british gas...centrica

robshed

british gas is owned by centrica ...ok...... centrica also sell power and gas to europe and US ..Canada .
I tried the link on Centrica web site ... to their other owned company ...Direct Energy ... just to compare the tarriffs ... but I got nothing ...
I wonder what they charge for gas and electric .. in Canada ....US .
how many different tarriffs do they get offered ..
I bet Direct Energy does not bamboozle the yanks ... like B. G. do to us
three names ....same boss ...
check out ...Direct Energy...

spot1034

What are you expecting to achieve from this?

It's well known that energy costs are much lower in the US. Do you think they could buy gas in the US market and somehow have it transported to your home and charge the same?

System

spot1034 wrote: »

WhDo you think they could buy gas in the US market and somehow have it transported to your home and charge the same?

It can be transferred over the internet direct to your home can't it?:rotfl:

robshed

I have no idea what they do ...I just see british gas as three companies ...and wonder what they pay compared to us here in uk. and how much easier the tarrif system MAY BE ? !!
if it is all one company in reality ....Centrica .. we should all be the same ...
I asked for people to check it out and see what gives .

cynicalgit_2

robshed wrote: »

I have no idea what they do ...I just see british gas as three companies ...and wonder what they pay compared to us here in uk. and how much easier the tarrif system MAY BE ? !!
if it is all one company in reality ....Centrica .. we should all be the same ...
I asked for people to check it out and see what gives .

Just remember the 6 main energy companies are an oligopoly.
Their C.E.O 's all regularly meet on the golf course and decide amongst themselves how much to charge their customers.
Once they've reached an aGREED price they then pretend that there's a competitive market.
The hoodwinked consumer then rushes around switching tariffs in the mistaken belief that there is a competitive energy market.
Basically the U.K consumer is being shafted for the benefit of overseas shareholders in the 6 utility companies.
Utilities should be Re-nationalised we are the Shareholders.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

cynicalgit wrote: »

Just remember the 6 main energy companies are an oligopoly.
Their C.E.O 's all regularly meet on the golf course and decide amongst themselves how much to charge their customers.
Once they've reached an aGREED price they then pretend that there's a competitive market.
The hoodwinked consumer then rushes around switching tariffs in the mistaken belief that there is a competitive energy market.
Basically the U.K consumer is being shafted for the benefit of overseas shareholders in the 6 utility companies.
Utilities should be Re-nationalised we are the Shareholders.

What utter, utter nonsense.

The UK has the cheapest gas in Europe. It also has the second cheapest electricity in Western Europe, after France.

The 4 of the big 6 that are foreign owned charge much more in their home markets than they do here. I can therefore argue (with facts behind me instead of rhetoric), that the UK consumer is being subsidised by our poor foreign neighbours; it is them who are being shafted.

Also, 2 of the big 6 are British companies by whatever metric you define a companies "nationality". The happen to be the 2 that raised prices earliest, furthering my argument that prices are kept low here by European consumer subsidy.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

And to the OP, Centrica have many other companies within their portfolio, from dyno rod to PH Jones. There is nothing unusual for a company to have different subsidiaries for it's different products, Tesco do it without much fanfare.

As above, energy is much cheaper in the US. Does that mean that because Direct Energy is British owned that the yanks should have to be British prices?!

macman

robshed wrote: »

I have no idea what they do ...I just see british gas as three companies ...and wonder what they pay compared to us here in uk. and how much easier the tarrif system MAY BE ? !!
if it is all one company in reality ....Centrica .. we should all be the same ...
I asked for people to check it out and see what gives .

I hadn't noticed that Ford will charge you the same for a Focus in every single world market that they sell it in...why do you think gas and electrcity is any different?

cynicalgit_2

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

What utter, utter nonsense.

The UK has the cheapest gas in Europe. It also has the second cheapest electricity in Western Europe, after France.

The 4 of the big 6 that are foreign owned charge much more in their home markets than they do here. I can therefore argue (with facts behind me instead of rhetoric), that the UK consumer is being subsidised by our poor foreign neighbours; it is them who are being shafted.

Also, 2 of the big 6 are British companies by whatever metric you define a companies "nationality". The happen to be the 2 that raised prices earliest, furthering my argument that prices are kept low here by European consumer subsidy.

So its a free market when all the Utilities put their prices up at the same time then!!!
Like I said its a price fixing cartel like all oligopolies.
The Tories have given them carte blanche to jack the prices up before the next General Election.

spot1034

cynicalgit wrote: »

So its a free market when all the Utilities put their prices up at the same time then!!!
Like I said its a price fixing cartel like all oligopolies.
The Tories have given them carte blanche to jack the prices up before the next General Election.

What would you expect in a fiercely competitive market when all are dealing with the same set of rising costs?

In such circumstances, not wanting to be the first to put up prices they will all naturally hold back as long as possible. There comes a point, however, when they face running their business at a loss if they don't make a move, and there's little to be gained from being the one supplier that gets a lot of new customers if your costs are higher than your income.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

cynicalgit wrote: »

So its a free market when all the Utilities put their prices up at the same time then!!!
Like I said its a price fixing cartel like all oligopolies.
The Tories have given them carte blanche to jack the prices up before the next General Election.

What?! :rotfl:

The Energy companies have been free to do what they want with their prices since we've had a privatised industry. No government has tried to stop this.

If you want to reduce it to political point scoring (I noticed you ignored how I crushed your "subsidising the foreigners" guff), it's Labour that have given the companies every incentive to raise prices before the next election.