British Gas to increase electricity prices by 12.5%

[Vaati]

British Gas will increase electricity prices by 12.5% from 15 September, its owner Centrica has said, in a move that will affect 3.1 million customers.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40787555

 

I thought there was supposed to be a cap happening on these increases?

[Puggie]

Caps don't work and I'm glad this isn't going ahead.

 

The minute you introduce a cap to supposedly "protect" consumers two things will likely happen:

 

1. Consumers get drawn into a false sense of security that their government is keeping energy prices 'in check'. Consumers are therefore less likely to shop around which further exacerbates the current problem of 90% of households on Big Six tariffs

 

2. Energy companies will simply react by increasing the prices of their cheapest tariffs to offset the potential losses from their highest tariffs

 

The only way we're going to push prices down is by SWITCHING and forcing the energy companies to work harder to keep our business.

 

We shop around for mortgages, mobile contracts, insurance, broadband etc but when it comes to energy there appears to be a mental block!

[blackydog]

Caps don't work and I'm glad this isn't going ahead.

 

The minute you introduce a cap to supposedly "protect" consumers two things will likely happen:

 

1. Consumers get drawn into a false sense of security that their government is keeping energy prices 'in check'. Consumers are therefore less likely to shop around which further exacerbates the current problem of 90% of households on Big Six tariffs

 

2. Energy companies will simply react by increasing the prices of their cheapest tariffs to offset the potential losses from their highest tariffs

 

The only way we're going to push prices down is by SWITCHING and forcing the energy companies to work harder to keep our business.

 

We shop around for mortgages, mobile contracts, insurance, broadband etc but when it comes to energy there appears to be a mental block!

 

They put the prices up one after another.

[ANGELFIRE1]

I would imagine if the price of lecky went up 12.5% in France say, there would be chaos and mayhem, with all that that entails. Meanwhile back in blighty we go on the net, we moan and groan, have a cup of cha and simply pay up.

 

Not be long before the remoaners are blaming Brexit for the increase.

 

Angel1

[bladebeer]

I would imagine if the price of lecky went up 12.5% in France say, there would be chaos and mayhem, with all that that entails. Meanwhile back in blighty we go on the net, we moan and groan, have a cup of cha and simply pay up.

 

Not be long before the remoaners are blaming Brexit for the increase.

 

Angel1

 

Very true, we do seem to accept being ripped off.I have tried contacting Brit. Gas on line and found that the chat line is down and all their operatives are permanently busy.A French company masquerading as British, what a farce

[kidneystone]

I blame Thatcher.......and Brexit

[El Cid]

British Gas will increase electricity prices by 12.5% from 15 September, its owner Centrica has said, in a move that will affect 3.1 million customers.

 

 

Is it enough to make people think about getting their own solar panels?

 

---------- Post added 01-08-2017 at 19:29 ----------

 

Back in March, SSE became the last of the big six energy companies to raise its prices, but British Gas froze its prices, untill this month.

So its not a big deal, BG are just catching up.

[ez8004]

My BG tariffs are frozen till mid 2018, so not bothered at the moment.

[iansheff]

In today's world of social media and a lot of what we do being done on line I am surprised no one has started a protest site. It is in the hands of the people, if enough people said they would leave one of the major suppliers leaving them with a big reduction in customers then they might all think twice about how they raise the prices. As changing suppliers is not too difficult then surely it would be possible to force these companies into rethinking their policies of ripping customers off.

[Puggie]

As changing suppliers is not too difficult then surely it would be possible to force these companies into rethinking their policies of ripping customers off.

 

It's a ten minute job which I'll be doing this weekend as my current tariff is coming to an end.

 

Oddly enough I'm going to be paying slightly more when I switch because the tariff I'm currently on was so cheap it made my energy supplier go bust!