Central Heating
Senior management of the big six utility companies in the UK have confirmed that bills for electricity and heating gas are most likely to rise substantially this year.
As oil and gas for heating reach new records on the commodity market, latest estimates put the increase in the cost of domestic gas for heating and cooking at 40% this winter.
As part of the government scheme to reduce carbon emission, people over 70 can now claim free cavity wall and loft insulation that would substantially reduce their heating bills.
British Gas has announced today that gas and heating fuel bills are likely to rise again as its profits are squeezed by higher gas and power prices. Centrica, the owner of British Gas, said it would take “action to deliver reasonable margins”.
Many plumbers raised their concerns with us recently about the state of the economy and the falling house prices in the UK. According the leading mortgage lenders prices of properties in the UK have seen flat to negative growth rates, sending many plumbers and heating engineers into panic mode that it will mean the end of the property boom.
A recent report published by the Construction Skills Network claims that more than 180,000 extra people are needed to finish the construction work for the Olympic games in 2012. The report mentions that among the missing professions there are plumbers, both commercial plumbers and domestic plumbers to complete the plumbing jobs on site. Other jobs mentioned are bricklayers, engineers and all types of plumbers and plumbing professionals.
Cost of domestic gas and electricity has gone up by around 15%, becoming the latest in an ominously long list of financial bad news recently.
British Gas, the UK’s biggest energy provider (with around 16 million customers), announced on 18th January an immediate price rise of 15% for its gas and electricity customers. The company has blames rising wholesale prices for the increase. The cost increase translates to an increase of around £130 per year for an average duel fuel bill.
BBC has reviewed plumbers and heating engineers and has reported that British Gas is one of the most expensive fuel provider for most customers and is among the worst for customer service.
Scottish Power is the latest energy company to announce it is to increase its bills by 15 per cent, further putting pressure on domestic heating cost for the vulnerable and the poor.
The EU parliament has tables a controversial bid to ban the use of patio gas heaters as part of a package to combat global warming and climate change. It is estimated that if the bid becomes effective it may cost restaurants and pubs around £250 million a year.
A television advert by British Gas has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority due to misleading claims that the heating and electricity is generated through zero carbon technology.
The energy industry is facing fresh calls to restrain the increases in the cost of heating, gas and electricity. A committee of MPs was set to investigate the level of competition within the energy supplying sector. This investigation is part of a wider range inquiry following recent string of announcement by four of the large energy companies of double digit increases in the cost heating and energy, which put further pressure on the population in general and the poor in particular.