[mumofstig]

I've just received my usual quarterly statement/bills, much higher than last years, and when I checked the meters I'd actually used less than last year  .

The new direct debit will, of course,  be linked to their 'newly up-dated estimates' of what I will  use next year.........o no it won't 
It will be based on what I actually use this year.............I had the same argument with them last year!  Talk about try it on 

So beware any edf customers out there, make sure you check and then correct any estimated readings on-line.

[madcat]

Better still - tell them to ooo la la and move to a new supplier! 

Use energyhelpline to find the best deal (they are consumer focus approved) and off you go.  make sure you give your new supplier a real reading on the day you change over (it takes about 35 days) and claim back any due money from EDF (they dont aways just credit it to you).  Be careful of npower or E.on if you don't pick a fixed rate deal, they haven't announced their price rises yet.  But they will.

[Note for the record : I work in the energy industry but not for any of the companies discussed in this thread!]

[mumofstig]

It's precisely because some of them  haven't announced their price rises, yet, that I'm staying where I am for now

[Ice]

Had this argument with my power company in the past.  They want you to build up credit as they get the interest on it.  Much better off to have it in your bank account not theirs.

[arugula]

It's precisely because some of them  haven't announced their price rises, yet, that I'm staying where I am for now

We received a letter yesterday from Southern Electric. As of 14th September the electricity goes up 11% and gas (if they supply you) by 18%. We don't get their gas but the 47 kg bottles of propane we do use are in excess of £80.00 now. They have doubled in price in 7 years.

[mumofstig]

Had this argument with my power company in the past.  They want you to build up credit as they get the interest on it.  Much better off to have it in your bank account not theirs.

I agree in priciple but with EDF I get £6 a quarter discount for paying by direct debit on each fuel, so as long as we can agree a reasonable payment, I'm ok with monthly debits.

[grendel]

do your sums and work it out over the year, I used to work for EDF
(the bit of the company i work for was sold off) they can use the expensive winter quarter to estimate the payments and times it by 4 for the year. so it pays to go in armed with the right figures. then divide by 12 for the monthly DD.
Grendel

[mumofstig]

oh don't worry...I do work it out
I have it all worked out before I phone to disagree with their calculations.  to them.

[GrannieAnnie]

We received a letter yesterday from Southern Electric. As of 14th September the electricity goes up 11% and gas (if they supply you) by 18%. We don't get their gas but the 47 kg bottles of propane we do use are in excess of £80.00 now. They have doubled in price in 7 years.

£80??  crikey, we thought £57 was bad enough.  We only use the gas bottles for the gas brooder, but at the end of last year they were £40!

[arugula]

£80??  crikey, we thought £57 was bad enough. 

We'll have to start cooking on a campfire soon but I'm not sure how we'll generate hot water!

[dugless]

Then they will put up the price of wood (if you buy it) you cannot win.

[arugula]

They already have dugless, but the wood price is increasing on more of a linear than an exponential scale!

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't know how much wood is around here now, but when we moved in here 9 years ago, we had no central heating, only the woodburner, so we bought half a trailer load of wood, which was £35 and only lasted us just on 2 weeks.

Thankfully once I got the job cleaning at the local conservatory manufacturers, we got all the old window and door frames free.  I know they say you shouldn't use anything varnished or painted, but keep the windows open a bit for extra ventilation, and when we get the chimney swept, they always say the chimney is pretty clean.

Mind you, no job now, so we lost most of the free wood, but occasionally one of their old fitters will bring some round to us! 

[arugula]

We get a couple of tonnes for about £50 which is quite good for the woodburner - warmth only - pretty much all winter. We expect it to have gone up when ewr we get more in the autumn.








Edit: I wasn't sure who "ewr" was so I changed it to we....

[GrannieAnnie]

Like you Argyllie, our woodburner is only heat, but I wish it did the hot water and radiators as well!

The heat in the lounge is wonderful, but it seems to disappear half way up the stairs!