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If the recent price hikes, 30%+ in the last 2 years, I am experiencing are anything to go by the purchase of ENERGY is going to be a hot topic for some time.
Some years ago the Government decided to de-regulate the supply of energy. It started with gas (remember Sid?) for industry and has graduated through to both gas and electricity for domestic users.
One day I will write a book on the supply of energy to small businesses. I have now a sound knowledge of dealing with power companies of all shapes and sizes. From large conglomerates to small and newly set up aspiring niche providers, I have dealt with them all and outlived at least five who have gone to the wall for the most basic of business faults: They never collected any money!
We boarded the bandwagon in the very early days and withdrew from purchasing our gas from British Gas in favour of Mobil Gas. Initially I tried, mostly in vain, to understand the industry and the supply and costing formula. It was not easy:
- What is the conversion factor?
- What’s a Therm?
- What does CCL stand for?
- What is ‘green energy?
- What’s a Kilowatt-hour?
- What is the MPAN number?
- Why does my meter have a number and where is it?
The list is almost endless.
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Lodged at the back of my mind is a thought that all energy companies price their bills purely to confuse their customers, so that the actual working out of any bill becomes a complete mystery and customers give up on understanding their bills and pay what the supplier says. Not me! I need to know everything about how the total figure is computed and only then will I settle my account and then only if I agree the amount.
I have been threatened with court action by five separate power suppliers and issued with a summons by two of those. I have never been to court and have never paid one penny more that I actually knew we owed. How? Its is remarkably simple:
I read ALL my meters on the 25th day of every month.
My intention in the next four articles is to provide an understanding of the purchase of electricity and gas and finish with an overall summary on the issues surrounding the use, monitoring and purchase of energy.
If do nothing else after reading this article other than read your meter monthly (on any day you chose) for a minimum period of one year you will build a pattern of usage which you can use as evidence of your consumption. This is a powerful tool in your arsenal when it comes to dealing with any power supply Company.
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Do you know where your mains supplies enter the building (gas, electricity, oil, water) and where it turns off? If you don’t use the suggestion to read you meters to familiarise yourself with your meters as it will have a stop cock of some description somewhere very close to it which you should be aware of in case of any emergencies.
So come on a journey that will I hope de-mystify your power supply costings and leave you at the very least able to talk on a level playing field with your energy suppliers.