Centrica make £1.5bn profit

Basher · 23-02-2006, 15:25

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1716064,00.html

See above article.

We had a 12% rise in gas and electricity prices at the end of last year and, as of the 1st March, we have a 22% rise whilst they continue to rake in the profit. Is it only me that's a little bit peed off with this?

I was going to change from British Gas as soon as I heard rumours of the impending price rise but unless I switch to a capped rate immediately other companies will soon raise their prices so it's pointless.

Changing to a capped rate is all well and good but, having used various online comparison sites the most I can save is around £60 p.a. which, to be honest, isn't worth the hassle of changing because when all is said and done British Gas customer service is very good whereas some of the others are unknown and some I know to be terrible.

T.C. · 23-02-2006, 16:25

You are right B. I only changed to British Gas last October from Power Gen when they increased their prices. Like you say, itwould be pointless changing back, as P.G. are increasing their rates again next month,and my first gas bill last week from B.G. was £316. If I was to change again I would more than likely only be digging myself a deeper hole, So I'll stick where I am.

chav1 · 23-02-2006, 17:16

its even worse for people with card meters they get charged at an even higher rate and most people are on them because they struggled to afford thebills in the first place

my house came with card meters already in it and although they accept i can have normal quaterly payments out of my bank getting the lay bastards to turn up and put propper meters in is another story as it benefits them to keep me on ,eters as long as they can , also i switchd companies with promises of putting the propper meters in and still they never came

gas and electric companies ar elike dentists in the way that they can charge what they like and not have to justify it because we depend on them so much

Margaret Pilkington · 23-02-2006, 18:43

At least Dick Turpin wore a mask so that you KNEW you were being held up!

godfrey · 23-02-2006, 20:37

If you are not into switching, start right now. British Gas is always the most expensive supplier. I switched last night. London Energy messed me around and I warned them. Now I have switched to N.Power online.

This site for saving money is a must for your favorites list:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/

chav1 · 23-02-2006, 20:46

scottish power are currently taking me to court over a £160 bill

i have got fed up of ringingthem and spending hours on the phone so i will attend the court and explain that i am on a payment meter and can not possibly owe them money which scottish power also agree with me on

maybe i will ask for petrol money and expenses when i get there for wasting my time

SPUGGIE J · 23-02-2006, 21:09

Its a different kettle of fish if Scottish Power owe you money it would be easier to make gold from lead (been there and still stuck in limbo 3 years later). I dont notice price rises in gas as I do not use a lot. Maybe I am one of the very lucky few.

Basher · 24-02-2006, 12:22

I wouldn't touch Powergen with a barge pole, I had nothing but trouble with them when I was a customer of theirs. Neither would I go anywhere near nPower after a work colleague had no end of trouble when trying to change from them to another supplier. However, I have never heard a bad word about Scottish Power before and London energy comes up as the best capped supplier for me giving estimated an estimated saving of 24% on my current useage so I'm sad to hear that godfrey has had problems with them.

I don't use all that much; £20 a month Gas (still £50 in credit after the arrival, last week of the latest quarterly statement) and £15 electric (£8 in credit on that one) so it looks like I'll just carry on biding my time until some super duper offer comes along, or more likely the price fixing on the continent will be sorted by 2007 and we could see prices actually come down.

T.C. · 24-02-2006, 13:30

As I explained in my original reply to Basher. I changed from Powergen to B.G., and on at least four occasions since changing I have received phone calls from Powergen asking to settle my last bill. These calls have always been in Asian dialect, no discrimination, but it seemed that that after my final payment they were trying to squeeze a bit more out of me. As I had kept all the paperwork and serial numbers from the changeover, I finally convinced them that I had settled with them. But at my age I don't need the aggro.