High energy bills!

alastairq

As jamesd says....I asked my agents about this matter, to be told I could apply myself......and if any costs were incurred, I would have to foot the bill......[which seemed fair as it would be me that immediately benefited from the insulation and savings.....and it would add little to the value of the LL's asset.

I haven't done so.....seeing as so little of my 'roof' is actually 'loft'....

ILW

alastairq wrote: »

I would only benefit by 40 quids a year, for going to DD....[nPower, single fuel customer].......which isn't a right lot considering.

Duel fuel [gas and lectric] benefit by a far greater amount....and it is for this reason amongst others, [mainly based upon cynicism and mistrust]....that I refuse to pay by DD.

This disparity leads me to the conclusion there is an element of discrimination going on.

[discount electric only--£40...gas only-£50...combined-£100 !!!!!]

I cannot receive gas. [therefore I am discriminated against by my power provider]

Just because I don't have [access to] gas, doesn't mean to say I don't ever cook, or heat my home or hot water!

So [to adopt DD] why cannot I have the same discount as a dual-fuel customer on DD? [Gas is cheaper, so they probably pay less per unit of energy than I do anyway]

I distrust the DD system anyway [witness other posts this day, noting how DD's were taken without authorisation?]

For sure, if a mistake is made, you gets yer money back...but...who has to identify the mistake in the first place?

[Bear in mind, most of us on this particular forum are bereft of a credit-powered safety net?]

By paying via a quarterly bill, at least I maintain absolute control over how my money is dispensed, and to a much greater degree, when!


I don't have to ensure a certain amount is cleared and available in an account the day before the DD is extracted.

And if I ever messed-up for some reason, there is a degree of flexibility using the old bill 'n pay system [2 weeks to pay, plus 1 week after red bill...as distinct from 5 days on quarterly DD!] that means I don't incur horrendous [penalty] charges for administration!

Of course, I have to adopt the old-fashioned methods of paying my bills........I do it online anyway....but if I didn't, at least I would have yet another excuse to go and chat to the lovely lady at my local Post Office...!!!


In my perfect world, the power supplies would be State-controlled.

Every domestic user would pay the same tariffs as everyone else.

The State would ensure the purchase of power gave the best possible value-for-money.

Profit would not be an issue.


And people could go through life secure in the knowledge the State would ensure their comfort and dignity in old age....

For sure it would cost.

But it would be worth paying for.


As it is now, our society/governments relish the prospect of keeping each and every one of us totally insecure in life!

What are you going on about?
When energy was state owned, it was more expensive than now( compared to income) and people still got cut off for not paying their bills.

alastairq

What are you going on about?
When energy was state owned, it was more expensive than now( compared to income) and people still got cut off for not paying their bills.

Maybe so, but 50 years ago, much of what was State-controlled was run inefficiently........and power didn't really cost any more.......however, incomes were generally a lot less, pro rata, than today.


However, these days, a State-controlled service can be run efficiently....if it is allowed to be........[ie without political interference & influence]....and the situation noted regarding non-payment, and what subsequently occurs, still happens.....but the 'customer' is more protected by regulation...if left up to the PRIVATE retail power companies, supplies would be terminated instantly!


Power is today an essential part of living.

Every individual is nowadays considered entitled to warmth, hot food, water, and a modicum of health care.

In other words, what we as a society consider to be the basic dignities of life.

Yet, currently, all these basic essentials are saddled with a profit motive.

And we have our older folk more than ever entering into the realms of poverty, whether power poverty, healthcare poverty of even basic sustenance -poverty.

Of course, if one prefers a dog-eat-dog type of society in which to grow up in, survive adulthood in, and enter old age in, then we have what we have now.


As a society we lack the basic respect for the more vulnerable members within.

Whether it is a vulnerability acquired through age, or infirmity, or even, lack of ability.

We are where we are because greed has become so acceptable.....it is encouraged, and the upside for those doing the encouraging is that it leads to divisiveness....which is good for those in power as it means we are compliant.

sniggings

alastairq wrote: »

This disparity leads me to the conclusion there is an element of discrimination going on.


. [therefore I am discriminated against by my power provider]

No you're not, anyone who only has a single fuel is treated the same, if the rest were given the duel fuel allowance and you were not, then yes I would agree, but that is not the case.

Thats like me saying I'm discriminated against when I buy just one can of Coke because the person who bought a multi pack gets each can cheaper.