Cost of energy and the cost of living crisis.

[Barry]

Here's today's problem:

We have an enormous investment in wind farms and they are all white elephants today. It's a reasonably warm day in August and we are burning gas and coal to try to keep up with demand. It's pitiful and the result of listening to the green lobbyists. We can't make an immediate solution as we closed the coal mines and knocked down the power stations.


Meanwhile we are sending the French over 2GW.

[Sheepy]

So you're suggesting there's special treatment for una oveja, un mouton, or uma ovelha in EU countries.

Frankly, apart from differences in ways of butchering and cooking, I haven't noticed...

I am not suggesting anything apart from they are capping prices, so just stating a fact.

[patman post]

You missed out there, because if I lived in Spain, France or Portugal I couldn't be fleeced but then see how long the EU put up with that.

So you're suggesting there's special treatment for una oveja, un mouton, or uma ovelha in EU countries.

Frankly, apart from differences in ways of butchering and cooking, I haven't noticed...

[Sheepy]

Then you stand a good chance of being fleeced...!

You missed out there, because if I lived in Spain, France or Portugal I couldn't be fleeced but then see how long the EU put up with that.

[patman post]

You are 600 or more in credit and they are still charging you 326 a month? They are robbing you blind. Your money is sitting in their accounts earning interest for them, as they treat you like an interest free credit card.

With interest on easy-access and other savings accounts at less than 1% for quite some time past, the extra hassle didn't seem worth it.

Now, as stated in reply#308, we're looking at alternatives...

[patman post]

So, what about the all the others who don't have savings accounts and spare money for premium bonds?

Then you stand a good chance of being fleeced...!

[Sheepy]

But with the rising interest rates, I'm keeping an eye on whether diverting payments into savings accounts or, perhaps, Premium Bonds...!

So, what about the all the others who don't have savings accounts and spare money for premium bonds?

[srb7677]

our account is £600+ in credit, and they will still take our (recently increased) £326 monthly payment.

You are 600 or more in credit and they are still charging you 326 a month? They are robbing you blind. Your money is sitting in their accounts earning interest for them, as they treat you like an interest free credit card.

[patman post]

Not having a smart meter wasn't originally our choice — we signed up, but nothing happened. Then we moved out while some building work was done, and we've never responded to Bulb's follow up smart meter emails since.

Bulb's administration is in the hands of Teneo, which has had a few queries over its activities and some personnel — but, then, seems par for the course these days...

[Nick]

We're still with Bulb (which is now operating under administration).

For some reason we've not had  a smart meter fitted, so Mrs reads and enters our gas and electricity readouts on demand. Bulb emailed us a few days ago informing us that our last bill was for £37, our account is £600+ in credit, and they will still take our (recently increased) £326 monthly payment.

I'd usually be happy to leave the credit to build up and help toward the promised few k energy bills.

But with the rising interest rates, I'm keeping an eye on whether diverting payments into savings accounts or, perhaps, Premium Bonds...!

I get an email at least once a week telling me to get a smart meter fitted, they can most likely weight the meter so that the payment collections are in their favour. Not sure I'd want £600 of my money in the possession of the likes of Bulb, they are crooks. 

[patman post]

There was a 20% increase back end last year and a 50% increase March-ish so bills should have risen by about 80%. Bulb put my DD up by 250% so I cancelled it and now put the meter reading in and pay monthly. They try to charge me £15 for the privilege to I told them to get lost. There is nowhere on their website that allows payment, only setting up a DD.

We're still with Bulb (which is now operating under administration).

For some reason we've not had  a smart meter fitted, so Mrs reads and enters our gas and electricity readouts on demand. Bulb emailed us a few days ago informing us that our last bill was for £37, our account is £600+ in credit, and they will still take our (recently increased) £326 monthly payment.

I'd usually be happy to leave the credit to build up and help toward the promised few k energy bills.

But with the rising interest rates, I'm keeping an eye on whether diverting payments into savings accounts or, perhaps, Premium Bonds...!

[Nick]

Well guess what my direct debits are up at the beginning of September and they will be cancelled.

There was a 20% increase back end last year and a 50% increase March-ish so bills should have risen by about 80%. Bulb put my DD up by 250% so I cancelled it and now put the meter reading in and pay monthly. They try to charge me £15 for the privilege to I told them to get lost. There is nowhere on their website that allows payment, only setting up a DD. 

[Sheepy]

Its not about being a denialist but recognising or at least considering how much our miniscule carbon output could be effecting the climate . Im certainly not on the side of 'the science is settled ' because quite obviously its not . I would agree clean energy should be our goal . We are not there yet though and need carbon fuels that we have an abundence of to be energy self sufficient and somewhat protect ourselves from global prices .

There is something that always gives me amusement, UKIP were guided by the populists and were hugely successful, once they handed the reins to the Tories and told us they knew best, it very soon went bottom up and what were left of them were running around like headless chickens without a clue.

[Streetwalker]

But if we keep pumping carbon into the air we are going to screw up the entire climate and ecosystem, which would in the end prove far more damaging. Or are you another climate change denialist?

Its not about being a denialist but recognising or at least considering how much our miniscule carbon output could be effecting the climate . Im certainly not on the side of 'the science is settled ' because quite obviously its not . 

The solution in the end has to be clean in terms of carbon output. We can have enough renewables once we have sufficient energy storage capacity. And we can build nuclear if necessary. And ought to be doing so.

I would agree clean energy should be our goal . We are not there yet though and need carbon fuels that we have an abundence of to be energy self sufficient and somewhat protect ourselves from global prices . 

[Streetwalker]

I am thinking of cutting out the baths altogether. After all, we only get dirty again. I have tried to explain this to Madam, but she reckons that while I am indeed a dirty old man, there is no reason to make matters worse

Ive ripped the bath out years ago ,  the Mrs couldnt  get in or out of it anyway and the walked in (well fall in ) shower has been a godsend . Just dont get one of those old feckers shower seats , if you get to that stage its time to put the old bird in the oven