Re Gas and Electric Standing Charges

The_Shadow

For the past 12 months I have been renovating a house, In my last bill I used about 3 units of Electric and gas which amount to about £1.50 each. yet my bills are for £25.00 due to the high cost of standing charges and VAT


It seems to me that the current system for applying standing charges is very unfair as this applies more to occupied premises than for unoccupied premises that use little or no Gas and Electric. I have queried this with British Gas and Scottish Power but they will not alter my bills. I have wrote to the Ombudsman not sure if I will get any Joy or not.


Has any one ever been faced with this situation and had their standing charges reduced.


Thanks

lstar337

Lots of people have.

Look for a provider with no standing charges.

Ebico do this, and Npower have some no standing charge tariffs. Not sure about any other suppliers.

You can blame OFGEM for your situation, they are the ones who said no standing charge tariffs were to complicated for the public.

fed_up_and_stressed

Why on earth are you on a tarrif with a standing charge in the 1st place with an empty property it is easy to change providers you know

Atidi

The_Shadow wrote: »

For the past 12 months I have been renovating a house, In my last bill I used about 3 units of Electric and gas which amount to about £1.50 each. yet my bills are for £25.00 due to the high cost of standing charges and VAT


It seems to me that the current system for applying standing charges is very unfair as this applies more to occupied premises than for unoccupied premises that use little or no Gas and Electric. I have queried this with British Gas and Scottish Power but they will not alter my bills. I have wrote to the Ombudsman not sure if I will get any Joy or not.


Has any one ever been faced with this situation and had their standing charges reduced.


Thanks

You may feel it unfair, but it was the regulators decision in the interests of transparency and fairness to force companies to apply a standing charge (even if £0.00 per day).

It's considered fair as it pays for the maintenance of the supply wires/pipes and metering; that doesn't vary depending on usage.

Use a comparison site to find the best deal for you as explained here:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity

Nada666

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

Why on earth are you on a tarrif with a standing charge in the 1st place with an empty property it is easy to change providers you know

It is very likely the tariff they were on did not have a standing charge - it would have been a two-tier tariff. These have been banned by the regulator, but existing customers would only now be being alerted or would have started to notice the consequence.

The_Shadow

Thanks for the reply, when I bought the house I just took over the existing service providers meter arrangements, i did not know that there were companies out there that did not apply standing meter charges. I do blame OFGEM for the introduction of the revised charges that came in this year, you would think that there would be some flexibility in the system for unoccupied houses.

lstar337 wrote: »

Lots of people have.

Look for a provider with no standing charges.

Ebico do this, and Npower have some no standing charge tariffs. Not sure about any other suppliers.

You can blame OFGEM for your situation, they are the ones who said no standing charge tariffs were to complicated for the public.

The_Shadow

Thanks for your reply, i will no better when i purchase my next property, i will have the meters removed hence no charges

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

Why on earth are you on a tarrif with a standing charge in the 1st place with an empty property it is easy to change providers you know

The_Shadow

Thanks for the reply, you learn from your mistakes, i will know better next time, i will have the meters removed

Atidi wrote: »

You may feel it unfair, but it was the regulators decision in the interests of transparency and fairness to force companies to apply a standing charge (even if £0.00 per day).

It's considered fair as it pays for the maintenance of the supply wires/pipes and metering; that doesn't vary depending on usage.

Use a comparison site to find the best deal for you as explained here:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity

lstar337

The_Shadow wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, you learn from your mistakes, i will know better next time, i will have the meters removed

You will likely be better going for a £0.00 standing charge tariff, as you will be charged for have meters put in when you need them again, and probably for them to be removed in the first place!

That will eat up any saving you will have made through not paying for services.

Wont you need supplies for your renovation purposes?

ILuvEbico

The_Shadow wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, i will no better when i purchase my next property, i will have the meters removed hence no charges

Probably not a very wise decision. It will cost you money, if not to have them removed, certainly to have them reconnected.

Follow the advice already given, and you will find a supplier that charges only for what you use, so if you use nothing, it costs you nothing.

You've been given the appropriate link already.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

ILuvEbico wrote: »

Probably not a very wise decision. It will cost you money, if not to have them removed, certainly to have them reconnected.

Follow the advice already given, and you will find a supplier that charges only for what you use, so if you use nothing, it costs you nothing.

You've been given the appropriate link already.

Indeed. Likewise, if the OP then starts any significant usage, they better switch away from ebico sharpish.