Grant Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 The best way to cut your energy bills is to make sure you keep an eye on any automatic renewal notices for supply contracts. Dont just simply assume you are getting a good deal as your supplier has always done right by you in the past. Specifically with business energy contracts, automatic renewal notices from major companies are often well over 33% higher than standard prices. In some cases Ive seen renewal notices at double the going rate. The companies do this as they know (and Ive had this stated by them) that over 50% of people simply accept what they are told and continue with what the company puts in front of them. As energy prices are one of the key factors affecting inflation, you would have thought that the government may have done something about companies trying to pull the wool over consumers eyes to such an extent, but they are powerless to interfere with the profit level of a private company (even if it is affecting national inflation levels). I agree with you on the lax attitude of most consumers (including my own) on not checking energy prices (my domestic electricity bill is £225 per month!) but disagree with your statement about the government being powerless. You are right in saying they have no mandate to interfere with the profit level of a private company but there is a thing called OFGEM and they do monitor and, if need be, regulate energy suppliers prices. "Part of Ofgem's role is to ensure that Britain's energy wholesale and supply markets are competitive". Going back to the topic subject - I personally enjoy this stance - Or in our case save the V6 Interesting article on their web site about how Toyota were forced to remove the Prius advert because they couldn't prove it was as economically or environmentally better as they claimed it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterfield Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Working in the energy sector, I can quite honestly say the industries such as OFGEM and Energywatch are for the most part useless. Some years ago, our company was present at a meeting of intermediaries, suppliers and regulators where it was all but clear that the sector was closer to a cartel than any regulated industry. The view from the inside is laughable sometimes. The major suppliers in the sector or bending customers over a barrell and have been doing so for some time, with no action what so ever to alter it. Ive seen litterally dozens of examples in our commercial office alone of little old dears on energy deals being presented with renewal documents that are (for the elderly) hard to read, impossible to understand, and when we have unravelled the documents for them, discovered that the supplier is attempting to shaft the little old dear for up to £1000 per year! We are talking in some circumstances these OAP's deciding between food and paying the gas bill. When I know the real prices of energy available, that sticks in my throat a bit. Every example was reported, and nothing done. The response as always, that they are unable to interfere with the profitability of a private company. We only had a couple of dozen, but we are a commercial intermediary, and dont normally deal with any domestic enquiries anyway. There will be tens of thousands of OAPs out there right now, being shafted and having their quality of life lowered by suppliers charging them many hundreds of pounds more than the going rate for energy. Sorry to go on, but it annoys the hell out of me seeing the actions that are undertaken by some of these companies. On the lightbulbs, we have some, but I just find they are generally a little "yellow" for the first few minutes of use, which can be annoying when you want the light "now!". In bedside lamps, toilets and areas where the lights will be on quite a lot of the time, they are great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'm still producing heaps of oil out of old reservoirs for you guys so please keep me in a job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterfield Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Dont worry - more air travel is on the cards and the replacement for the z in time to come will almost certainly have a larger engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Falklands next Stew. Had 5 years down there. Hope you enjoy it! :scare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingu2 Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 this may not be the opinion of many people here but.. because I work in oil and gas exploration and studied some atmospheric physics at university (and drive a thirsty car), I DO worry about global warming - I offset my car's emmisions and feel better about it.. www.carbonneutral.com but keep burning that oil guys.. a high oil price = a bigger bonus for me = new suspension setup before christmas.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacko Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 To be honest, I know its a topic that is easy to forget about etc.... But I try to do my bit when I can. The majority of light bulbs are energy saving ones, my tv is a brand new LCD one that uses bugger all when on standby and is more efficient that the only tube job and when the time comes for new appliances, then I'll buy energy efficient ones..... I try not to waste energy or resources as much as possible! I'll look into anything I can do to assist. Guess if we all do the same then may help a bit, even though with all the scaremongery and complete twaddle thats put in the press, makes it a bit hard to wonder what exactly to do..... Anyway, sermon over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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