Scottish Power Quoting Insane Increase - Ripping people off during crisis

TRON

Aylesbury_Duck said:

TRON said:

EssexHebridean said:

OP - please just break it down - you have said you take meter readings monthly yourself so you have the records.

Gas - reading August 2021 
Gas - reading August 2022 
Electricity - Reading August 2021
Electricity - Reading August 2022

It's not overly complicated, and doesn't need pretty coloured graphs, just the straightforward numbers will allow people to offer their suggestions more effectively. 

If it helps - we currently use 4700 kWa p/a electric, 270kWh p/a gas - and I expect to be paying in excess of £150 per month, going forwards.  

The reason I asked about the suppliers estimated annual usage figure was that in your original post you said they had increased it by 300%? So presumably they have given it to you at some stage. 

I mean you also clearly see the huge increase to what they offer now compared to what I have been paying for two years is an insane leap in unjustified charges. 

You keep throwing out emotive adjectives like "insane" and "unjustified", but the news has been full of stories about the energy crisis for months - almost a year, in fact.  There's nothing insane or unjustified about the prices.  They're very high, much higher than they were, but that doesn't make the increase unjustified.  Much of the energy we use is a finite resource with high demand - what do you expect to happen to prices when the resource gets squeezed and the demand rises?  Many of those bemoaning "insane" increases in fuel and energy costs are the same people that bask in the enormous increases in their property values over the years, increases they've done little to actually earn.  They're quite happy to cash in on those "insane and unjustified" prices when the time comes.  Supply and demand is great when it works in your favour, eh?

We can grumble about it as much as we like, but the bottom line is that, aside from any support government can provide for those most in need of support, the rest of us have to reduce our consumption if we want to limit our expenditure.  The silver lining to this crisis is that many more people are suddenly aware of just what energy profligacy is costing them.  People becoming much more aware of their consumption is a good thing, even if it's a very harsh lesson for many and a terrible one for those that genuinely cannot afford it.

Disagree completely, having worked for millionaires and companies before as well as direct contact with clients/shareholders they rake in insane profits regardless and when things turn to crap they won't be the one's feeling it, they pass it on to the average consumer and then milk them dry some more in any way shape or form they possibly can. 

They are taking advantage of the situation for their own benefit at the expense of others. 

The_Fat_Controller

The rise in prices is insane, however they are completely in line with anyone else coming off a fix that was taken out two years ago.

I had exactly the same three months ago, however as I do actually understand what has been happening in the energy market I fixed for 2 years with EDF at around +25% of the current SV, which now looks an absolute bargain with the latest predictions for October and next January.

[Deleted User]

Section62 said:

[Deleted User] said:

My advice, FWiW, is vent your anger at your MP. He/she is in Parliament to represent your interests. Politely but firmly suggest that Parliament needs to be recalled to discuss what can be done. I should imagine that MPs' email boxes are over-flowing at the moment. They really need to know how unhappy people are about Government inaction this issue.

What specific government action should be put in place for people who have had the benefit of low fixed prices (say from 2020) and are now coming to the end of those deals?

Should those deals be extended until the energy crisis is over and they can get another cheap fix?

Bill shock for people coming of fixes has been well publicised for months now....

Both candidates for PM have outlined in general terms what they might do: the time has come for some flesh to put on bones. I am not for one moment suggesting that existing fixes should be extended. Bill shock will affect everybody and many will resort to desperate measures to keep themselves warm. The Government knows that it is going to have help people. If they don’t, there is little point in having a Government.

sienew

TRON said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

TRON said:

EssexHebridean said:

OP - please just break it down - you have said you take meter readings monthly yourself so you have the records.

Gas - reading August 2021 
Gas - reading August 2022 
Electricity - Reading August 2021
Electricity - Reading August 2022

It's not overly complicated, and doesn't need pretty coloured graphs, just the straightforward numbers will allow people to offer their suggestions more effectively. 

If it helps - we currently use 4700 kWa p/a electric, 270kWh p/a gas - and I expect to be paying in excess of £150 per month, going forwards.  

The reason I asked about the suppliers estimated annual usage figure was that in your original post you said they had increased it by 300%? So presumably they have given it to you at some stage. 

I mean you also clearly see the huge increase to what they offer now compared to what I have been paying for two years is an insane leap in unjustified charges. 

You keep throwing out emotive adjectives like "insane" and "unjustified", but the news has been full of stories about the energy crisis for months - almost a year, in fact.  There's nothing insane or unjustified about the prices.  They're very high, much higher than they were, but that doesn't make the increase unjustified.  Much of the energy we use is a finite resource with high demand - what do you expect to happen to prices when the resource gets squeezed and the demand rises?  Many of those bemoaning "insane" increases in fuel and energy costs are the same people that bask in the enormous increases in their property values over the years, increases they've done little to actually earn.  They're quite happy to cash in on those "insane and unjustified" prices when the time comes.  Supply and demand is great when it works in your favour, eh?

We can grumble about it as much as we like, but the bottom line is that, aside from any support government can provide for those most in need of support, the rest of us have to reduce our consumption if we want to limit our expenditure.  The silver lining to this crisis is that many more people are suddenly aware of just what energy profligacy is costing them.  People becoming much more aware of their consumption is a good thing, even if it's a very harsh lesson for many and a terrible one for those that genuinely cannot afford it.

Disagree completely, having worked for millionaires and companies before as well as direct contact with clients/shareholders they rake in insane profits regardless and when things turn to crap they won't be the one's feeling it, they pass it on to the average consumer and then milk them dry some more in any way shape or form they possibly can. 

They are taking advantage of the situation for their own benefit at the expense of others. 

They really aren't. Blaming energy companies who are desperately working to get the supplies they need to prevent blackouts (that other EU countries are facing) this winter is foolish. For supplying that energy to you, the suppliers take roughly 0.7% of your bill as profit. Not crazy figures.

There seems to be some belief that if your bill goes up £1,000 that the energy producers are taking this all as profit or even making hundreds of pounds and that simply isn't the case. On £1,000 rise for you they make about £7.

Section62

TRON said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

TRON said:

EssexHebridean said:

 

Disagree completely, having worked for millionaires and companies before as well as direct contact with clients/shareholders they rake in insane profits regardless and when things turn to crap they won't be the one's feeling it, they pass it on to the average consumer and then milk them dry some more in any way shape or form they possibly can. 

They are taking advantage of the situation for their own benefit at the expense of others. 

Who are "they"?

At the very start of the thread you said - "Been very lucky last 2 years as was on a very low tariff deal..."

That is so true. Unfortunately events mean the end of that deal is the end of that good fortune.  And because you were lucky up to now, the price difference is going to look greater than average.

That has nothing to do with energy supply companies making insane profits.

jimjames

TRON said:

EssexHebridean said:

OP - please just break it down - you have said you take meter readings monthly yourself so you have the records.

Gas - reading August 2021 
Gas - reading August 2022 
Electricity - Reading August 2021
Electricity - Reading August 2022

It's not overly complicated, and doesn't need pretty coloured graphs, just the straightforward numbers will allow people to offer their suggestions more effectively. 

If it helps - we currently use 4700 kWa p/a electric, 270kWh p/a gas - and I expect to be paying in excess of £150 per month, going forwards.  

The reason I asked about the suppliers estimated annual usage figure was that in your original post you said they had increased it by 300%? So presumably they have given it to you at some stage. 

New Offer: 



What I paying now....

Those numbers are not the current price cap, that is a fixed tariff they are offering despite calling Flexi. SVT capped rate is around 30p electric, 8p gas currently but will go up in Oct. As I said in my previous post it WILL be much more as you've been on a fix for 2 years and protected from any rises. The SVT cap is more than your previous bill but not as much (yet) as the fix offered

Vegastare

@Aylesbury_Duck  well said

Here we go the media have spun this and clearly not all accept - the big bucks are being made are with the producers of gas oil etc sold on wholesale market, then there are those who buy from the market and sell/supply us.   Last year there we had 28 or more go bust....

I just hope the windfall tax will actually fall in the lap of consumers and not in Conservative coffers.....yes the energy market needs a big shake up....but in the present day and looking forward only the big guns will be around

Section62

jimjames said:

Those numbers are not the current price cap, that is a fixed tariff they are offering despite calling Flexi. SVT capped rate is around 30p electric, 8p gas currently but will go up in Oct. As I said in my previous post it WILL be much more as you've been on a fix for 2 years and protected from any rises. The SVT cap is more than your previous bill but not as much (yet) as the fix offered

They reckon for the typical customer 'Flexi' will equate to about 84% fixed, 16% variable.

So not that surprising they've pitched the rates so high with an end date 12 months into the future.

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/flexi

wibbler

Aylesbury_Duck said:

  Many of those bemoaning "insane" increases in fuel and energy costs are the same people that bask in the enormous increases in their property values over the years, increases they've done little to actually earn.  They're quite happy to cash in on those "insane and unjustified" prices when the time comes.  Supply and demand is great when it works in your favour, eh?

This is an excellent point that I'll be using a lot. Thanks!

TRON

jimjames said:

TRON said:

EssexHebridean said:

OP - please just break it down - you have said you take meter readings monthly yourself so you have the records.

Gas - reading August 2021 
Gas - reading August 2022 
Electricity - Reading August 2021
Electricity - Reading August 2022

It's not overly complicated, and doesn't need pretty coloured graphs, just the straightforward numbers will allow people to offer their suggestions more effectively. 

If it helps - we currently use 4700 kWa p/a electric, 270kWh p/a gas - and I expect to be paying in excess of £150 per month, going forwards.  

The reason I asked about the suppliers estimated annual usage figure was that in your original post you said they had increased it by 300%? So presumably they have given it to you at some stage. 

New Offer: 



What I paying now....

Those numbers are not the current price cap, that is a fixed tariff they are offering despite calling Flexi. SVT capped rate is around 30p electric, 8p gas currently but will go up in Oct. As I said in my previous post it WILL be much more as you've been on a fix for 2 years and protected from any rises. The SVT cap is more than your previous bill but not as much (yet) as the fix offered

Thanks, so it seems the cap is quite a bit lower at the moment but then you risk getting big hikes later, so what would you suggest take the ridiculous priced imo flexi tariff as any flexi is not fixed whatever they say so still risk of it going up or let it roll on to standard tariff/caps which at this point even with increases later seem cheaper?

Guna do a bit more looking around and maybe switch away from SP, their customer service is terrible and outsourced to other countries who read off scripts and barely speak english and never helpful. 

May still just refuse to pay, a lot of people I speak to are doing the same because they are seeing even more increases than others like 300-500% increases in offers. They literally can not afford to pay it as in old D/E homes or converted offices into flats with bad epc's. We are just lucky to of been on a fixed tariff for 2 years that came with £200 of vouchers and benefits and a B property. Most people didn't have those options, was lucky to find them the first time.