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Topic Originator: GG Riva
Date: Wed 9 Mar 06:54
I think we`re all aware that energy and fuel prices, which have been rising steadily for some time, are now going to rise further and faster as a result of the war in Ukraine. Very few of us will be able to simply shrug off those rises, so we will need to find ways to reduce consumption. Perhaps we can share energy saving ideas on this thread?
One my wife and I have always practised is to wear warm clothing indoors e.g. a jumper, during cold weather and set the thermostat at 20°C. Some of my family have been in the habit of setting their thermostats as high as 25°C and sit around in T-shirts.
Crazy in my humble one.
An even crazier example is that many of our schools have their heating systems running at full blast, with all windows open to allow air to circulate and theoretically limit the spread of Covid. If only it did. In January, my granddaughter`s primary class had 6 pupils in attendance out of 33, with almost all the absentees off with Covid.
Not your average Sunday League player.
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Topic Originator: LochgellyAlbert
Date: Wed 9 Mar 10:11
Apparently the 2 top energy companies are making £2.5 million a day!
Sorry, it's per hour!!!🤬
And it's £4.5 million!
Post Edited (Wed 09 Mar 10:21)
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Topic Originator: parsfan
Date: Wed 9 Mar 11:49
I received a letter from Scottish Gas the other day. I understand prices are going up, but I thought that was down to fuel prices and so there would be a direct correlation to hire much you use.
The cost per unit for electricity is going up by 36.5%, which is possibly not quite as bad as I feared, but the standing charge is going up by 89.9%. Where does the fuel crisis feed into that?
No amount of turning things down or off or cuddling a pet to keep warm is going to mitigate that one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The universe is ruled by chance and indifference
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Topic Originator: GG Riva
Date: Wed 9 Mar 12:18
Quote:
parsfan, Wed 9 Mar 11:49
I received a letter from Scottish Gas the other day. I understand prices are going up, but I thought that was down to fuel prices and so there would be a direct correlation to hire much you use.
The cost per unit for electricity is going up by 36.5%, which is possibly not quite as bad as I feared, but the standing charge is going up by 89.9%. Where does the fuel crisis feed into that?
No amount of turning things down or off or cuddling a pet to keep warm is going to mitigate that one.
Aye, increasing the standing charge is a sneaky way of getting more money out of us without seeming to increase the fuel price too much. And of course, it means that even if you make the most stringent savings we`ll still see a hefty increase. Sorry to tell you parsfan, but Scottish Gas are about the worst of the lot and afaik, they`re not even Scottish. I left them for Bulb several years ago and immediately saved 25% on my dual fuel bills.
Not your average Sunday League player.
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Wed 9 Mar 13:31
Standing charges seem to be yet another racket by the energy companies to squeeze as much as they can from consumers. I signed up to a new deal last September before the really big increases emerged and I`m glad I made it a two-year deal. Even then it was 50% more than my previous deal.
How are they making such big profits? Surely if their increased prices were just reflecting their increased costs then their margins would be more or less unchanged?
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Wed 9 Mar 13:36
IMO, what are arguably public services should NEVER be in the hands of private companies. I suppose that there`s an argument about competition etc but then you just have to look at how many of our gas, electricity, phone and transport providers are owned by a government in another country!
There`s not even any point going with a "Scottish" company anymore as most of them are just name plates now. Ovo is the latest one. Bought out SSE and are now closing the offices (including the one in Dunfermline which I think is the maintenance part).
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Topic Originator: Raymie the Legend
Date: Wed 9 Mar 13:40
Shell garage in Leven charging 199.8 for diesel today.
Profiteering at it`s worst
Despicable
It`s bloody tough being a legend
Ron Atkinson - 1983
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Wed 9 Mar 13:45
If I could afford it, I`d be tempted to go off-grid and have solar panels and move to electric heating and cars. Issue is the ££££.
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Topic Originator: moviescot
Date: Wed 9 Mar 16:25
Energy companies make all their money from businesses. Domestic prices have always been squeezed.
I agree that energy should not be in the hands of private companies. Only out to make money for shareholders.
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Topic Originator: dpard
Date: Wed 9 Mar 18:30
Who knows where this ends up.
I know 1 guy, who`s wife went out to buy wool so that she can knit blankets, as they can`t afford to keep the heating on.
I`m guessing there will be hundreds, if not thousands that decide to do similar.
It really is a sad state of affairs.
Whilst over in Canada, my step daughter was saying that they are up in arms at fuel rising to $1:68 per litre which is about £1.
When should/will Britons start protesting?
The flame still burns
Post Edited (Wed 09 Mar 18:33)
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Topic Originator: Bamba-Daft
Date: Wed 9 Mar 20:18
Think that day is coming soon. It can’t possibly go on like this much longer.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Wed 9 Mar 20:55
The people I feel for are all these delivery drivers getting pennies per delivery. Most of the ones that deliver to us are driving older petrol cars so their fuel economy is likely crap.
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Topic Originator: parsfan
Date: Wed 9 Mar 21:08
Quote:
GG Riva, Wed 9 Mar 12:18
Sorry to tell you parsfan, but Scottish Gas are about the worst of the lot and afaik, they`re not even Scottish.
That`s not news I`m afraid. I`m not a customer by choice. I was a long time ago but their incompetence and fraudulent way of doing business was enough to put me off forever. Moved into a new build last year and they were the suppliers. Couldn`t register on line, couldn`t contact them by phone as everyone else in the country was trying to add the same time, emails took weeks to be responded to but were gibberish from someone who could neither understand nor write English.
I think my online account might be working but haven`t had the heart to even check. It`s been soul destroying but impending price rise and this week`s letter will prompt some action. I just hope I can still switch.
I haven`t paid, or received, a bill for usage so far. If past experience is anything to go by I expect it would come in early April and they`d say something like "in your first seven months at the cheaper price we think you used 1 unit of energy, in the week since the price rise you used 1,000".*
*Based on a true story, I still have the bill.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The universe is ruled by chance and indifference
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Wed 9 Mar 21:48
Scottish Gas once tried to take me to court over the new owner of my flats bill even though I had explained and provided evidence of when my solicitor handed over the keys and the final meter readings taken the day before. My solicitor had provided all the documentation and they lost it. I still remember the condescending calls I had where they would tell me how "it`s important that you pay your bills...". Utter, utter shower.
We still have a service agreement with them in our new place and they`re rubbish too. Can`t fault the engineers but the customer service is woeful.
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Topic Originator: twin par
Date: Wed 9 Mar 22:15
Never go with scottish gas guys.Total rip off.Service plans,and repairs are the same.
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Topic Originator: LochgellyAlbert
Date: Thu 10 Mar 09:12
My daughter moved into a new build 2/3 years ago (Duloch) and has still to pay a single penny towards her power bill, that`s despite contacting her suppliers constantly.
A meter reader came round last year and told her she wasn`t the only one that it`s happening to.
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Topic Originator: The One Who Knocks
Date: Thu 10 Mar 10:02
What really bugs me is when these energy companies send me a bill that says, often in bold, FINAL DEMAND. If only it was the final time they request payment to be made but it`s the exact opposite. If anything they become more insistent and aggressive regarding the debt.
And although my eyes were open
They just might as well be closed
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Topic Originator: P
Date: Thu 10 Mar 19:33
Since the thread starts by looking for suggestions thought would post a really old one that I was reminded of recently in another article.
Back in olden days folk would put silver foil against the wall behind radiators to reflect heat back into the room as opposed to heating the wall.
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Topic Originator: veteraneastender
Date: Thu 10 Mar 20:33
Quote:
P, Thu 10 Mar 19:33
Since the thread starts by looking for suggestions thought would post a really old one that I was reminded of recently in another article.
Back in olden days folk would put silver foil against the wall behind radiators to reflect heat back into the room as opposed to heating the wall.
Commercially produced radiator reflectors are available from ironmongers and online suppliers. Would pay for themselves in the long run probably.
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Topic Originator: donj
Date: Fri 11 Mar 20:05
This is Boris playing his Churchill game as we all suffer but he can lead us through it in a war.Preferably by letting the big companies make megabucks with no threat of wind fall tax or removing vat from fuel bills.
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Topic Originator: Jeffery
Date: Sun 13 Mar 00:02
Saw a house with loads of solar panels today and it got me thinking....
If the price of energy is increasing due to limitations on supply, the value of all available energy in the system must be higher. If this is true then does the feed in rate that people receive back from their solar also increase proportionally?
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Topic Originator: Wotsit
Date: Sun 13 Mar 11:04
It is worth pointing out that 5% of the cost of your domestic heating goes to Westminster as VAT (20% on other fuel btw), an additional burden on people which would be trivial for MPs to remove if they wanted to.
They could cover the shortfall by windfall taxing the massive profits of oil producers and bigger energy providers.
The enemy travels by private jet, not by dinghy.
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Topic Originator: allparone
Date: Sun 13 Mar 15:10
I was speaking with a mate who works for an energy company. He was telling me how the bosses of the smaller companies who have went to the wall have made a packet by inflating their income while knowing that they were hitting the wall. The debt and credit accounts of their customers were passed on to other energy firms who took on the burden. The higher standing charges that we have been given now are basically insurance for the bigger companies who are being left with that burden and to make sure that they aren’t left with it again. All the smaller companies that were giving us the cheaper deals are now costing us. The directors of these companies won’t need to worry however.
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Topic Originator: Wotsit
Date: Sun 13 Mar 16:32
Centrica`s (Scottish Gas`s parent company) profits rose by 44% in 2021, so the bigger firms are doing more than fine without raising standing charges.
The enemy travels by private jet, not by dinghy.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Sun 13 Mar 17:08
This is what I don`t get. It used to be that businesses rolled with the punches. Sometimes made profits, sometimes made losses but all fine provided it all roughly evened out. Now it seems like they happily take all the money when times are good and then plead poverty when it goes bad. So we end up effectively paying twice. No-one should profit from essential services like energy, transport and water.
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Topic Originator: allparone
Date: Sun 13 Mar 20:02
Quote:
Wotsit, Sun 13 Mar 16:32
Centrica`s (Scottish Gas`s parent company) profits rose by 44% in 2021, so the bigger firms are doing more than fine without raising standing charges.
Yes, they definitely are but those profits would have been higher I’m guessing, hadn’t they had to take the hit from the smaller companies going out the game and them having to take on their customers credit accounts and the debts of the other customers. If, for example you had £200 credit in your account when your supplier went bust then that was protected but it was the company that you were transferred to that picked up that burden. The same thing with an account that was in debt. They’re all trying to get as much as they can but they have realised that when Ofgem pass the burden on to them it’ll not be them that are paying, it will be us, the consumers. Remember that all these companies outwith the the big ones didn’t actually produce gas or electricity. They bought it in advance and sold it without having the overheads of their bigger competitors. They’ve gone bust, passed their burden on to their bigger (ex) competitors and guess who’s left to pick up the deficit??
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Topic Originator: Wotsit
Date: Mon 14 Mar 00:36
Their profits could have been higher if they had simply lifted our wallets out of our pockets, but it doesn`t mean that they have the moral right to do that.
The enemy travels by private jet, not by dinghy.
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Topic Originator: allparone
Date: Mon 14 Mar 05:47
I agree. They are pushing the line that Ofgem have risen the prices making it sound like their hands are tied when really Ofgem have lifted the price cap and they, the energy companies have increased prices to meet that.
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Topic Originator: JTH123
Date: Mon 14 Mar 07:44
Just like my old gaffer used to say about his wife`s credit card bill. It`s a limit not a target....
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Topic Originator: da_no_1
Date: Mon 14 Mar 17:53
Quote:
JTH123, Mon 14 Mar 07:44
Just like my old gaffer used to say about his wife`s credit card bill. It`s a limit not a target....
JT?
"Some days will stay a 1000 years, some pass like the flash of a spark"
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Topic Originator: JTH123
Date: Mon 14 Mar 21:05
Quote:
da_no_1, Mon 14 Mar 17:53
Quote:
JTH123, Mon 14 Mar 07:44
Just like my old gaffer used to say about his wife`s credit card bill. It`s a limit not a target....
JT?
Big JG.
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Topic Originator: da_no_1
Date: Mon 14 Mar 22:39
Quote:
JTH123, Mon 14 Mar 21:05
Quote:
da_no_1, Mon 14 Mar 17:53
Quote:
JTH123, Mon 14 Mar 07:44
Just like my old gaffer used to say about his wife`s credit card bill. It`s a limit not a target....
JT?
Big JG.
Hightower 😁
"Some days will stay a 1000 years, some pass like the flash of a spark"
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Topic Originator: DBP
Date: Tue 15 Mar 06:46
Jake89 hits the nail on the head for me.
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