privatised British water

Sporky

Fretwired said:

You can shop around and get a good price. I cut my energy bill by 25% when I shifted. The phantom loller can laugh all he likes but there are discount groups which deliver great deals paid for by the mugs who don't switch and just moan.

So basically you're boasting that your energy bills are being subsidised by the general public... you're effectively stealing from everyone else.

What would happen if everyone did it the way you do it?

ewal

There's no such thing as 'privatised British Water'.

And as for the utility company commercial model of front loading discounts to attract customers to switch is just a massive pain in the arse. I wonder how much the sales, marketing, customer retention, and admin resources cost? Must be a huge waste of money.

Imagine if all utility and broadband customers got a fair price no matter the length of time with the supplier? Surely that would be a much more customer friendly model?

Fretwired

Sporky said:

Fretwired said:

You can shop around and get a good price. I cut my energy bill by 25% when I shifted. The phantom loller can laugh all he likes but there are discount groups which deliver great deals paid for by the mugs who don't switch and just moan.

So basically you're boasting that your energy bills are being subsidised by the general public... you're effectively stealing from everyone else.

What would happen if everyone did it the way you do it?

Don't blame me .. anyone can and should do it. It happens everywhere from phones to your bank and credit cards. If people are too lazy to shop around then tough. It's not like its hard to do - you can do it in a couple of minutes online.

Fretwired

ICBM said:

Fretwired said:

You can shop around and get a good price. I cut my energy bill by 25% when I shifted.

Well, good for you. You're missing the point though - the false competitive market (especially with partial foreign ownership) puts prices up for *everyone*. Just because you're paying less than some other people by using a billing company who buy the same energy from the same power stations via the same grid, doesn't mean we're not all paying more than we would be in a properly run nationalised system.

It's a closed system where capacity equals demand, there is one combined source and one delivery network, so there cannot be proper competition - and is a perfect example of the fundamental myth of privatisation. It is, basically, an organised rip-off.

I'm not missing any point. I'm playing the system - I'm not doing anything that you can do. Feel free to moan but that won't reduce your bills. I at least voted for Corbyn at the election who promised to nationalise the utility sector. Until then its dog eat dog.

ICBM

So if *everyone* used the same company as you do, which would therefore be able to demand the best price from the power stations since it would be the largest customer, then everyone would pay the lowest possible price. Yes?

(Edit) - sorry, crossed posts . Pleased to see you're only playing the system. For what it's worth, I'm not moaning - not for me, anyway. I would prefer to see lower prices across the board than some win at the expense of others and the country in general.

Fretwired

ICBM said:

So if *everyone* used the same company as you do, which would therefore be able to demand the best price from the power stations since it would be the largest customer, then everyone would pay the lowest possible price. Yes?

(Edit) - sorry, crossed posts . Pleased to see you're only playing the system. For what it's worth, I'm not moaning - not for me, anyway. I would prefer to see lower prices across the board than some win at the expense of others and the country in general.

I have news .. this applies to phones, broadband, banks, mortgages and pretty much everything. Businesses don't care about their existing customers so you rarely get a decent deal. BT put my prices up, a phone call later to complain and cancel my contract and I get a better deal. As I said don't blame me - I didn't create the system, but I'm buggered if I'm paying through the nose when there's an easy way to save money.

You have the regulator recommending people switch ....

Ofgem chief executive Dermot Nolan said: "This welcome increase in switching should serve as a warning to supply companies. If they fail to keep prices under control or do not provide a good service, they risk being punished as customers vote with their feet.

"While today's figures show good progress, the market is not as competitive as we would like. That is why we have put a temporary price cap in place to protect people on prepayment meters who have the least access to competitive deals and why we are pursuing a raft of reforms which will make this market fairer, smarter and more competitive for consumers.

"Big savings of around £230 are available and switching has never been easier, so we would urge everyone to shop around for a better deal, especially if their supplier announces a price rise."

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/energy/2017/02/energy-switching-at-six-year-high---shop-around-for-cheaper-deals

ewal

So if the regulator demanded that suppliers gave customers best deal regardless of length of time with the supplier, would we not all win because money would not be wasted on the resources required to sell and administer switches?