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MSE News: Government's cheap energy plan unveiled

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  • backfoot
    backfoot Posts: 2,700 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Consumerist,

    I think you may be right on the maths.

    The objection being put forward is that it isn't worth it, is of course nonsense, be it £40 or £80. The have's want to keep their advantage over the have nots. The argument isn't based on logic but self interest. £250 in their pocket is far more important than giving all these 'losers' something.

    One way of looking at it is the Govt.are giving them their first switch/transfer for free. At the same time, putting an end to endless lists of wrappers, all containing the same thing when you unveil them. For the many years, the losers had been subsidising the active and none of it had promoted real price competition.

    The hope, thereafter, is inter Supplier comparison becomes easier and transparent and customers can make the price versus customer service decision that you have talked about.

    I looked at an example yesterday for a so called low user. BG have already slimmed their tariff range and using a comparison site, you could quickly see that their range of prices were way off the mark. There would be no amount of their excellent customer service (sarcastic smiley) that would retain my business at those levels.

    That price competition will still be in a very narrow range for the reasons stated in previous posts, so don't get too excited.:)
  • If the concept of more regulation/limiting customer choice succeeds in lowering energy bills, why not apply the thinking to milk, insurance, bread, wine, clothing, etc etc?

    Whilst market competition/customer choice is rarely perfect, on what evidence do people think that regulation/price setting/directed choice carried out by civil servants/quangos is better?
  • Consumerist
    Consumerist Posts: 6,311 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 26 November 2012 at 9:47PM
    deepdale56 wrote: »
    If the concept of more regulation/limiting customer choice succeeds in lowering energy bills, why not apply the thinking to milk, insurance, bread, wine, clothing, etc etc?
    Perhaps because the prices of most of the things you mention are not increasing at the same alarming rate as energy.

    Note, for example, that now that flooding has become more likely in more places, the government is getting involved [in negotiations] with the insurance companies too.
    >:)Warning: In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
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