Energy bill increases

[ColinJ]

And... an electric toothbrush charger!

 

[cougie uk]

Thick curtains closed - it's the walls that radiate heat. Modern building, cheap as chips on gas heating (not electric due to gadgets), but the walls retain heat over a number of sunny days. Great in winter, not summer. Can't open the windows much as we have 'house cats'.

In normal summers you'd want the windows open but when the air is so hot outside - keep them shut. The cats are doing you a favour.

 

[cougie uk]

It's is really sad for a country that initiated the world first civil nuclear program in 1956 to see its citizens counting power consumption of fans and bulbs. What about those who can't afford heating in winter. Many of them suffer in silence and in their old age it is not at all fair.

I think it's always good for people to look at their energy consumption. Wastage is bad for everyone.
It must be terrifying for people struggling with energy bills.
Our glorious leaders don't seem arsed at all about it. Well why would they - one's married to someone richer than the Queen and the other can just bung it all on expenses.

They have absolutely no idea of how things really are.

 

[PaulSB]

But, you could argue this is where taking responsibility and basic budgeting is a basic necessity. Take control, monitor usage, budget and put by each month toward that quarterly bill. As you say, those that don't take readings...and responsibility, cant really complain .

I'm sorry but I don't agree and I wasn't criticising people talking about those who don't take monthly readings.

Anyone who wishes to pay by a regular DD for a fixed amount should be able to do so. Such regular payments are a very good example of taking control and budgeting. It's always been my preferred method.

Taking monthly readings and calculating one's own bill isn't as simple as it sounds for many folk.

 

[numbnuts]

I think it's always good for people to look at their energy consumption. Wastage is bad for everyone.
It must be terrifying for people struggling with energy bills.
Our glorious leaders don't seem arsed at all about it. Well why would they - one's married to someone richer than the Queen and the other can just bung it all on expenses.

They have absolutely no idea of how things really are.

Yes why would they, most have had a privileged up-bring and if asked the price of food items they would not have a clue.
If things don't change and we have a long hard winter I can see a few elderly more so if they live on their own taking the easy way out, I wonder if the government would then do anything or think that's one less we have to pay a pension too.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

The wife & I got into a bit of an argument at lunch time, I was making a sandwich & she was deciding what to have, she's looking in the pantry. She pulls out a box of eggs, puts them on the counter, turns on the halogen hob on full, walks away to then take the pan out of the drawer, then goes into the utility where the fridge is, opens the fridge door, takes out the margarine & mushrooms, leaves the door open & comes back into the kitchen puts the pan on the hob, puts the margarine in the pan. Cracks & beats the eggs, by this time the fridge is bleeping, she cuts the mushrooms, I know I should have kept my mouth shut but just couldn't, so I asked why she had turned on the hob before getting the pan, why she had left the fridge door open.

I went outside to eat my sandwich.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I think it's always good for people to look at their energy consumption. Wastage is bad for everyone.
It must be terrifying for people struggling with energy bills.
Our glorious leaders don't seem arsed at all about it. Well why would they - one's married to someone richer than the Queen and the other can just bung it all on expenses.

They have absolutely no idea of how things really are.

It is the lack of empathy that gets to me - I regard it as a basic necessity for someone making the decisions that affect the country

 

[Alex321]

The wife & I got into a bit of an argument at lunch time, I was making a sandwich & she was deciding what to have, she's looking in the pantry. She pulls out a box of eggs, puts them on the counter, turns on the halogen hob on full, walks away to then take the pan out of the drawer, then goes into the utility where the fridge is, opens the fridge door, takes out the margarine & mushrooms, leaves the door open & comes back into the kitchen puts the pan on the hob, puts the margarine in the pan. Cracks & beats the eggs, by this time the fridge is bleeping, she cuts the mushrooms, I know I should have kept my mouth shut but just couldn't, so I asked why she had turned on the hob before getting the pan, why she had left the fridge door open.

I went outside to eat my sandwich.

If either my wife or I behaved the way your wife does, we certainly wouldn't still be married. Neither of us would have been able to tolerate the other acting that wastefully.

 

[gbb]

I'm sorry but I don't agree and I wasn't criticising people talking about those who don't take monthly readings.

Anyone who wishes to pay by a regular DD for a fixed amount should be able to do so. Such regular payments are a very good example of taking control and budgeting. It's always been my preferred method.

Taking monthly readings and calculating one's own bill isn't as simple as it sounds for many folk.

Oh I sympathise and agree but I'm very pragmatic in life. If a company or someone is not offering what I need....I move. I dont get to set the rules, I find something that works for me within the framework someone sets out, if I cant, bye bye.
Tbf, I didn't realise BG did this, I pay DD fixed amount to Bulb and it works well, gives you a solid start and some reassurance the bill will at least be mostly covered. Thats the way I thought they all operated.
Sounds like BG are making sure they collect every penny as soon as possible where the likes of Bulb effectively let you carry some debt or credit over the year. Swings and roundabouts, some people don't want to overpay and have a company holding their excess money, personally, that suits me fine.

Did Standing Order die over the years because I always thought, DD was a variable amount a company could take from your account, a Standing Order was a fixed amount you set , the company couldn't take more without at least giving you notification/ notice .

 

[mjr]

Did Standing Order die over the years because I always thought, DD was a variable amount a company could take from your account, a Standing Order was a fixed amount you set , the company couldn't take more without at least giving you notification/ notice .

Companies can't do anything to standing orders. Only the bank account holder can. They hate them and most now penalise you for using them, or at least make it a pain to set up, by hiding the details needed and so on.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Normally a lot of people have a lot of credit built up by this point of the year due to paying the same every month but using far less in summer
However, I read the other day that the amount of credit in the system is far lower than normal - which will produce a really big problem come the winter!

As usual it is likelyto be the people who can least afford it that will be the ones that will be affected worst

 

[jowwy]

Normally a lot of people have a lot of credit built up by this point of the year due to paying the same every month but using far less in summer
However, I read the other day that the amount of credit in the system is far lower than normal - which will produce a really big problem come the winter!

As usual it is likelyto be the people who can least afford it that will be the ones that will be affected worst

thats probably because no one has the surplus money, to pay the DDs the electric firms want, to keep their money rolling in.......

if yor original DD was for £100 lets say and then they up it to £300....who's got the extra £200 surplus in their accounts each month to send to the electric firms to build up the credit. Hardly anyone and most of the time you have ony used £150's worth, which means the other 150 is sat in their accounts earning them money.

 

[mjr]

Normally a lot of people have a lot of credit built up by this point of the year due to paying the same every month but using far less in summer
However, I read the other day that the amount of credit in the system is far lower than normal - which will produce a really big problem come the winter!

As usual it is likelyto be the people who can least afford it that will be the ones that will be affected worst

I think that's energy company spin. With things so tight, some people are choosing to put the money aside in credit unions and building society accounts where at least it earns a little interest to help out, rather than give the dividend-extracting energy companies an interest-free loan.

Energy companies that were relying on that cheap borrowing from customers may go under, but fark 'em.

Time will tell.

 

[fossyant]

I'm £200 in credit, and that's after taking back £400 a couple of months back ! I'm currently overpaying by £100 per month but can't reduce the DD by more than £10-£20 a month as their annual review hasn't taken place yet (October). Should give me a buffer for the winter months, but I wasn't prepared to let them have £1000 in credit.

I read on one of the papers yesterday that the level of 'debt' on energy accounts is at a record high.

 

[jowwy]

I'm £200 in credit, and that's after taking back £400 a couple of months back ! I'm currently overpaying by £100 per month but can't reduce the DD by more than £10-£20 a month as their annual review hasn't taken place yet (October). Should give me a buffer for the winter months, but I wasn't prepared to let them have £1000 in credit.

I read on one of the papers yesterday that the level of 'debt' on energy accounts is at a record high.

its all according what they class as debt....i pay monthly on reciept of bill, but have 14 days to pay.

So my bill arrived on the 3rd August, which gives me til the 17th to pay, so they would class me as in debt.....but shouldnt until after the pay date. i get paid on the 15th of the month, so in truth i wont be in debt ( as they call it) after that date, as i will pay the bill then.