Bulk LPG - Cheapest suppliers / supply route?
Comments
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Cheery_Daff wrote: »Hi all,
Just wanted to say thanks for this super helpful thread, and post what I've just learned in case it's helpful to someone else (or in case I've got it wrong :rotfl: )
We're buying a house with an LPG tank (should be exchanging in the next week or two). It's an estate sale, so currently empty - owners live down south and have turned heating off and drained the system, saying the gas tank is 'nearly empty', but it's over an hour's drive from here and without heading over there I have no way of checking how 'nearly empty' it is, and whether there's enough gas left to power the heating for a few days.
Rang Calor (their name is on the tank) - they confirmed contract is currently with them, but that I can switch. They also confirmed they will do an interim delivery of 50% of the tank (I'm not even sure how big the tank is
) at 37p a litre plus VAT.
At that point, we are not tied into a contract with them - so we have chance to get into the house and investigate switching.
I'm most reassured - I was tying myself in knots trying to figure out how to switch once we'd bought the place but with enough time to get the heating going before we moved in, and it turns out we don't have to :j
Reading what you've all said, 37p a litre isn't brilliant, but it's also not too bad for a one off, half tank delivery that'll get us through until we can investigate properly.
I confess I knew almost nothing about LPG until I read through the last 10 or so pages of this thread yesterday so thanks to all who have contributed
Cheery
I'm on an estate with a communal tank - we are charged 45.50p per litre (plus 5% VAT) plus standing charge.
37p IS brilliant - if I were paying 37p I'd feel very fortunate. Unfortunately, there is no incentive for the estate owner to negotiate on our behalf.0 -
Thanks, yes weve had our oil stolen in the past, day after delivery, and I do run my hob on bottled lpg already, just thought it might be more convenient and maybe able to have hot water on demand, not stored. Plus we always break down in the coldest spell, (including last three days) usually condensation freezes where oil pipe leaves tank. Just paid bill of £500 for repairs, including service and some fire safety update so probably sticking with oil anyway, weve had just about everything replaced so almost a new boiler now. Must say it sounds a lot easier ordering oil than lpg! At least we are free to shop around.I s'pose the big question to ask is why you're considering changing.
Presumably you have an oil tank, pipework, boiler right now? So why change to LPG? New boiler - pipework and tank are rented, but you still need to pay to dispose of the old. It's going to take a lot of running cost difference to make up that upfront cost.
OK, so you can also run the cooker on gas. Big plus point. But you can do that anyway alongside oil - bottled LPG.
Is it to stop people nicking your oil? That's really about the only other big difference.0 -
The hot water system is separate to the fuel the boiler uses - you can have an oil combi boiler, just as you can gas.poorstudent wrote: »just thought it might be more convenient and maybe able to have hot water on demand, not stored.
It's as broad as it's long. You can phone around every fill, and be at the vagaries of the market every time - or you can do it every two years.Must say it sounds a lot easier ordering oil than lpg! At least we are free to shop around.
I've just completely run out of gas in the tank (sheer stupidity - I hadn't checked lately, and could have sworn it was only recently it was filled, but it was mid October... Add in this is the first hard winter we've had here...). One phone call, and they're doing all they can to get it to me asap - and I know there won't be any "emergency premium"...0 -
Will look into oilcombi boilers, didnt know that, thank you. Oil prices we follow on the financial pages and get a quote whenever it drops. We top up when its cheaper , think we will stick with oil after reading this forum, its been really interesting.The hot water system is separate to the fuel the boiler uses - you can have an oil combi boiler, just as you can gas.
It's as broad as it's long. You can phone around every fill, and be at the vagaries of the market every time - or you can do it every two years.
I've just completely run out of gas in the tank (sheer stupidity - I hadn't checked lately, and could have sworn it was only recently it was filled, but it was mid October... Add in this is the first hard winter we've had here...). One phone call, and they're doing all they can to get it to me asap - and I know there won't be any "emergency premium"...0 -
I've asked this before and not had any help, but could anyone help me to find the ANSI LPG price effective for February 2017? I can see the converted figure on the graphs produced by HateLPG, I just need the wholesale figure.
If anyone could point me in the right direction (PM or thread) I would appreciate it.0 -
Top lesson for additional question to ask during next year's "how much?" ring-around...
"How long will it take to get a delivery if we've completely run out?"
Ooops.
Calor are sticking to their 3-5 days. The order was first thing Weds morning. <edit: Delivered! First thing Sun am>
We can't have a telemetry auto-order doofer, because we've got no mobile signal at all. And I'm an idiot who didn't check the gauge, because he was sure it wouldn't be getting low yet.0 -
Aunty Flo is still up to her old tricks I see! :mad:A gas company has apologised to a 90-year-old woman who complained after problems switching suppliers.
Flogas provided Betty Wood with LPG gas, a common fuel for people in rural areas unable to use the national grid.Neighbour and friend Dawn Harvey, who has been negotiating for Mrs Wood, said it was an "incredibly hard process" trying to switch providers.
"Betty was paying well over 70 pence a litre with VAT. Locals were being charged between 47 and 56 pence," said Ms Harvey.
She said she had asked Flogas to send proof of contract, but that they had failed to do so.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-430915910 -
Aunty Flo is still up to her old tricks I see! :mad:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-43091591You just know that there are vulnerable people that will be paying 70ppl or similar pricing. The off-grid market is a license to print money. It always amuses me when you see all the action taken by consumer groups, OFGEM etc, about issues that LPG customers would happily accept within a regulated market but are apparently anti-consumer.
Not unexpected as you can see from the above post. The question is when, if ever, will the LPG market see similar protections available to consumers as there are with gas and electric.0 -
I have been with Avanti (Shell Gas previously) for 9 years since moving in to our present house. We are currently paying 60.9ppl, and have been since Nov 2012 (before that it was 58ppl). They asked me to sign up to a new contract back in 2010 (at 46ppl) but for whatever reason I didn't discuss/sign it. Then they hiked the price up and left it there. I was too busy to think about it or do anything back then. Tank rental is also £100+VAT. Now I have realised that we have been paying way over the norm, and have asked for alternative quotes from other suppliers. Quotes as below:
Calor: 34ppl fixed 12 months, max 3.5ppl increase every 3 months in 2nd year, plus £250 free gas
Countrywide (via LPG Compare): 34ppl fixed 12 months, max 7p increase in 2nd year, plus £150 free gas
Extrafuel: 33ppl fixed 12 months, max 3.5ppl increase every 6 months in 2nd year
Flogas (via LPG-Save): 38ppl fixed 12 months, max 5ppl increase in 2nd year, plus £125 free gas
Callow Gas: 39ppl, not fixed.
Assuming they all increase their prices as much as possible (so at the start of the year/quarter, etc), then based on my average monthly usage, Calor and Countrywide are neck and neck, and their tank rentals are £63/£60 pa.
Tempted to go with Countrywide, as their ppl will be lower than Calor's at the end of the 2nd year, so if I forget to ask around again then at least we are starting from a lower ppl level. (Not that that will make any difference!)
Anyone had any problems with Countrywide level of service?
And in your experience, do the companies always maximise their increases in the second year in line with the initial agreement? Or is that a false assumption on my part?0 -
Previous experiences are probably not directly relevant - Countrywide are in the throes of selling their gas business to Flo's parent, DCC.Gavin_Livingstone wrote: »Anyone had any problems with Countrywide level of service?
https://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk/strategic-update-and-sale-of-the-lpg-business0
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