Author Topic: Peoples Energy: any experiences and/or knowledge of this supplier please?  (Read 42155 times)

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
The increased energy (particularly gas) prices are hitting on the islands already.

A much-loved roadside food vendor will not be opening this year. Gas price increases (they rely on bottled gas) mean that the business is simply unprofitable.

 :(

They will be really missed. Their site is on the border between Harris and Lewis and made a very welcome food stop on the way back home from Harris.

Is that the pizza van?
If so I'd say they maybe made a mistake in picking gas instead of wood, but then well that's an import there too and I'm not sure "Peat Fired Pizzas" sounds so good


The increased energy (particularly gas) prices are hitting on the islands already.

A much-loved roadside food vendor will not be opening this year. Gas price increases (they rely on bottled gas) mean that the business is simply unprofitable.

 :(

They will be really missed. Their site is on the border between Harris and Lewis and made a very welcome food stop on the way back home from Harris.

Is that the pizza van?
If so I'd say they maybe made a mistake in picking gas instead of wood, but then well that's an import there too and I'm not sure "Peat Fired Pizzas" sounds so good

No the Pizza van is not far from us.

It is the van called 'Taste n Sea', which did a really good line of seafood. On the border, great spot, view of Loch Seaforth.

I think firing a pizza oven with peat would be problematic!
<i>Marmite slave</i>

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Ah yes, thats between Liùrbost and Calanais isnt it.

I was worried you meant the butty bus though.

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk


Ah yes, thats between Liùrbost and Calanais isnt it.

I was worried you meant the butty bus though.

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

The butty bus is a long way away, at leverburgh. (Oh, and the anchorage at leverburgh has closed; owners retired.)

Best 'van food' is, I think, from Lorna's Larder, which is still going strong. A little south of Tarbet.

Sam's seafood shack is very good, but only open weekdays in tourist season, so we don't get to visit that one.

<i>Marmite slave</i>

My fixed price deal with Octopus comes to an end soon.
Options are 12M fixed, standing charges as before, big hike in unit rates for both gas and electricity or standard flexible (double for electricity to  36.46p /kWh, three times for gas at 9.68p/kWh), or standard variable with electricity at 21.37p/kWh, gas 4.01p/kWh.

Presumably the standard variable will go up and down as wholesale prices fluctuate.
I'm in exactly the same situation.
As of today, I'm tempted to stick with the SVR. It's a gamble either way.
I prefer the stability of knowing what my monthly outgoings are, but there's a limit

The SVR will be the cap.   It is fixed until the end of Sep.   If wholesale prices drop, and they have to drop a lot, then suppliers may reduce their SVR.  So variable rates can go down but not up.

The next cap period starts 1st Oct, but the calculation window is only just starting.
As the person with the inside track, would you recommend going for the 12 months fixed or SVR?  I've got until April to choose though.

I have a bit of an issue using the word 'recommend'.

Your costs have a natural cap until the end of Sep if you go with SVR so what you're really asking is how much could prices go up 1st Oct.    I would see how much higher the fix you are being offered is than the cap first.   You can then get a handle on how much the cap needs to go up 1st Oct for you to break even.

Current forecasts are for the cap to increase again 1st Oct but the unknown is what wholesale prices will do for the next few months as it is these assessments that will go into the new cap calculation.    I am not convinced that it will get that much worse than it is now but I have been known to be wrong.

Have you been offered a 2yr fix ?   Forward rates are much cheaper so it will take a lot of the immediate pain away.   Also check the exit fees as a percentage of your annual spend.   You can walk out of any deal part way through if prices come down significantly.

I managed to get a 3yr fix in Dec last year and, whilst I am currently paying more than the cap, I will be paying less from 1st April.

Another Octopusser here. I currently pay £90/month, Flexible Octopus tariff. My options are to stay put (I assume that’s an option), or to switch to Octopus 12 month fixed (fixed unit rates and standing charges) for £246/month (FFS!!) or Loyal Octopus 12 month fixed, which rather oddly is identical in its fixed unit rates and charges, but is £200/month.

At this stage, should I just stay put?

My fixed price deal with Octopus comes to an end soon.
Options are 12M fixed, standing charges as before, big hike in unit rates for both gas and electricity or standard flexible (double for electricity to  36.46p /kWh, three times for gas at 9.68p/kWh), or standard variable with electricity at 21.37p/kWh, gas 4.01p/kWh.

Presumably the standard variable will go up and down as wholesale prices fluctuate.
I'm in exactly the same situation.
As of today, I'm tempted to stick with the SVR. It's a gamble either way.
I prefer the stability of knowing what my monthly outgoings are, but there's a limit

The SVR will be the cap.   It is fixed until the end of Sep.   If wholesale prices drop, and they have to drop a lot, then suppliers may reduce their SVR.  So variable rates can go down but not up.

The next cap period starts 1st Oct, but the calculation window is only just starting.
As the person with the inside track, would you recommend going for the 12 months fixed or SVR?  I've got until April to choose though.

I have a bit of an issue using the word 'recommend'.

Your costs have a natural cap until the end of Sep if you go with SVR so what you're really asking is how much could prices go up 1st Oct.    I would see how much higher the fix you are being offered is than the cap first.   You can then get a handle on how much the cap needs to go up 1st Oct for you to break even.

Current forecasts are for the cap to increase again 1st Oct but the unknown is what wholesale prices will do for the next few months as it is these assessments that will go into the new cap calculation.    I am not convinced that it will get that much worse than it is now but I have been known to be wrong.

Have you been offered a 2yr fix ?   Forward rates are much cheaper so it will take a lot of the immediate pain away.   Also check the exit fees as a percentage of your annual spend.   You can walk out of any deal part way through if prices come down significantly.

I managed to get a 3yr fix in Dec last year and, whilst I am currently paying more than the cap, I will be paying less from 1st April.

Another Octopusser here. I currently pay £90/month, Flexible Octopus tariff. My options are to stay put (I assume that’s an option), or to switch to Octopus 12 month fixed (fixed unit rates and standing charges) for £246/month (FFS!!) or Loyal Octopus 12 month fixed, which rather oddly is identical in its fixed unit rates and charges, but is £200/month.

At this stage, should I just stay put?
My Octopus fixed rate ends on the 10th.
I'm going with the SVR - although I'm unsure that's the right thing.
Either way is a gamble.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

What is the SVR - my current Flexible?

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
I'm with Octopus. I didn't sign up for a fixed deal, because "Deal" meant double. Taking my chances with the variable rate, for now.
It is simpler than it looks.

felstedrider

What is the SVR - my current Flexible?

Standard Variable Rate.   It should be the same as the cap but the odd supplier has been giving different tariffs funky names so worth checking.

Industry is now expecting the cap to go up again 1 Oct.  Quite a lot.  No indication from the regulator/Government as to what they will do.  Is suspect they are busy with other things.

What is the SVR - my current Flexible?

Standard Variable Rate.

Thanks, yes, I knew what it stood for but is Flexible Octopus an SVR tariff?

felstedrider

What is the SVR - my current Flexible?

Standard Variable Rate.

Thanks, yes, I knew what it stood for but is Flexible Octopus an SVR tariff?

https://octopus.energy/blog/why-we-are-increasing-energy-prices-for-some-customers/

Yes.  Interestingly priced a bit below the Ofgem cap.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Is that the pizza van?
If so I'd say they maybe made a mistake in picking gas instead of wood, but then well that's an import there too and I'm not sure "Peat Fired Pizzas" sounds so good
"Peatzas".  Just think outside the box.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

What is the SVR - my current Flexible?

Standard Variable Rate.

Thanks, yes, I knew what it stood for but is Flexible Octopus an SVR tariff?

https://octopus.energy/blog/why-we-are-increasing-energy-prices-for-some-customers/

Yes.  Interestingly priced a bit below the Ofgem cap.
Thanks, I wasn't aware that octopus were undercutting the cap, which is a curious move.
I'm even more inclined to stick with that rate. If they offer a 2 or 3 year fix then I'm likely to jump on it. (On the Martin Lewis forum there's some evidence that they do have a three year fix that's being offered to some customers, but I'm unclear about how it's offered)
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Thanks all. Although I had read their blog I had missed the page linked to above.

I think I’ll stick to Flexible Octopus. I think.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Cripes, the standing charge for electricity on Flexible is a lot more than on my fix.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

I’m still a bit shocked by the whole thing. With my usual cost being £90/month, I was under the impression we would be looking at an increase to about £140/month or something. Assuming the “Loyal Octopus” at £200/month is only available to some customers that have been with them for a long time as we have, that means that those who haven’t been with them long are looking at (for our level of consumption), almost triple the cost.

I’m still a bit shocked by the whole thing. With my usual cost being £90/month, I was under the impression we would be looking at an increase to about £140/month or something. Assuming the “Loyal Octopus” at £200/month is only available to some customers that have been with them for a long time as we have, that means that those who haven’t been with them long are looking at (for our level of consumption), almost triple the cost.

We are on Octopus capped SVR (since AVRO bust Sept21) & also have the loyal Octopus Fixed option.

edit.  £205 pm Fixed offer Monday, today it's £247 pm!

"To fix or not to fix?"  https://twitter.com/MartinSLewis/status/1499690157884203012?s=20&t=brPp6K7bKDyn-xGSHgsGuQ


https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/uk-natural-gas
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

I’m still a bit shocked by the whole thing. With my usual cost being £90/month, I was under the impression we would be looking at an increase to about £140/month or something.
I don't understand it, likewise I'm being quoted triple what I was paying, from £27 a month and in credit, to over £70.  I can't do anything about it and it's an irritation rather than a real problem, but if it's correct, then for some that's going to be life changing.

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
I'm already paying £200 a month on Octopus, on a mid-2021 fix. This for a tiny 2-bed cottage (though it's electric-only, with no wet heating). I'm anticipating £600 a month or more when the time comes to face the reality of 2023 prices (fixed till May 2023). As the house is listed, I have been refused permission to install PV panels (even in the garden), double glazing, or any kind of visible enhancement to insulation.

I'm already paying £200 a month on Octopus, on a mid-2021 fix. This for a tiny 2-bed cottage (though it's electric-only, with no wet heating). I'm anticipating £600 a month or more when the time comes to face the reality of 2023 prices (fixed till May 2023). As the house is listed, I have been refused permission to install PV panels (even in the garden), double glazing, or any kind of visible enhancement to insulation.
Blimey. That's not a sustainable position surely.
Rust never sleeps

I'm already paying £200 a month on Octopus, on a mid-2021 fix. This for a tiny 2-bed cottage (though it's electric-only, with no wet heating). I'm anticipating £600 a month or more when the time comes to face the reality of 2023 prices (fixed till May 2023). As the house is listed, I have been refused permission to install PV panels (even in the garden), double glazing, or any kind of visible enhancement to insulation.
Blimey. That's not a sustainable position surely.

And, should Tim C have neighbours, they'd probably also be refused permission for anything obvious as it would affect the setting of a listed building, even if their buildings aren't listed.  We get this in our village quote a lot.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

ian

I'm not sure this should devolve to individual properties and their owners, that's a not scalable solution to current energy demands – we already have the capabilities and technologies for a carbon-negative energy solution at a national level – one we should have started implementing several years ago, but we're still talking about increasing our reliance on fossil fuels.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Surely insulation inevitably comes down to individual properties.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Surely insulation inevitably comes down to individual properties.

It does, but the only realistic way of properly insulating my 'substantial wood framed' property is to install external insulation, removing the original render. That's a non-starter for several reasons. Although I'd love to see much more of our electricity come from renewable resources, from a personal PoV I'd just like to be able to generate some to offset the bill! I actually have enough non-thatched roof space to make a significant dent in it, so I live in hope that one day the local council will see sense!

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Surely insulation inevitably comes down to individual properties.

It does, but the only realistic way of properly insulating my 'substantial wood framed' property is to install external insulation, removing the original render. That's a non-starter for several reasons. Although I'd love to see much more of our electricity come from renewable resources, from a personal PoV I'd just like to be able to generate some to offset the bill!

There's always this:  https://rippleenergy.com/