Gas & Electricity

BimboBob said:
I did an online meter reading and bizarrely the dd I had been paying before would still cover my usage after the rises.

So they bumped up the dd for no reason.

Then read a bbc report about the very same thing.

So I've changed the dd back to last year's levels.

Check people. You might be paying extra for fuck all.
Click to expand...
You can change your DD online. They wanted to put mine up to over £440 a month but I changed it to £300
 
BigJoe#1 said:
C

Can anyone explain why the standing charge for Electricity has risen from 23.68p/day to 45.6p/day?

I understand how the commodity cost of the Gas/Electricity might have risen, but the standing charge to increase by 92.5%.... I have written to Octopus to explain, but I won't be holding my breath, but I might well goi to OFGEM and challenge this.
Click to expand...
No cap on standing charges and they’re being used to claw back the money for the 29 energy companies that have failed so far. It’s the beauty of privatisation over nationalisation in that everything is fine under privatisation until it isn’t.…..
 
BimboBob said:
I did an online meter reading and bizarrely the dd I had been paying before would still cover my usage after the rises.

So they bumped up the dd for no reason.

Then read a bbc report about the very same thing.

So I've changed the dd back to last year's levels.

Check people. You might be paying extra for fuck all.
Click to expand...
The whole idea of the dd scheme is to ‘level’ your payments out. To build a credit balance in the warmer months to ensure you pay the same amount when your energy usage increases over the winter.
 
BigJoe#1 said:
C

Can anyone explain why the standing charge for Electricity has risen from 23.68p/day to 45.6p/day?

I understand how the commodity cost of the Gas/Electricity might have risen, but the standing charge to increase by 92.5%.... I have written to Octopus to explain, but I won't be holding my breath, but I might well goi to OFGEM and challenge this.
Click to expand...
From Martin Lewis.

The standing charge, which is the amount you pay per day just for having a gas supply, is increasing slightly from 26.1p a day to 27.2p a day. "For electricity, there's a big (but not as big as gas) jump in the unit rate, which is going from 21p to 28p a unit. However, the standing charge is nearly doubling from 25p a day to 45p a day.
 
Keep the Faith said:
From Martin Lewis.

The standing charge, which is the amount you pay per day just for having a gas supply, is increasing slightly from 26.1p a day to 27.2p a day. "For electricity, there's a big (but not as big as gas) jump in the unit rate, which is going from 21p to 28p a unit. However, the standing charge is nearly doubling from 25p a day to 45p a day.
Click to expand...
Should definitely should be challenged and justification sought. Their running costs won't have increased enough to justify that increase.

It's a bloody disgrace.
 
denislawsbackheel said:
It was imposed by government.
Click to expand...
What was "imposed"? A mandatory increase in standing charges? I very much doubt it.

The commodity increases are as a result of the global crisis, and these cater for increased market costs.

The standing charge is related to the "hire" of a meter (which is technically what we do) and associated maintenance and administration costs.

I cannot see how these costs were affected by any increases in the commodity charges, like I say it needs to be justified, even if that justification comes from the Government.

Also why only electricity and why not gas? Could it be something to do with the "green taxes"? If so tell us.
 
Paladin said:
Yeah. He would have to apply to his bank for that. He's already written to Shell Energy. Hopefully they will realise the mistake and sort it out quickly.

Is there a time limit for DD Guarantee claims?
Click to expand...
Wouldnt hold your breath with Shell Energy they are useless. Took them 4 months to send me a bill after i moved house (the previous owners were with them). Their first attempt was £150 for 9 days of gas and electric at the end of August last year. This was after i had phoned in the reading on the day we moved in and switched to Octopus only 10 days later. We had actually only used £25 in gas and elec.
Took 6 attempts to get their useless customer service department to sort it out and a ranting letter.
 
BigJoe#1 said:
What was "imposed"? A mandatory increase in standing charges? I very much doubt it.

The commodity increases are as a result of the global crisis, and these cater for increased market costs.

The standing charge is related to the "hire" of a meter (which is technically what we do) and associated maintenance and administration costs.

I cannot see how these costs were affected by any increases in the commodity charges, like I say it needs to be justified, even if that justification comes from the Government.

Also why only electricity and why not gas? Could it be something to do with the "green taxes"? If so tell us.
Click to expand...
The regulator has passed the cost of the failed utility companies on to the user via the standing charge.
This is common knowledge.
It is more on electricity because everyone has electricity Not everyone has gas.
Try doing some basic research before showboating on here.
 
Saddleworth2 said:
The whole idea of the dd scheme is to ‘level’ your payments out. To build a credit balance in the warmer months to ensure you pay the same amount when your energy usage increases over the winter.
Click to expand...
I know, and with their handy slider thing I was still paying far to much. They upped the payments for no reason as I was in credit by a lot already.
 
Reported yesterday that our direct debits have been increased way beyond what’s required in many cases as companies use us to improve their cash flow.

It’s a fucking disgrace what is happening in this country and the relationship between the government and energy companies.
 
denislawsbackheel said:
The regulator has passed the cost of the failed utility companies on to the user via the standing charge.
This is common knowledge.
It is more on electricity because everyone has electricity Not everyone has gas.
Try doing some basic research before showboating on here.
Click to expand...
So once that is paid back will those prices come down? It’s the same with petrol prices, once they think everyone will pay these prices they will never drop, grabbing profiteering twats all of them. And why should we pay for a private companies failure.
 
BimboBob said:
I know, and with their handy slider thing I was still paying far to much. They upped the payments for no reason as I was in credit by a lot already.
Click to expand...
Same for me , I rang told them to put it back cc agent tried to bull shit me with our calculations show blah blah blah I said OK I will cancel DD and move to other provider as your all same price . DD changed back c###$
 
Blue Maverick said:
So once that is paid back will those prices come down? It’s the same with petrol prices, once they think everyone will pay these prices they will never drop, grabbing profiteering twats all of them. And why should we pay for a private companies failure.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

I find it difficult to believe that we are having to subsidise private enterprise failures having already been stung. Many of us were in contracts that we couldn't get out of without being penalised. They fail, yet we have to stump up to cover the costs - no chance of us taking action for breach of contract.

I am surprised the opposition MP's have not questioned this, despite being accused of "showboating" by @denislawsbackheel, which I can assure him I am not, this is the first time it has been fully exposed by way of appearing on our bills. It is completely unacceptable to me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top