lutrawest Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Hello,We have a small baby and winters can be harsh and I'm panicked. Need to switch suppliers but not sure where to begin.We've been with SSE/Scottish Hydro for years. We've been on the Total Heating Total Control (THTC) tariff and have been vigilant at successfully keeping our bills down but have now received a letter from the SSE/Hydro robbers that they are taking away our THTC tariff and also introducing a standing charge and that we should be aware that our bills will now be significantly higher than before!!!!Any advise on what is available/best in terms of suppliers for Shetland and needs?As always many thanks in advance for all your help.http://static.moneysavingexpert.com/images/forum_smilies/smile.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 As far as I'm aware, there is a standing charge with THTC - what reasons did SSE/Scottish Hydro give as to why they were changing the tariff? I'm wondering if your case is a one-off or if they intend scrapping it for all in Shetland? Biglad 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I am on THTC (although I refer to the second bit as "damn all control") but if the Hydro get rid of it I am sure this would mean that we were able to move suppliers which is not possible at the moment without changing meters. And I certainly pay a standing charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Hydro have had a standing charge, something like high £20+ quarter plus VAT currently, for as far back as at least the 60's as far I can remember. I dunno why they're pulling your THTC, as it doesn't seem to be going to happen across the board. I got a letter from them a couple of weeks back gleefully telling me how much the cost of both our standard and THTC power was going to increase in November, I think it was. It wouldn't seem sensible to be bothering about increasing the cost of a service that was imminently going to be discontinued, but I maybe need to re-read their letter, it was speed read in "f**k you you bunch of c***s" mode last time - the words "price increase" does that. unlinkedstudent and David319 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biglad Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I Have THTC, received the same letter as Ghostrider and promptly threw it in the bin. I can't think they're going to do away with you're tariff, they must have given you a reason and if not you should be entitled to one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutrawest Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 (edited) Thanks folks. Quoting part of the the totally opaque letter below! "We recently wrote to explain that your tariff would change to include a standing charge. This means that it will no longer have two block unit rates, and instead will have a single unit rate and a new annual standing charge." Edited October 24, 2013 by lutrawest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector's House Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Could it be that the OP is in a Hjaltland property that has been upgraded with the new-fangled ("intelligent", though I doubt that very much!) storage heaters? From what I've read, they have a different charging regime, so maybe the "total control" in THTC isn't flexible enough to run them efficiently? As to the standing charge, I thought that all energy supplies have always had that - perhaps it's just been made clearer in the pricing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutrawest Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 No. Not a Hjatland property. Most concerned that the cheaper THTC rate will now be gone and not sure what to do/where to switch to and if I will have to pay to have new meter installed if I switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutrawest Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Here's another quote from the letter... "We do recognise that, as you don't use much energy in your property, the introduction of this standing charge has resulted in a significant increase in your bill." Lovely eh?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Thanks folks. Quoting part of the the totally opaque letter below! "We recently wrote to explain that your tariff would change to include a standing charge. This means that it will no longer have two block unit rates, and instead will have a single unit rate and a new annual standing charge." Did you actually receive the letter they are referencing here, and if so, what exactly did it say? I think its the place you're going to be most likely to find answers to what is going on. Whatever it is, they owe you an explanation one way or the other, as what they're saying to you that you're quoting here isn't normal procedure, nor does it appear to be happening across the board to others. Had I received what you've received I'd would be all over SSE's case accusing their computer of throwing a wobbly, or, picking the brains of anyone else in the house to check to see if any of them had responded to any sort of junk mail/cold caller/cold telesales "survey", "free trial" or similar, that could have led to name/address details being "tricked" in to being included in something that wasn't made at all clear at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter.l Posted October 26, 2013 Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 While on the subject, could somebody explain in words of one sylable what a 'Standing Charge' is for? What exactly is it they do to justify billing customers? Lift a pen maybe?It seems to me it's just another feeble excuse to screw money out of customers simply because they can get away with it. And if that's the case two can play that game. It might not be a bad idea for customers to get their heads together and introduce a 'Standing Charge' for being customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector's House Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 The standing charge is levied for having the service connection - same as the charge for a phone line etc, then you pay for what you use on top of that.As the OP has mentioned being a low user, maybe the standing charge was originally waived?Being fed the story in dribs & drabs makes it hard to fathom what has happened. Perhaps they should take the matter up with the CAB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutrawest Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 (edited) Thanks folks. Quoting part of the the totally opaque letter below! "We recently wrote to explain that your tariff would change to include a standing charge. This means that it will no longer have two block unit rates, and instead will have a single unit rate and a new annual standing charge." Did you actually receive the letter they are referencing here, and if so, what exactly did it say? I think its the place you're going to be most likely to find answers to what is going on. Whatever it is, they owe you an explanation one way or the other, as what they're saying to you that you're quoting here isn't normal procedure, nor does it appear to be happening across the board to others. Had I received what you've received I'd would be all over SSE's case accusing their computer of throwing a wobbly, or, picking the brains of anyone else in the house to check to see if any of them had responded to any sort of junk mail/cold caller/cold telesales "survey", "free trial" or similar, that could have led to name/address details being "tricked" in to being included in something that wasn't made at all clear at the time. Yes, unfortunately I did receive the letter and it is from the Hydro. I have quoted the key statements from the letter. There is no additional information/explanation. Has anyone else received a similar letter? Will contact Hydro but imagine it will exhausting and be to no avail. I want to switch supplier but still am no clearer as to who to switch to and if a switch will incur further costs eg: installing a new meter. If anyone can help with this I'd be grateful. Cheers Edited October 28, 2013 by lutrawest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 ^ I've not received any letters like that, and I've been on THTC since moving in to this address far too many years ago to admit to. As I understand it, if you want to change suppliers and you have THTC, your meters will have to be changed, as no other supplier offers a direct equivalent to THTC. Whether this will cost you anything and who is best for you to change to, only you can figure out. Like everything else different companies have different charging structures, T&C's etc, you'll need to sit down and compare the various deals on offer with your typical usage to work out who is offering the best deal for your particular usage pattern(s). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted November 9, 2013 Report Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) We are also partly on the THTC tariff and are appalled that the rate has increased by a whopping 19.4% from this month.What justification is there for this? Edited November 9, 2013 by daveh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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