Moncton Forum

I've just had a bit of a shock.

Probably most homes in the UK have a gas supply for their heating systems and many also use gas for cooking. Electricity was traditionally supplied by a separate company.

Each bill attracted a charge just like NB Power's $20 a month fee and some years back, the electricity companies were allowed to 'provide' a gas supply (using the pipes and things that they hadn't invested in) and the gas companies were allowed to do the same for electricity.

Cutting a long story short customers could then choose to take gas and electricity from the same company and then only have to pay the one charge per billing period instead of two. You could pay a little more for your gas or electricity from 'this' company rather than 'that' one but possibly save money overall. And then it could all change later.

Now it has changed.

I have just found out that the company I was using before I came to Canada has put their prices up. Again and again and again.........

Gas went up 14.7% in March 07 and again in July 07 by 19%
Electricity went up 4.7% in March and again in July 07 by 8%.

Bad enough to get increases of 35 % and 13% in five months, but get this.

In January this year, gas went up by 12.9% while electricity rose by 7.9%

I hear you gasp. But there's more.

Unbelievably they have just announced another 22% on gas and 17% on electricity.

Putting aside the 'compound interest' calculations that's 70% and 38% in under a year and a half. Makes you seem grateful for NB Power doesn't it?

Oh yes, the warning?

Once upon a time companies like them in the UK were run for the benefit of the country. Then Thatcher and her ilk came along and sold them to their friends on the cheap so they could make profits for the select few rather than serve the people's needs.

The current owners of the company are French; the previous American owners apparently having made a bomb when they bought cheaply and sold on.

The company also supplies its customers back in France, but there the prices are sensibly regulated - just like they used to be in the UK before Thatcher abolished that too; And similar to here where if NB Power wants an increase above the regulated amount amount, they have to justify it.

It looks like they have increased prices at the expense of the British consumer because they have been unable to do it in France. So consumers in the UK, at least those in Bristol, are subsidising customers in France.

It aint known as 'Rip off Britain' for nothing.

Leave it to you Brits to say..."I've just had a bit of a shock".

 

Here some of us might just call that " One Hell of a F'ing Shock"

That is some increase !

Maggie was a Conservative, but you now have Labour in there ..right?

Any chance of them trying to set things Right?

This is a Rip off on a Massive scale !

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Paladin wrote:

Leave it to you Brits to say..."I've just had a bit of a shock". 

Good job I wasn't supping anything just then.

I can get away with the understatement because I'm not lumbered with having to pay the bills anymore.

I'm afraid the UK will continue to suffer. Once upon a time the two major politcal parties were very different. Now there's barely any more between them than between the Democrats and Republicans.

The legacy of Thatcher's "Me, ME" style will live on for a long time.

I haven't made up my mind about Canadian politics completely yet. I'm sorry to say my feeling is that there's a lot of self interest/self serving going on.

While those in the UK also 'sell out' their principles for a government position, I steel feel they at least start out with the best or honourable intentions. And some do keep their principles and fight battles behind the scenes.