Energy Bills up again

[shei111]

So weve been told on the news to expect another price rise this August of up to 40 per cent on household heating bills, thats on top of the price increases we have already had this year , gas ,electricity, oil, solid fuel. so how are people going to afford to put their heating on this autumn? I call it a recession not a credit crunch sheila

[ron1863]

I know, and the opposition parties always moan about it but when they get into office do they bring them down - no chance.
The tories slated Labour's stealth taxes. Bet they don't abolish them when they get in. Reduce fuel prices - no chance.
I honestly don't know why I vote at elections as one party seems as bad as the other.

[Duke of York]

I don't know about anyone else but I'm off to drive a Shell tanker

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Duke of York

I don't know about anyone else but I'm off to drive a Shell tanker

Well if you get behind that tankers wheel bring me a gallon or 2 Ill give you a couple bob. thanks sheila

[Duke of York]

Originally Posted by shei111

Well if you get behind that tankers wheel bring me a gallon or 2 Ill give you a couple bob. thanks sheila

A couple of bob these days will only get you about a thumble full I'm afraid

[PMG]

Originally Posted by ron1863

I know, and the opposition parties always moan about it but when they get into office do they bring them down - no chance.
The tories slated Labour's stealth taxes. Bet they don't abolish them when they get in. Reduce fuel prices - no chance.
I honestly don't know why I vote at elections as one party seems as bad as the other.

I know why I don't vote ron - its cos they are all a bunch of liers cheats and theives out to line there own pockets without exception - now why don't I stop beating about the bush and say what I mean I don't like politicians - can you tell?!!! I wouldn't give any one of them a pot......... and I wouldn't spit on any one of them if they were on fire..........

Pauline

[Meta menardi]

Not something I have ever done before, but I am reading a book about politics, specifically the damage Thatcher did to the country, her party, the people and so on (very unbiased). The amazing thing to me is the way that even people close to her, hostile to her and fairly neutral all describe whatever happened purely in terms of strategy. Never "upholding a deeply felt sense of right ot wrong", but always "so I/she/they voted that way to stop He/she/it from doing something". Very dispiriting.

[kielder]

Just a thought, wonder if the raving loony party would actually make a better job, ;-)

[pressld2]

Two years ago, when wholesale energy costs were falling, I got a letter from Powergen telling me that they were putting their prices up. Here's the letter I sent to Nick Horner, MD of Powergen in response...

Dear Sir,

I am in receipt of your letter dated September 2006 advising me of the increases in gas and electricity prices that took effect on 6 September 2006.

This letter opens with the sentence "You may be aware that wholesale energy costs are continuing to rise". On the contrary, I am perfectly well aware that wholesale energy costs have fallen substantially over the last few months and are predicted to fall further still in the next few. Jessica Bown writing in the Sunday Times of 17 September 2006 says:

"The price of gas for winter delivery in the wholesale market… has fallen by a quarter over the past four months as supply problems have eased – and electricity costs have plummeted 30 per cent."

As managing director of one of the UK's largest energy suppliers I find it impossible to believe that you were not aware of these facts and can only conclude that you have chosen to open your letter with a bare-faced lie.

As a consumer I am absolutely sick and tired of being continuously ripped off by unscrupulous, inefficient, greedy and incompetent utility companies. I switched to Powergen from British Gas / London Electricity because I was tired of being taken for a mug but now I find that I'm still seen as nothing more than a cash-cow to be milked until dry. And treating me like an imbecile by expecting me to believe your ludicrous assertion that "energy costs are continuing to rise" is simply adding insult to injury.

Please supply me with a full and detailed justification for your outrageous decision to raise retail prices while wholesale costs are plummeting. On receipt of this I will consider whether or not to lodge formal complaints with Offgem and/or the Office of Fair Trading.

Yours in disgust,

Needless to say it achieved nothing, except making me feel slightly better for a good spleen venting. (And no, I didn't write it in green biro! )

I wouldn't mind them raising our bills when wholesale energy costs rise if they also dropped their prices when wholesale costs fall. But they don't. When Powergen finally got round to reducing it's gas and electricity bills, after falls in the wholesale cost of more than 60%, they did so by 13% for gas and less than 1% for electricity. Now that wholesale costs are going up again they're passing on the full increase to consumers. Scumbags!

Dave P.

[ron1863]

Originally Posted by PMG

I know why I don't vote ron - its cos they are all a bunch of liers cheats and theives out to line there own pockets without exception - now why don't I stop beating about the bush and say what I mean I don't like politicians - can you tell?!!! I wouldn't give any one of them a pot......... and I wouldn't spit on any one of them if they were on fire..........

Pauline

Very usubtle Pauline and very true Hearing that Gordon Brown had claimed for light bulbs. Then another MP and his wife claim money back for paying rent on a house that they actually own turned my stomach.

Ron

[ron1863]

Originally Posted by kielder

Just a thought, wonder if the raving loony party would actually make a better job, ;-)

I thought they were in power

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by ron1863

I thought they were in power

They may as well be. None of them are worth oeoeoeoeoe

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by PMG

I know why I don't vote ron - its cos they are all a bunch of liers cheats and theives out to line there own pockets without exception - now why don't I stop beating about the bush and say what I mean I don't like politicians - can you tell?!!! I wouldn't give any one of them a pot......... and I wouldn't spit on any one of them if they were on fire..........

Pauline

He he! You should be prime-minister Pauline. I'd vote for you!

[PMG]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

He he! You should be prime-minister Pauline. I'd vote for you!

heh! heh! Ta Jules - but I should think I would get assassinated or made to just disappear without trace as soon as I announced my plans for setting this country straight

Pauline

[NickCantle]

500mm Prime Mininster more like

[PMG]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

500mm Prime Mininster more like

........I could afford to be 800mm if I was Prime Minister

..............see what I mean its a corrupt organisation built on corrupt concepts and setting it straight would mean ripping it to the ground and starting again - with same results ultimately - cos the people who are attracted to it are willing to do the neccessary to get in and get on - you cannot operate in it without using double standards - and folks who won t' compromise their standards, views, ideals don't go anywhere near it so it 'has a wonky leg' from the off........

to be fair there have been one or two who haven't followed the line: Barbara Castle was one, Mow Mowlam was one - but they were treated as outcasts and only canonised after their deaths.........

Now I really must get off my soapbox - I hate and despise politics and all those with the deviousness required to be a politician........

Pauline

[shei111]

Originally Posted by PMG

I know why I don't vote ron - its cos they are all a bunch of liers cheats and theives out to line there own pockets without exception - now why don't I stop beating about the bush and say what I mean I don't like politicians - can you tell?!!! I wouldn't give any one of them a pot......... and I wouldn't spit on any one of them if they were on fire..........

Pauline

Oh dear pauline have I opened up a can of worms about energy prices?I think most of us feel the same as you do over politiciansBack to the subject of fuel prices how much does it cost to fill up a tank of heating oil, I still think natural gas is the cheapest at the moment? having natural gas you pay for what you use at the time you want it, but with oil you have to buy it in bulk and have the funds to pay on delivery. sheila

[HowlinWolf]

Originally Posted by ron1863

I
I honestly don't know why I vote at elections as one party seems as bad as the other.

Correct! People who move into politics do so only to further their own interests. Despite what they claim, they have no real interest in you or I. I've not voted since sometime during the 1980's (local or general elections): from my point of view, a waste of time and effort.

HW

[HowlinWolf]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Needless to say it achieved nothing, except making me feel slightly better for a good spleen venting. (And no, I didn't write it in green biro! )

Dave P.

Did you get a reply, Dave? You don't say whether you did, or not. I usually leave it around two months or so if a letter such as yours is not responded to, then I follow up my original letter asking why, at least, I have not been afforded the courtesy of a reply.

Always complain, if you feel strongly about something: never let them get away with it.

HW

[NickCantle]

I always complain when I know what I'm talking about but I refrain from a complaint when I don't know 99% of the facts. People can see your weaknesses and exploit them.

[shei111]

Originally Posted by HowlinWolf

Correct! People who move into politics do so only to further their own interests. Despite what they claim, they have no real interest in you or I. I've not voted since sometime during the 1980's (local or general elections): from my point of view, a waste of time and effort.

HW

I can also say ive not voted since late eighties and dont intend on doing so, sick of all the promises these politians come up with when they win an election , but nought ever gets done or things changes for the better . sheila

[demicav]

Originally Posted by shei111

So weve been told on the news to expect another price rise this August of up to 40 per cent on household heating bills, thats on top of the price increases we have already had this year , gas ,electricity, oil, solid fuel. so how are people going to afford to put their heating on this autumn? I call it a recession not a credit crunch sheila

Tell me about it and with three children it doesn't get any easier. I only have one gas appliance in this house and the gas bill has gone through the roof. Everything is going up, makes me very annoyed but then again it is known as rip off Britain.