I have just had my latest gas and electric bills and I was in debit to the tune of £100 between the two.
I called British gas to increase my direct debits and also to cancel my homecare agreement.
Obviously I was put through to another section who tried to talk me out of it. I am currently paying £29 per month for boiler, plumbing, electricity etc. cover.
I told her I am getting a new boiler in March/April time (true) and as I have an electrician and plumber in the family(lie) I felt that it was money down the toilet.
She offered me one of two things: a big discount on what I've already got(reducing £29 to £21 per month) or heating cover only, no frills for nearly £15 discounted to £13 per month.
I took her up on the latter offer just in case my heating packs in but I wanted to share my experience with you all in the hope that someone else can benefit.
It's just like calling SKY. Tell them you don't want it or can't afford it and they reduce it for the cost of a cheap rate phone call!!
Sorry if I seem over-excited but I'm usually the one who phones up and ends up paying more out on something else
They hate to let anyone go! We had a new boiler 3 winters ago and the service was free for the first 3 years, they have now added another year on so thats a bonus
I might have to try it with Virgin Media - we seem to be paying more than everyone else, been with them for years. Reminds me of that advert on the TV where all the good savings rates are for 'new cusomers only'
I do the same with AOL, can't get any other providers where I live really, well not one that is fairly reasonable any way. Every time they bring a new package I ask them, online, what incentives there is for me to stay with them....bingo I get the new package with all the trimmings!
The Credit Crunch is a vile thing, but it has and will put a lot of power into the Consumer's hands.
Come Springtime and I reckon Companies will be falling over backwards to get your business.
Breaking even for them will be a bonus, profit will almost be a miracle !
New Member? Get more from the Forum and join in 'Members Chat' - you're very welcome
The direct debit for my RAC cover goes out of my bank in April. One year the letter said there was an increase, I was advised by the RAC salesman who stands outside Tes Co to ring up and ask for a better deal. I did, I said it should go down as a loyalty gesture, plus I don't call them out that often. I told the woman I was going to cancel it and go elsewhere. She asked which bank I was with, then she came back, after speaking to someone, and said, we have a special deal for customers of that bank, I can knock you ex amount off. I said, thankyou very much I will have that. I'm going to ring up again in April because after 22 years, I think I should have it dirt cheap.
kate egg wrote:I might have to try it with Virgin Media - we seem to be paying more than everyone else, been with them for years. Reminds me of that advert on the TV where all the good savings rates are for 'new cusomers only'
Kate I was paying £15 for my phone and £25 for my broadband 2mb with the beardy person !!
I recieved a flyer offering phone, 10mb broadband, basic tv package all for £25, so I phoned up and complained that as an existing cusomer I should be entitled to the same as new 2 minutes later I had the same package without the tv.
Give it a try you never know they all want no need custom now more than ever.
we were with sky and wanted to up grade to sky sports and had no joy as we were on the phone for ages....hubby got in a temper and phoned to cancel .....we now have sky plus installed...new box etc for nothing !!!
tina xx
mum to five lovely children, nine gorgeous girls, two adorable cats a bouncey border collie pup and a patient loving hubby xxxxx
I'm sorry but even with any discounts, purchasing services insurance cannot be called 'frugal' by any stretch of the imagination.
All these 'insurances' are not designed to save you any money, they are offered for 'peace of mind' only.
The reason 'British ripoff' I mean Gas don't want to lose you is because they are getting money for nothing.
If you ever claimed, believe me, it would cost you more money one way or another, either through extortionate parts costs depending on your cover, or higher renewal premiums.
As for SKY TV, I can't believe that word isn't filtered out of a 'frugality and self-reliance' section of a website like this.
Think about this:
British Gas had a marketing campaign last year offering up to £2,500 off a new boiler. I am not a heating engineer, but I could not spend over £1,500 on the most expensive boiler on the market, which leaves £1,000 for installation, provided they gave it away, which of course they are not!
Sorry to bang on but to my mind 'frugality and self-reliance' does not go hand in hand with large companies with clever marketing campaigns convincing you to part with money you don't need to!
rant over
Pond
Upped sticks to live quiet, self-sufficiency life in the country. It's taking longer than I thought!
My daughter has that cover and has saved a fortune. In fact they've just had to write off her dishwasher (five years old) and gave her £188 worth of Comet Vouchers to get a new one !!
It's a good deal and can be so cost effective.
Last edited by Richard on 05 Jan 2009, 16:41, edited 1 time in total.
New Member? Get more from the Forum and join in 'Members Chat' - you're very welcome
You weren't ranting, Pond. I agree with what you are saying.
I hate to think of the poor or elderly not having heating on because they cannot afford the bills, never mind getting a new boiler fitted (says her who has just had a new boiler fitted!).
We shopped around for a boiler and then had someone come and fit it (registered guy we know), so relatively cheap compared to some of the figures being mentioned.
We are really lucky, and I have to say I don't realise how lucky we are compared to other folk.
pond wrote:I'm sorry but even with any discounts, purchasing services insurance cannot be called 'frugal' by any stretch of the imagination.
All these 'insurances' are not designed to save you any money, they are offered for 'peace of mind' only.
The reason 'British ripoff' I mean Gas don't want to lose you is because they are getting money for nothing.
If you ever claimed, believe me, it would cost you more money one way or another, either through extortionate parts costs depending on your cover, or higher renewal premiums.
Hi Pond, I agree with you about the heating boiler. I am in the market for a new boiler at the moment and would never dream of giving BG £4-5000 for new central heating(I haven't got it) but expect to pay £1500-£2000 for the same thing from someone else.
I do disagree about the Homecare, though. I have had them out several times and I'm never charged for parts or labour.Also, they come out in a day or 2 and I have comeback, I'm not worried about getting a cowboy plumber or getting ripped off for £100s of pounds I haven't got when the part needed costs a fiver.
Sorry if you think I'm ranting but I live alone and "getting a man in" is very worrying to me as I don't know if they're going to do a good, fairly priced job, or rip me off and do a rubbish job I will have to pay for again when they have b*ggered off with my cash.
We paid BG about £2500 for a new boiler and fitting 3 years ago and they gave us 4 years free cover with it. Its a powerful beast as we have a big house, couldn't get a combi boiler big enough even.
We have called them out a few times for various reasons and they always come within 2 or 3 working days. Once the free cover stops its about £120 a year which I am happy to pay as I know the service is good
Agree the Homecare service is good when you need to call them out, we had a dire central heating leak two years ago in December when hubby was away, no heating or hot water until it could be fixed (kids were aged 5,2, and nine months at the time, and we don't have any gas fires etc that we could use instead) and the initial visit was done within twelve hours, there were certain complications that would have meant we had to pay for part of the job but the engineer came up with a cunning way round it so it was free, and then fiddled his appointments book so he came back to do the job within 48 hours. Fantastic. I couldn't have got a service like that from ringing round local plumbers in December.
In the situation I was in, I think "peace of mind" was well worth paying for, and I got a good service besides!
Don't get me started on extended warranties for washing machines though....
