Energy firms could help consumers by scrapping gimmicks

IS it right for the Government to challenge energy companies regarding their prices, which should include having one simple charge without the confusing gimmicks of contracts, packages and so forth?

However, their reported idea of direct debit surpluses being returned automatically should be dropped.

Those who choose direct debit to pay do so because it spreads the seasonal ups and downs into a level payment throughout the year.

When consumption is low in the summer, a credit builds up towards the higher winter months. Nothing is more annoying than being told in October that the surplus is being returned to you, yet the monthly debit rate is to be increased.

Let those who wish to have surpluses returned arrange it themselves. It is not a Government matter. By the way, the energy companies could reduce costs if they kept bills to one sheet of information, not several.

From: Trev Bromby, Sculcoates Lane, Hull.

THE trough-dwelling energy companies’ underhanded methods know no bounds.

Some years ago bills were sent three times a year. They were wrongly labelled as being quarterly.

To “help” spread the cost the companies made them quarterly, but put the cost up to cover administration and no doubt tipped the balance in their 
favour.

Now they have by stealth, as no one recalls this being publicised, put the bills out at intervals of 10 weeks and three days (i.e. five times a year). To help us spread the cost? No! To try to hide the crippling cost to us of their greed.

To quote our caring leader David Cameron who is, by the way, annoyed with the “Big Six”: “‘Big Six?’ I want to see a Big 60.”

Well, then David, start up a power supply company on our behalf and make us part of the competition, with no fat cats, or private shareholders to appease.

I am starting to hold my breath.

From: Robert Reynolds, West Bank, Batley, West Yorkshire.

LISTEN to our Prime Minister and you will believe all is well and the good news is coming. This is a lie. Our politicians have regularly changed the GDP formula, the same way they’ve amended the unemployment figures.

If the old GDP formula is used, then GDP is falling by -1.5 per cent per year. Yet the new formula says it’s rising! It’s magic!

Scrutinise the figures more, and you’ll see there is a huge emphasis on finance, or lending.

This explains the Government’s vacuous attempts to help first-time buyers get into debt up to £600,000. Get the housing sector moving, get banks lending and voila! GDP is rising, the sun is shining, stick with us, we’ll get the job done!

The reality is our national debt is still soaring to crippling levels.

At some point in the very near future, investors will lose confidence in us, this will force up interest rates to crippling levels. I’m told the British Army marches to the speed of its slowest. Nobody gets left behind.

If our Prime Minister wishes to know how well our country is performing, he should come down from his Eton/Oxford pedestal and ask the poorest in our society.