Standing Charges are Unnacceptable

IbroxCreative

Energy Companies charging us to have THEIR equipment on OUR properties so they can, rent free, feed us overpriced gas and electricity, is utterly outrageous. I didn't realise it was happening until I told them I wanted to be disconnected and they informed me I'd still have to pay a service fee!
I've just sent Octopus an Invoice for £2,029 for rental of my land for their conduits and meters from when I joined them in 2019, at £338p.a.
How dare they add a third onto my bill, as a single pensioner, on the lower state pension, especially when they charge a family of 6 the same standing charge.
A standing charge isn't acceptable in any case. It should be their cost of running a vastly profitable concern.
A company providing a service doesn't charge you for the vehicle they bring their equipment in. And if they were to leave that vehicle on your property, you would expect them to pay for parking, NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND!!
I am furious and will pursue this all the way to the courts.

Brie

Good luck with your court case.  I don't think you'll win but I applaud your efforts!!

MikeJXE

My thinks you will be in for world of pain from your opponents on here 

However I wish you luck 

Robin9

IbroxCreative said:

.......................... I didn't realise it was happening until I told them I wanted to be disconnected and they informed me I'd still have to pay a service fee!...........................

Just interested  - are you intending to go off grid ?

elsien

It pays for a tad more than just having a meter on your property, although I’m surprised it’s taking you until pension age to notice that you are paying standing charges.

For information.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/understand-your-electricity-and-gas-bills#:~:text=The%20charge%20covers%20the%20cost,government%20social%20and%20environmental%20schemes

Would be interested to have updates about how been completely off grid  is going to go for you. 

Are you also planning to take to court all your previous energy suppliers that you have used throughout your independent adult life who will also have been charging you standing charges during that time?

Robin9

You may have a case - in that you are paying for the maintenance of the network element twice.  All new properties pay a connection charge - and I think have been since the late 1970's when it was £70 ( for electric anyway) - that covered the cost of infrastructure and maintenance.  

Standing charges go back I  believe to Nationalisation - then it was simple to cover the cost of providing/maintaining the infrastructure and meter reading. It's got lost along the way as it now includes the cost of recovering the cost of companies that have gone bust , plus cost of going green .......................

BarelySentientAI

Enjoy - and let us know how it goes (although I suspect you won't).

You do know that standing charges didn't start in 2019 though?

BarelySentientAI

Robin9 said:

Standing charges go back I  believe to Nationalisation 

Standing charges go back to at least the 1930s in various forms, although have been up and down and in and out since then.

There are discussions in Hansard from the 50s, 60s and 70s about whether they were unfair or disproportionate for low users, very similar to the ones we are still having today.

Robin9 said:

You may have a case - in that you are paying for the maintenance of the network element twice.  All new properties pay a connection charge - and I think have been since the late 1970's when it was £70 ( for electric anyway) - that covered the cost of infrastructure and maintenance.  

Connection charge is for installation / upgrades to allow the connection - not for maintenance until the end of time.

dunstonh

A standing charge isn't acceptable in any case. It should be their cost of running a vastly profitable concern.

What makes you think energy supply to households is "vastly profitable"?

A company providing a service doesn't charge you for the vehicle they bring their equipment in. 

Yes they do.  Their costs are factored into their billing.

And if they were to leave that vehicle on your property, you would expect them to pay for parking, NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND!!

No you wouldn't.  I suspect no reasonable or sensible person would expect them to pay to visit you to provide a service that you need.

I am furious and will pursue this all the way to the courts.

ok victor meldrew.

Chris_b2z

dunstonh said:

What makes you think energy supply to households is "vastly profitable"?

https://www.ibisworld.com/united-kingdom/industry-trends/industries-highest-profit-margin/

BarelySentientAI

Chris_b2z said:

dunstonh said:

What makes you think energy supply to households is "vastly profitable"?

https://www.ibisworld.com/united-kingdom/industry-trends/industries-highest-profit-margin/

Supply and distribution are different things, done by different companies.