Check your gas bills

I have just had a letter from my gas and electricity supplier Npower about increased charges. On the news it was stated, presumably as a release from them, that bills would be going up on average by about 17%.

For the same number of units as last year, and the same number being charged at the first higher rate, my bill will be going up 42% . Also in their literature they quote that the first 4572 units used per year will be charged at the higher rate. Over the last year they have charged me a lot more units than that at the higher rate. When I questioned it, it was explained to me that their year starts again every time the rates change, which happens two or three times a year. ie their year is not 365 days long :confused: . I was told that they had taken legal advice on this and had been told it was not illegal!

I think a change is called for.

 

It really is time we all stood up and were counted.
What will it take before the inhabitants of `RIP OFF BRITAIN` realise that they are being shafted from every angle,with everything,everyday.

 

I agree 100% Pip. Peter I fell out with nPower some time ago. They really are the rip off kings of Britain. Switching does work. I'm with Atlantic Electric and Gas and so far have saved about �£80 a quarter. And if you want to talk to them you get through straight away on an 0800 number (Maybe that's why you get through straight away.)

 

Oh and one for Linda:

 

John, you should never have had that glass laboratory built, you fiend.

 

Thanks John - at first glance Atlantic Electric look a lot cheaper. I shall make a more thorough investigation.

 

Don't forget Peter when your bill goes up 17% then vat is added to your final bill so the government is robbing you as well in effect the rise is much higher.

 

I tried Scottish Power Shiney and they were certainly better than nPower. However, I had the opposite problem to you. They were undercharging me and I knew it. But they never sent me an online bill. I switched after only 6 months as I got no response to my attempts to contact them and when I switched had to pay �£300 that they had got wrong. That was still cheaper than nPower though.

 

its already rip off britain, not only gas bills, my rent has doubled and buying anything, my daughter bought me a radley purse for my birthday i would say she bought it for 30 pounds and while i was in goa i looked at the label and it says made in india costing no more than �£2 to make, so radley we are getting ripped off with these designer goods, sorry to change the subject slightly i may do a seperate post on this, going to take things further when i find out were my daughter purchased it, she certainly didnt go to india.
john nice dog thought it was rosa getting ready for space :D :D

 

We are with Utility Warehouse and have found them to be very good.No problems at the moment and our telephone bills have been a lot cheaper.

From what Mr Kandy has said these people bulk buy the gas and electric from the suppliers for the cheapest price and then they split the cost with all their customers according to what they use.The same goes with the telephone,though the line is with BT Utility Warehouse find the cheapest carrier for the call that you are making,we have had no problems with them at all.

I am looking forward to when Mr Kandy is sixty in three years time then we will start to get the heating allowance though by that time it will probably have been s****ped anyway

Rosa that is a rip off for a purse. :eek: that is why I am not into designer stuff because it is all made in China etc for peanuts and then a large markup is put onto the items that is why people are in buisness to make plenty of money.It always makes me laugh when my friends walk round in their NEXT clothes,what a silly name for a company,I keep thinking whatever Next :D :D

 

quite agree kandy, i bought a jimmy choo bag over their it cost me around �£15 they are �£1000 here.

going back to bills my gas bills are higher than ever, and i cant see a great difference in my bt bills either, the only thing i did change with bt i pay a monthly fee of �£18 and get free local calls, just have to be careful not to call mobiles on it.
my broadband is also on my bill, i pay by card and the difference is taken from our bank.
when i went to bahrain we went to the likes of next etc and they are more expensive the clothes there than they are here. amazing isnt it.

 

Thank you everyone for all your comments.

I have had a good look, and John's suggestion of Atlantic Electricity and Gas is almost the lowest, but for me there is one 10% cheaper and that is EBIco. They say they are a non profit organisation trying to be ethical. The problem is that they haven't increased their prices for over a year - so who knows what they may rise to.

One thing that I like is that there are no increased rates for the first units. Npower charged me for more initial units than their literature says they can - and those extra units cost me an additional 13% on my gas bill. They assured me it was legal - so I wonder if other companies do the same. That extra charge never shows on the comparison sites, they assume it doesn't happen.

Shiney - I really admire you for taking Npower to court and then the bailiffs. Doesn't the court hearing have to be in their home area, and was that a problem - did you have to travel. I would want to attend, rather than send a letter.

 

Could someone please tell me how you actually make comparisons between companies.
I know there are website that say they do it for you but the pricing structures are intentionally confusing so you are not comparing like with like.
The same with most things these days, comparison is not easy.
And once you change supplier it usually goes up so you spend most of your time going from one to another and not getting a bill from anyone until you owe a massive amount.
It strikes me that we are doing their job for them, sending in readings etc.
Thats their responsibility as far as I'm concerned to read the meter once every three months and send in their bill.
I pay for what I use and no more, and always in arrears, never DD, thats playing into their hands I reckon, they say you get it cheaper, but they must be making more than the difference on overcharging unsuspecting people.
The whole bunch are very nearly criminals as far as I'm concerned.