the notorious greedy French multinational) that's hardly surprising...

Dave_save

British Gas Managing director Phil Bentley said,
"This £1.50 a week rise will be unwelcome. However, we simply cannot ignore the rising costs that are largely outside our control, but which make up most of the bill."

My questions to him would be: If costs are outside of your control, why are we paying YOU for our energy? What value do you add? What expertise do you have in negotiating long term deals on behalf of your customers? Are the British Gas/Centrica negotiators merely lapdogs to the wholesalers, or just totally incompetent? And if you attempt to belittle the increase to ''£1.50 a week'', in an attempt to make it sound better, then you are beginning to sound a bit desperate.

sillygoose

Dave_save wrote: »

British Gas Managing director Phil Bentley said,
"This £1.50 a week rise will be unwelcome. However, we simply cannot ignore the rising costs that are largely outside our control, but which make up most of the bill."

My questions to him would be: If costs are outside of your control, why are we paying YOU for our energy? What value do you add? What expertise do you have in negotiating long term deals on behalf of your customers? Are the British Gas/Centrica negotiators merely lapdogs to the wholesalers, or just totally incompetent? And if you attempt to belittle the increase to ''£1.50 a week'', in an attempt to make it sound better, then you are beginning to sound a bit desperate.

A bit harsh, the guy is scraping along on £38,000 a week so he feels our pain too, thats 0.004% of his weekly salary he has to find elsewhere now, give him a break!

bob_bank_spanker

macman wrote: »

Since bob works for Centrica (the notorious greedy French multinational) that's hardly surprising...

It's going to be a bumper Gallic Christmas in the bank spanker household this year (I wish!!) :rotfl:

penrhyn

Brietish Gas Paa! I fart in your general direction. Your mother was hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

sillygoose

bob_bank_spanker wrote: »

It's going to be a bumper Gallic Christmas in the bank spanker household this year (I wish!!) :rotfl:

Don't forget to save some of the Foie gras for New Year :xmastree:

ic

Wywth wrote: »

Good news!

The BBC is now reporting they expect BG prices to only rise by 6-7%, so that'll give you an extra £30 or so in your pocket :j

:beer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19921042

Well it won't give you £30 extra, it just means they'll leave a little more behind...

savemoney

Yea we are all in it together, aren't we?

sillygoose wrote: »

A bit harsh, the guy is scraping along on £38,000 a week so he feels our pain too, thats 0.004% of his weekly salary he has to find elsewhere now, give him a break!

juliebunny

sillygoose wrote: »

My current cost BG (standard rate) about £2100, Scottish Power will be about £1870 (89% of BG) so OK 11% whoopee!, and yes there were other rates cheaper but with 'hidden' costs of exit fees and they will raise shortly in line anyway eliminating the difference.

My point being is I can't think of many other things in a free market with only an 11% range of prices.

I wouldn't get too excited, you have to be able to CONTACT Scottish Power first. I'm already with them and trying to contact them to get a better/fixed deal. The one Martin's newletters has been promoting is not showing as available to me (as an existing customer) via my online account so I have to try and call them. For new customers, there is a freephone number, for us existing ones it's an 0845. On which the lovely lady tells you she will be pleased to answer your call in between 3 to 5 hours!!!! And they aren't kidding, I held for ages before giving up. Have requested a call back which will come in around 5 hours....if at all....at which point I imagine they will tell me the deal is only for new customers....and I'm an online customer so so they can't help me on the phone?

Perhaps I should try the new customer number - bet they answer that faster eh?

It really irks me that these companies treat new and existing customers differently - do they think we don't know how to change suppliers? GRRRR. :mad::mad::mad: