Another Gas Moan....

[boxtops]

I've just had an email from British Gas. I signed up to the Online Variable price promise to May 2014, so I thought I'd be protected from the current rises - oh no, it's that dreaded small print again. They say

"This means that, for a typical British Gas customer, Online Variable May 2014 gas prices will rise by 8.0% from 23rd November 2013.

"However, the good news is we'll be capping your variable prices at your new rates from 23rd November 2013 until the end of your contract. This means that if our prices go up, yours won't, but if our Standard prices go down yours will fall too."

Go up again between November and May???

It's all a big swizz - I should have taken more notice of that little word "Variable".....

[tonyav]

Thanks Lisa.

[boxtops]

jno, I know, but the way it was marketed suggested that the variable bit was if the price went down, we'd benefit - and that the price we agreed to was the ceiling until May. That's how it's worked in past years.

[Old_Geezer]

Commercial concerns, employers, government and it's departments. Never trust any of them more than you feel you have no option to. They are looking after their own interests, not yours. You only get a reasonable deal whilst their interests just so happen to coincide with yours.

[divegirl]

Agree with Boxy there.

I signed up for it when the last round of price rises were threatened [and carried out] I was told there was next to no chance of a price rise. More fool me.

Have a look here Boxy... I think the main worries are as follows:

'Those currently on this tariff may see their prices increase as of 28 February, 2014 as they will be automatically rolled onto 'Standard' tariff prices.'

'Notes: If you do not register online within 12 weeks you will be moved to Standard tariff.'
I take that to mean you need to give three months notice that you don't wish to go on the standard tariff and you can bet your life if you don't notify them you will be 'locked in' to higher prices.

Read more: http://www.ukpower.co.uk/gas_electricity_suppliers/british-gas/online-variable-february-2014#ixzz2iXLpTcQO

Read more: http://www.ukpower.co.uk/gas_electricity_suppliers/british-gas/online-variable-february-2014#ixzz2iXLgcMqv

Lisa x



http://www.ukpower.co.uk/gas_electricity_suppliers/british-gas/online-variable-february-2014

[rockyracoon]

Are they not making the rollover to the same contract against the rules now, or did I misinderstand. My eyes do glaze over when it gets mentioned on the telly.

[divegirl]

I think they are Rocky [waves hello] but I'm basically stick with them as I already owe over £150 before the winter has even started!
Switch suppliers they say.... In my dreams!

Lisa x

[divegirl]

stuck not stick of course!

I dread trying to have to wade through all the 'money saving' [sic] options as I will no doubt be worse off yet again!

Lisa x

[rockyracoon]

Waves back :)

Thankfully I'm in a fair bit of credit with leccy and gas, I have to try to keep it that way else I'll get into trouble. It's very much a concern though, especially if we have another winter like last year were I was all smug as I didn't put the heating on til November but then the winter ran through to til bloody summer.

[jno]

Martin Lewis has been bangning on about this for several weeks - don't know if this page will help anyone

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip/

[divegirl]

I am actually in credit [accrued over the summer] for my gas but that will be eaten up by the first cold month no doubt. Right now its the electric that kills me!
I keep sending off the forms for a smart meter in the hope of getting one and them sticking to their announcement of free electricity at the weekends!
It'll be just like the old days lol... all washing done on a Saturday!

[rockyracoon]

Lol.

Where do you get forms for these meters then? I've got a meter that tells me how ,much leccy I'm using but it's not very smart to be honest.

[divegirl]

Its on your BG account page... good luck there though as it is taking ages for anything to load. I had a new meter this year and got all excited thinking it was a smart meter only to be told you have to wait your turn.... another total waste of money on BG's behalf. And the engineer agreed with me!

[giveup]

I've also had an email and it says you can fix it until 2016 if you pay extra money per unit (I think) but I'm utterly confused by it all. Why dont they use straightforward English to explain these things.Whatever happens at the end of the day we will all be the losers.What I have done for the past few months is submit my meter readings online and pay monthly (I dont't trust them with direct debit),but last month I had no kitchen for nearly three weeks and they were very quick to say my readings did not follow my normal pattern,and they sent a meter reader who got the same reading as me.

[divegirl]

I do all my meter readings and email them to BG, as far as I know this is the cheapest tariff available. I think I'll give it all a couple of weeks to calm down and then look in to changing tariffs.

Lisa x

[rockyracoon]

Giveup, they did the same to me, said my meter reading wasn't what they expected and said the bill would follow, cheeky barstewards! I rang them and told them if they didn't do the bill there and then I'd be off taking my £350 credit balance with me. When I looked back at last years figures for the same time scale it was quite similar, just a tad under :(