47kg Propane Calor Gas Prices - What are you paying?

frugalstephen wrote: »

I'm horrified that a retailer can sell at £45 and still obviously make a profit. Makes the price in Northern Ireland of £95 for the same size even more disgusting! The Consumer Council of NI has now refused twice to investigate this issue. I get the feeling there is a rather large can of worms to be opened here...

Six months ago I suggested in this post: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=64273810&postcount=228 that someone in NI wrote to the Office of Fair Trading. The OFT closed a few months ago and the Competition and Markets Authority is the new body to write to ...and here is the form you need: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-anti-competitive-or-market-issues-to-the-cma

...so if you want cheap / cheaper LPG gas cylinders in Northern Ireland maybe someone in Northern Ireland needs to use this route! It was reported 6 months ago that the Consumer Council of NI wasn't being helpful!

As I reported 6 months ago bulk LPG users did get some improvements after several of us contacted the OFT repeatedly on a range of related bulk LPG matters. We publicised the name and email of the relevant case worker on MSE's bulk LPG thread.

Good luck!

As promised, I'm now just reporting back on the response I have just received following the submission of my form to the Competitions & Markets Commission.

Dear ***

Bottled Gas

Thank you for the reporting form that you provided to the CMA on 10 July 2014 regarding your concerns about bottled gas supply in Northern Ireland. I apologise for the delay in responding to you.

We understand from your email that you are concerned there are only two main LPG suppliers in Northern Ireland, both of which charge significantly more than LPG suppliers elsewhere. We appreciate the time you have taken to bring this matter to our attention.

We use the intelligence we gather, alongside our Prioritisation Principles (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-prioritisation-principles), to develop our pipeline of new projects and programmes of work and make the best use of CMA resources in terms of real outcomes for UK consumers. We have noted your complaint and brought it to the attention of our pipeline/intelligence teams; we may get back to you in the future if we pursue the issue.

Thank you again for highlighting this issue to us.

So, the gas query is in the pipeline :rotfl:

How long should you expect the LPG 47kg can to last?

My inlaws tell me they can use a bottle a week in the depths of winter.

Very expensive way to heat your home, second only to electric heating.

Having a stand alone tank installed drops the per litre price of your LPG, but then you have install costs and a rather horrible looking tank in your garden!