Atlantic Electric and Gas

A question about : Atlantic Electric and Gas

Atlantic Electric and Gas have just released new prices for Atlantic Direct (11.00am 1 Dec 2003)

These prices are for new customers only, existing customers will remain unchanged.

Doorstep Delivery tariffs will also remain unchanged.

They will be live on the Energylinx site later today.

Best answers:

• What are these new rates ??
  Daniel
• I`m with Pgen for both gas and electric.
  I`ve just had a quote from Atlantic on their website.
  They could save me Ј12 a year on gas but could`nt save me anything on electric,in fact they were Ј3-50p dearer.
  So for the sake of saving Ј8-50 a year it`s not worth the hassle.(if the figures they give you are true in the first place)
  All these so called cheap suppliers might start cheap but they soon join the rest in hiking prices.
  Personally I think most of the so called savings are pie-in-the-sky.They are just conning you with their special deals and offers.There is no way that you can compare a true like for like deal because they don`t exist.
• I can understand your sentiments alared - and in a great deal of cases, this is true (that prices are changed once a customer base has been acquired and numbers increased). I wouldn't say it is true for all.
  However, my personal philosophy is 'the proof of the pudding is with the eating'.
  While Ј8.50 a year is a small saving, there is bound to be a situation with a provider whereby their lowest prices come very close to the next lowest price that a customer may be paying already.
  Ј8.50 is still a saving. If we could all save Ј8.50 per year on all our bills it would soon mount up and it would become significant - and in a lot of cases, it can be done (I'm thinking of insurance, utility bills, etc.).
  Mark E
• If ALL companies were clear,concise and up-front with their prices,with no gimmicks,cashbacks,duel fuel deals,green,ethical,where-you-live,no hidden small print,etc,a TRUE comparison could be made.
  The truth of the matter is they go out of their way to confuse because they know the average person,either does`nt care or can`t be bothered or will believe anything.
  As for saving Ј8-50,if only it were true.By the time they`ve made an a*r* of the transfer and you`ve spent a fortune on 0870 calls you will probably find the price has gone up anyway,the the whole circus starts all over again because "you can transfer again after 28 day,if your not happy with us".Which in reality means they`ve got you for at least 3 months.
  All I can say is Martin`s got his work cut out trying to catch up with these cowboys.
  The regulator lifted price capping because there` supposed to be competition out there.
  The only competition is to see who`ll put up their prices first so they can all follow.
• alared, I understand your sentiments and cynicism.
  What would be of benefit to consumers is the standardisation of application forms (the exact same forms whether online or not, being used by all providers across the industry) as well as the presentation of data to prospective customers in an identical manner, including a 'final price' value whereby services can be compared on a true 'like-for-like' basis.
  It's never what's on offer that's the problem, it's simply how the information is communicated to others.
  This problem is not just peculiar to the utility market. Food and drink labelling, insurance (dare I go there?), cosmetics/healthcare products all suffer the same.
  What does amaze me is why we have the BSi and ISO organisations in place as well as numerous EU legislations, and STILL CONTINUE to be confused by information, simply because information is presented in different ways. Service regulators including OFWAT, OFTEL, OFGEM, FSA, etc. should all be involved in the equation.???
  "Food for thought": Loose food must be sold in grammes or Kg. in the UK. Healthcare product (soap, shampoo, etc.) ingredients can be labelled in Latin! Work that out!
  Mark E
• I HAVE BEEN WITH ATLANTIC FOR THE LAST YEAR AND AT MY ANNIVERSARY PERIOD I EXPECTED MY MONTHLY PAYMENT TO INCREASE CONSIDERABLY AS MY T AND S TENDS TO USE A LOT OF ELECTRIC AND GAS BUT ON THE CONTRARY MY GAS STAYED THE SAME AND ELECTRIC ONLY WENT UP MARGINALLY. THE BIGGEST SURPRISE WAS THE ONE MONTH PAYMENT REFUND I GOT FOR BEING LOYAL TO THEM. THIS I THINK EQUATES TO 8.3% DISCOUNT. CANT PRAISE THEM MORE.
• Another candidate for my DROP THE CAPS bollocking
• This may be of use to all Atlantic E + G Customers.
  Their customer services is a hated 0870 number.
  Use this one instead 0800 052 2080.
• Thanks Smartass!!! Have stored away for future reference. how did you get hold of it?
• foxxboy
  Try this site as
  https://djbnet.co.uk/tel/
• In Martin's latest e-mail he mentions price rises for Atlantic. Does anyone know if these will affect existing customers. I have heard nothing at all from the company regarding this. It states on their website that customers will get plenty of notice before any increases. I cannot find any relevant info regarding this on the internet either. Does anyone have any idea as to what is happening? ???
• Atlantic have increased their prices for gas on March 9 but this only applies for new customers. Electricity prices have remained the same. This applies for domestic customers only.
• Thanks for clarifying that RIP1. But how do I make sure as an existing Atlantic customer, I'm getting the best deal when comparison sites are using a different set of tariffs? Any suggestions?
  ???
• Well you could look at it from the perspective that presumably when you changed supplier to Atlantic they were the cheapest, and if they haven't raised their prices since (for existing customers) when a fair number of competitors have, they're most likely still the best option!
  I see what you're saying though; if they're running different rates for new and existing customers it makes it very difficult to do price comparisons..
• Unfortunatley tariff comparison websites cannot incorporate a search with the rates that you are on. The only real option is to get the rates you are paying and compare them against the rates published on the sites for the other companies. This then will tell you if you have the best rates but it will not tell you if you have the best deal. The best deal will incorporate any discounts that may be on offer.
  At present it seems like you will have to do this yourself unless there is a comparison website out there where you can enter all your details of rates etc and then compare?
  I'm not sure whether comparsion websites tell you when you you quote on them that these may not be the rates that that you are being charged. This could mean some people are changing when it fact they are best off where they are.
• You will also need to take into account standing charges and any other fees e.g. Telecom plus have membership fees.
  You also need to take account of any impending prices rises that are going on at the moment.
  Not simple is it?
• Ive been with Atlantic for 23 months. Although they're one of the cheapest their customer service is terrible. Although my meters have been read several times I still haven't had a bill for gas or electric that wasn,t estimated,even if you give them the reading over the 'phone.The last bill arrive feb 27th and is ated dec 20th! I also had to get energywatch involved to get my 8.5% annual discount. They kept saying a cheque was in the post then they denied ever offering a discount(it isn't mentioned when you sign up but is on the website) I am pretty certain I won't get my discount when my 2 years are up so i am now in the process of changing again.
• Was planning to switch to Atlantic for gas + elec. I take it from this thread that this is probably not a wise move?
  ???