How would you change the energy market?

Cardew

The problem is the amount of kWh in each gas unit is variable depending on the changing calorific vaue of the gas.

Oscargrouch

Cardew wrote: »

The problem is the amount of kWh in each gas unit is variable depending on the changing calorific vaue of the gas.

So, is Gas more expensive when the weather is colder; why the constant change in calorific value of the gas? Still don't understand it, and I would guess I am not alone..:eek:

SnowMan

1. SWITCHING AT END OF TARRIFF PROBLEMS

I would like to see something done by OFGEM so customers can control a switch so that the switch occurs on the day an existing tarriff ends. This is not possible currently as the customer can't control the switch date.

Typical example fixed rate tarriff ends 31st December 2012.

The customer initiates the switch on 1st December 2012 but the switch happens earlier than expected and happens on 27th December. Result: customer hit by exit fees.

Another customer initiates the switch on 23rd December 2012 but the switch happens on 2nd February 2013. Result: customer spends over a month on an expensive standard tarriff.

The problem occurs for almost every customer not on a standard tarriff as most contracts, variable or fixed have an end date and penalty.

Citizens Advice Consumer Sercice have it logged on their information database apparently that lots of people are complaining about this same point. So why is no action being taken?

It comes up time and time and time and time again on the forum also.

See this thread for an example and the response I got when I rang up the Citizens Advice Consumer service.


2. DEFERRED DIRECT DEBIT DISCOUNTS SCAM

Npower have an ongoing scam whereby they only apply their direct debit discount of £100 after each 12 month period. So if a customer leaves after 18 months they get no direct debit discount for the last 6 months. Some of their fixed rate tarriffs don't even run for a whole number of years and so customers have no way to avoid the scam other than to stay with npower. If npower increase their variable prices and the customer switches away 6 months into the discount year they lose the accrued direct debit discount and so it is an effective £50 exit fee.

Solutions: Direct debit discounts should be a simple reduction of each monthly payment and should not be used to scam customers.


3. SINGLE REPORTING POINT FOR GENERAL ISSUES SUCH AS THE ABOVE

I reported the issue in 1. to Consumer Focus. They told me they couldn't deal with it as it was an individual issue (which it wasn't) and to contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service. I contacted the Citizens Advice Service Service and they said that they couldn't deal with it as it was not an individual issue. Eventually I got Citizens Advice Consumer Service to try and deal with it but they were only prepared to deal with it as if I was an individual looking for advice which was pointless as I wanted to raise a general issue with someone who had power to consider it. 6 months later I tried Citizens Advice Consumer Service again. They said they had had a lot of customers reporting this same issue. They could not give me any information on whether they had raised it with OFGEM and/or whether they were taking any action only that they had no power to act. They advised me to contact my MP instead. I gave up at that point.

Cardew

It is the 'strength' of gas that varies. Not only is it different in the various districts, it can vary on different dates.

These are snapshots on a couple of days.


Calorific Values - 12/11/2010



Date Entered: 13/11/2010
Last Amended:
Charging Zone Calorific Value
Eastern 39.4
East Midlands 39.4
Northern 40.5
North East 40.4
North Thames 39.3
North West 39.3
Scotland 40.3
South East 39.4
Southern 39.3
South West 39.2
West Midlands 39.2
Wales North 39.2
Wales South 39.3
Scottish Independents 38.3
Stornoway 93.0
Stranraer 39.6



Calorific Values - 08/01/2007

Date Entered: 09/01/2007
Last Amended:
Charging Zone Calorific Value
Eastern 39.2
East Midlands 39.4
Northern 40.2
North East 40.3
North Thames 39.2
North West 39.7
Scotland 39.9
South East 39.0
Southern 39.2
South West 39.2
West Midlands 39.4
Wales North 39.7
Wales South 39.2
Scottish Independents 38.3
Stornoway 93.0
Stranraer 39.6

Leaving aside Stornoway(which gets liquid gas) you can see that the difference between Districts can be 5% and small variations on different days in the same district. e.g. 1.2% for Wales North

backfoot

SnowMan wrote: »

1. SWITCHING AT END OF TARRIFF PROBLEMS

2. DEFERRED DIRECT DEBIT DISCOUNTS SCAM

3. SINGLE REPORTING POINT FOR GENERAL ISSUES SUCH AS THE ABOVE

Excellent points and powerfully argued. Attention needed in all these examples. :T