Standing Charge

Wywth

joncombe wrote: »

You pay a standing charge for water but then can use as much as you want...

I pay a standing charge for my water, but I am still charged for the amount recorded by the meter too.

I think you are confusing a standing charge with a non-metered charge based on the rateable value.

All new domestic properties are now metered, and all new customers at properties fitted with meters are charged on a metered basis.

victor2

joncombe wrote: »

You pay a standing charge for water but then can use as much as you want.
Not if you're metered

You pay a line rental but you get free weekend and evening calls (at least I do with Virgin media).
You've paid for it in your monthly charge, which is not just line rental

You pay council tax but you get benefits from it (e.g. rubbish collected, roads maintained, grass verges cut etc.).
Yes, benefits you can see

But with energy companies standing charge you have to pay for it but you get no benefit in return. If a standing charge provided a certain number of "inclusive" units each day/month it would be fairer. This would mean energy companies would get an income from those using no energy that are connected (e.g. second homes) but wouldn't penalise low users to anything like the same degree.
But the energy is there on tap in your house, as and when you want to use it.

I certainly don't believe £16 per household per month is the cost of maintaining the infrastructure and sending a bill every 6 months (probably by email).
So how much does it cost to build and maintain a grid supplying every house?

You don't seem to have grasped the concept of a standing charge.

lstar337

joncombe wrote: »

But with energy companies standing charge you have to pay for it but you get no benefit in return.

No benefit?

So I presume you bought your own meter, paid to be cabled all the way to the nearest power station, pay for a maintenance contract for your meter and cabling, and took out insurance to cover the whole lot?

Wow, that sounds pricey!

I think I will just stick to paying my standing charge. :D