Auditel Consultant:
Simon Beechinor

Well, you shouldn’t be surprised …

12 Mar 2010 | Filed under: Poor Service

I’m not sure if I should put this article in the “Poor Service” category…

Energy suppliers have come forward recently with further bill reductions for consumers. However, various price comparison websites have suggested that the move is ‘too little too late’.

E.ON has just announced that its direct debt customers’ bills will drop by £42 a year. This comes shortly after Scottish and Southern Energy’s confirmation that their customers will see a reduction in gas bills of around £30 a year. Scott Byron, utilities manager at moneysupermarket.com, said “unfortunately this latest move does little to quash talk of providers not passing on savings in line with wholesale gas price falls”. Robert Hammond, energy expert from Consumer Focus, held a similar sentiment. ”Wholesale energy prices have been falling since 2008, yet our suppliers wait until the spring, when we obviously use our heating less, to pass on meagre price cuts – it is a model of how a competitive market shouldn’t work,” he said. Source: Energy Saving Trust

Of course the energy firms will cite the need to make critical investment in infrastructure and services (and hopefully training…) before cuts can be passed on to consumers. We can register our protest and make our point by shifting suppliers as often as necessary to make sure we are getting the keenest prices.