MSE News: Energy firms must offer (not give) cheapest deals, says Ofgem

welshee

wantanswers wrote: »

Wow! thanks for that i'll pass it onto my 84 year old Granny. Shell be grateful she can now work out how much gas shes using in kwhr.

I'll just multiply my usage (cu mt) by 11.6 its roughly where i want to be.

Problem solved you have done it for her as i stated can be done....:T

malcolmffc

victor2 wrote: »

It's really not a case of consumers who can't be arsed and it's certainly beyond primary school maths.
Perhaps you could explain at a primary school level, how the readings on their gas meters are converted to kWh, before you get on to the simplicity of how it's billed.

All the calculations involve is a bit of additon, multiplication and division. I know standards have fallen but I think you'll find kids are still taught those before the age of 12. I even remember a lesson at school once when we were taught how to manually calculate a gas bill....

malcolmffc

wantanswers wrote: »

Why should the majority of the population including the elderly have to dig around to find the best Tariff?

Name one other industry where the Government is forcing companies to inform customers that their competitor is offering you a better deal.

Does your bank let you know that you'll save money by remortgaging with a different institution?

When you buy your groceries at Sainsbury's, does the checkout assistant tell you your shopping would be cheaper at Tesco?

When you buy petrol, does the garage direct you to the next one down the road if it's cheaper?

wantanswers

welshee wrote: »

Problem solved you have done it for her as i stated can be done....:T

Not quite Welshee...she got an imperial meter.....Cu ft you know.:)

pooch

malcolmffc wrote: »

All the calculations involve is a bit of additon, multiplication and division. I know standards have fallen but I think you'll find kids are still taught those before the age of 12. I even remember a lesson at school once when we were taught how to manually calculate a gas bill....

I think they are probably just taught which buttons to press on the magic matchbox (calculator) nowadays, as the thread I linked to also demonstrates

I've seen some kids today totally flummoxed by the intricacies of long division

pooch

wantanswers wrote: »

Not quite Welshee...she got an imperial meter.....Cu ft you know.:)

Just multiply your approximated number by 2.83, or multiply by a total of approximately 33 if you are happy with approximations

MillicentBystander

I'm a self confessed tariff tart and also used to give it large with the cash back but I'm also honest and realistic and I know I have benefited greatly from an unfair industry. Anyone with half a brain can work out that managing your account online does not and never has saved the company £200-£300 per year per punter compared to a standard rate tariff. It's clear that the loyal (some would say apathetic) standard rate punter has been ripped off to fund these online short term deals. And that's not right. No matter how we whinge and moan these are the facts. We've had it 'good' (OK, less 'bad') for quite a while but the 'good'/less bad times are probably over.

wantanswers

malcolmffc wrote: »

Name one other industry where the Government is forcing companies to inform customers that their competitor is offering you a better deal.

When you buy your groceries at Sainsbury's, does the checkout assistant tell you your shopping would be cheaper at Tesco?

You've not answered the question.

Why should people including the elderly have to shop around for utility prices,,,,,many (very many) old folk are not even on the internet? How will they be sure the are on the best deal?

Reference Sainsbury i don't know but I think ASDA do it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk9SOrtsEDA
Just fun.

wantanswers

pooch wrote: »

Just multiply your approximated number by 2.83, or multiply by a total of approximately 33 if you are happy with approximations

Thanks Pooch, I'll pass it on.

malcolmffc

wantanswers wrote: »

You've not answered the question.

Why should people including the elderly have to shop around for utility prices,,,,,many (very many) old folk are not even on the internet? How will they be sure the are on the best deal?

Just fun.

But my point is that you could make exactly the same argument about food, housing and petrol. The market segmentation and price differentiation that multiple tariffs offer is present in all industries; there's nothing special about energy.

The over-75s have the 250 per year Winter Fuel Allowance which even if they're on a rubbish standard tariff will more than make up the difference between theirs and the cheapest online tariff.