Energy Price Hike- all Hype ?

[flymo]

I am simply shocked by some of the prices I see on this thread, whether it be electricity, gas or, most notably, water. hock:

I admit it has been almost 20 years since I lived in the UK and costs have no doubt increased but some of these prices just unbelievable.

I don't think I could afford to live in Britain now which I never thought I would ever say.... :cry:

Is it possible to sink a borehole in the UK if you own the land ??

 

[samxool]

I have no idea how someone can have a £1k a year water bill. That's ridiculous.
I pay about £150 a year, and I live in London.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Next time any of you are on holiday in the 'sunny South', think about us poor saps subsidising your water!

Knowing of the water-supply problems in the South-West, there is one water-related incident that occurred there in July 1988 that will always stay in my memory. This was the matter of what occurred at Camelford when as a result of an error, 20 tonnes of Aluminium Sulphate was put into the water treatment system in the site of the water company there, which raised the concentration of that element in the water-supply to 3,000 times the safe level. There were many cases of people being medically affected by this mistake and these continued to ruin the lives of many people for years to come.

You are indeed right to let forum members know that the water charges in your region historically have always been extremely high in comparison to many other areas of Britain.

 

[Seacook]

Okay fine, I am not paying water rates of £1057.34 to South West Water and I am not reading the bill which states that the charges are composed of-

Water charges £425.15
Sewarage charges £682.19
Government contribution £50.00CR
Total charges £1057.34

That is obviously a load of bull**** isn't it. :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oh and last years Bill definitely wasn't £1044.43 either, because that is obviously a load of crap as well.

With sewerage charges being so high, I'm afraid it is mostly crap.

 

[Wyvern]

Is it possible to sink a borehole in the UK if you own the land ??

In the vast majority of cases no.

Until the nineteenth century almost all property was in copyhold, that is rented from the landowner - for instance the Lord of the Manor or the Church. When they were converted to freehold by the Copyhold Acts certain rights were usualy excluded. Normally mineral rights, but sometimes even the right to cut timber.

(Droit du seigneur is however a myth)

 

[bb21]

I have no idea how someone can have a £1k a year water bill. That's ridiculous.
I pay about £150 a year, and I live in London.

I found this, which will suggest that £1k bills are certainly not uncommon in the south west looking at the comments section.

 

[455driver]

Is it possible to sink a borehole in the UK if you own the land ??

Through solid granite bedrock, I dont think so!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

With sewerage charges being so high, I'm afraid it is mostly crap.

Same as your posts then! :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I have no idea how someone can have a £1k a year water bill. That's ridiculous.
I pay about £150 a year, and I live in London.

Move to the South West, then you will have more than an idea! :roll:

I take it your water rates are shared out between several occupiers in the one house?
Or are you saying that the house you live in has water rates of £150 a year!

Maybe I should get 9 lodgers in then I would only pay £100 a year as well! :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I found this, which will suggest that £1k bills are certainly not uncommon in the south west looking at the comments section.

That link is a lie anyway, we have not had our bills reduced by 7.3% they simply gave us £50 towards this years bill, next year we will be back up to £1100+ and they will add on the increase as well.

 

[bb21]

Same as your posts then! :roll:

I think it was meant as a joke - sewage and crap.

 

[455driver]

I think it was meant as a joke - sewage and crap.

I aint in a 'jokey' mood after the crap (no joke) I have had thrown at me on this thread!

 

[bb21]

I aint in a 'jokey' mood after the crap (no joke) I have had thrown at me on this thread!

Yes, I figured that out yesterday.

 

[DarloRich]

455 drivers bill is in no way out of the ordinary. it is high but plenty of people pay a similar sum. Ours is 4 figures. Yes even with a meter. It is the sewerage charges that screw you not he water use.

Some people who have posted on this and other recent threads about utilities have precisely no idea what the real world costs. Add in a few kids and your bill sky rockets!

 

[455driver]

Thank you DarloRich (and RichW), I was beginning to think I was peeing into the wind on this subject.

 

[DarloRich]

It is easy when you live with mummy or daddy or in a house share with 17 other students. I wish i still could! God i had so much disposable income then!

The real world is somewhat different and somewhat more expensive! But price rises are only, on average £100 so hardly worth bothering about :roll: I mean once you have paid the mortgage, council tax, car, season tickets, insurance, telephone, food and all the requirements of the children ( before you go onto the discretionary spends like sky etc) £100 extra on top of an already massive bill is nowt! :roll:

 

[455driver]

I am not sure but I get the feeling you are being ironic Darlo!

 

[Butts]

My Water Bill is £124.80 (water) + £144.84 (waste water) = £269.24 and I live on my own in a Band A Flat.

Can you imagine the fuss there would be if gas and electric bills were based on a theoretical rateable value over 20 years out of date (except Wales).

There is no doubt the fairest way to charge for water is based on what you actually consume utilising a meter. (radical thought :roll

The reason for the lack of protest is largely due to the fact most poor people live in properties with low rateable values which produces lower bills.

 

[DarloRich]

My Water Bill is £124.80 (water) + £144.84 (waste water) = £269.24 and I live on my own in a Band A Flat.

Can you imagine the fuss there would be if gas and electric bills were based on a theoretical rateable value over 20 years out of date (except Wales).

There is no doubt the fairest way to charge for water is based on what you actually consume utilising a meter. (radical thought :roll

The reason for the lack of protest is largely due to the fact most poor people live in properties with low rateable values which produces lower bills.

ours is on a meter - the actual water usage isn't a problem.

When i lived on my own i hardly paid anything for utilities. Well until i moved into a house with a key meter :roll:

 

[455driver]

When i lived on my own i hardly paid anything for utilities. Well until i moved into a house with a key meter :roll:

Our house had key meters in when we bought it and the supplier (British Gas I think it was) wanted a £100 deposit to remove each meter, money we simply didnt have at the time, so I did a bit of looking around and EDF energy would remove the meter free of charge as long as we paid by monthly direct debit and we have been with them ever since, I have looked on the comparison sites every year and they have always been the cheapest (or near enough to make no difference) so I have been with them for 11 years now.

Incidentally both our car insurance renewals were also the cheapest after trying the comparison sites, a pity really as I wanted a new meerkat!
Maybe its the signs of getting old when your car insurance renewal is the cheapest quote available!

 

[DarloRich]

The land lord wouldn't consider having the meters out and i didn't want to push it -which was a mistake. Those key meters are an even bigger rip off than the normal bill!

 

[455driver]

Ah you are in rented accomodation, fair enough then, its a pity though because meters are one of (if not the) most expensive ways of paying for gas and electrikery.

 

[DarloRich]

Ah you are in rented accomodation, fair enough then, its a pity though because meters are one of (if not the) most expensive ways of paying for gas and electrikery.

not now - i have a nice new house with a nice direct debit that allows me to hand over an increasing % of my monthly pay in order to heat and light the nice new house!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Ah you are in rented accomodation, fair enough then, its a pity though because meters are one of (if not the) most expensive ways of paying for gas and electrikery.

Short of extracting and refining the oil or coal yourself i think the key meters are vastly expensive.

The companies ( gawd bless them) suggest these are the best way for those on low income or poor credit to manage their affairs.

What they actually mean is that we can screw the poorest over for even more for they are to scummy to have a decent bank account, monthly wage or credit history.

 

[455driver]

Enjoy your new, energy efficient, house, and as for the rest of your post?
I agree 100%, they are simply preying on the vulnerable and nobody has got the balls/inclination to stop them.

 

[jon0844]

Key meters are fine in theory, but the rates should be lower given you pay in advance.

I bet there's a lot less admit that there once was.

 

[Seacook]

Same as your posts then!

No, the same as my water bill.

Plainly you were offended by my attempted jocularity. I apologise unreservedly.

 

[455driver]

No, the same as my water bill.

Plainly you were offended by my attempted jocularity. I apologise unreservedly.

And I apologise to you for me being a snappy twit.

Anyway hugs and kisses all round, time to move on.

I have just had a letter stating that as my monthly (gas and electric) payments are not covering my usage they are altering the amount I pay, now bearing in mind I am already paying £150 a month my first thought was they can sod off. On further investigation I am over £200 in front and they are reducing my DD by £30.

 

[jon0844]

Guess what turned up today! Yes, our water bill!

£173.88 (9 April to 2 October)

and the statement showed we paid £158.56 six months (well June, and this bill will be collected December 1st).

Our water consumption has risen most likely due to a leaking shower, which has been getting worse for three months and - stupidly - we haven't yet fixed. (It's an Aqua Lisa shower and needs a cartridge that's about £150-200 + fitting).

Nevertheless, that's still an annual bill of £332.44.

 

[richw]

That link is a lie anyway, we have not had our bills reduced by 7.3% they simply gave us £50 towards this years bill, next year we will be back up to £1100+ and they will add on the increase as well.

It says we have a rise if you remove the government £50. The reduction is due to run every year until April 2020.

The land lord wouldn't consider having the meters out and i didn't want to push it -which was a mistake. Those key meters are an even bigger rip off than the normal bill!

I have a key meter, and am paying less for electric than I was at my old house, whilst I realise it isn't equal comparison the Scottish Power key rates are considerably lower than any of the other key suppliers.

My current rate (key meter) is:

Electricity unit rates 15.321p per kWh
7.137p per kWh at night
Annual electricity standing charge: £104.76

My previous house (monthly DD) the rate was:

Unit price (pence per kWh)
First 2475 kWh 19.450p
Remaining 3025 kWh 7.620p

Standing charge
£90.41

(all rates exc. VAT)

 

[Butts]

It says we have a rise if you remove the government £50. The reduction is due to run every year until April 2020.



I have a key meter, and am paying less for electric than I was at my old house, whilst I realise it isn't equal comparison the Scottish Power key rates are considerably lower than any of the other key suppliers.

My current rate (key meter) is:

Electricity unit rates 15.321p per kWh
7.137p per kWh at night
Annual electricity standing charge: £104.76

My previous house (monthly DD) the rate was:

Unit price (pence per kWh)
First 2475 kWh 19.450p
Remaining 3025 kWh 7.620p

Standing charge
£90.41

(all rates exc. VAT)

Living on my own and being a relatively low user I defected from N-Power to Scottish Power recently to get rid of the standing charge tariff N-Power had put me on when my fixed rate ended.

I also got £40 (eventually) as I used a switching service.

 

[richw]

My wife is home with the youngest daughter all day most days so we are much better off with the higher standing charge.

I set the timer on the washing machine to come on at economy seven, as will our storage heaters. Saying that we haven't needed the storage heaters as yet this year.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

British Gas claim to respond to an e-mail query in three working days according to their e-mail acknowledgment of online queries sent via their "Contact us" section.

How does twenty-one working days without any response sound