DulceGalletita wrote: M&M ... your avatar kinda reminds me of the situation in the Hostel movie ... REALLY?? THERE WAS AN ACTRESS FROM BRAMPTON REPRESENTIN' THE WEST SIIIIIIDE ??? LOL
Thanks Dulce galletita. LAst week a guy came asking to see my gas bill and said He was here to make sure We had a deal for 5 years; We have already done so with DIrect Energy, but the son of the gun insisted to see it; at the end of the conversation He left a note where to call cause I told him i didn't have the receive handy. Well, it was another company, these guys we'll go to hell for trying to confuse people.
Yeah TT ... just be careful ... they will still keep coming around ...
My mom tells them ... Huh, no entiendo .. and closes the door
Really helpful info. And it is truly appreciated but I can sum the post up in two words: "Read first." Thank you-- Edited by Marky Mark at 21:36, 2006-01-06
LOL M&M ... your avatar kinda reminds me of the situation in the Hostel movie ...
Phantasma wrote: OMG too long... can u give the Coles Notes version por favour? She is just doing this so i take long to read and get distracted so she can post a few messages .............She is triying to get top guru before me !!!!!!!!
Look who's talking! But I will win b4 you, no se como but I will ... Help everyone Zipote can be Top Guru b4 me LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS I don't have imaginary newbie friendz like someone I know ... won't name any names right ZIPOTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
Thanks Dulce galletita. LAst week a guy came asking to see my gas bill and said He was here to make sure We had a deal for 5 years; We have already done so with DIrect Energy, but the son of the gun insisted to see it; at the end of the conversation He left a note where to call cause I told him i didn't have the receive handy. Well, it was another company, these guys we'll go to hell for trying to confuse people.
ZIPOTE wrote: Marky Mark wrote: Really helpful info. And it is truly appreciated but I can sum the post up in two words: "Read first." Thank you-- Edited by Marky Mark at 21:36, 2006-01-06 Holly shaiit Marky Mark is that one of your neirboughs on your avatar ......`cause that lady looks from Btown........ LOL M&M, loving that avatar, defenetly one of the best I've seen...LOL -- Edited by Da Drumma at 22:26, 2006-01-06
Thanks DD, but I changed it... wifey thought it was offensive!
And yeah Zipote, she may as well be my neighbour, my neighbour's neighbour and the 30 people living in their house.
Really helpful info. And it is truly appreciated but I can sum the post up in two words: "Read first." Thank you-- Edited by Marky Mark at 21:36, 2006-01-06
I disagree....
It's FIRST READ
-- Edited by LaDyBuG at 06:12, 2006-01-07
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"To be a good Promoter you must have the heart of a Gambler and the mind of a Computer"
ZIPOTE wrote: Marky Mark wrote: Really helpful info. And it is truly appreciated but I can sum the post up in two words: "Read first." Thank you-- Edited by Marky Mark at 21:36, 2006-01-06
Holly shaiit Marky Mark is that one of your neirboughs on your avatar ......`cause that lady looks from Btown........
LOL M&M, loving that avatar, defenetly one of the best I've seen...LOL
-- Edited by Da Drumma at 22:26, 2006-01-06
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"If I claim to be a wise man... it surely means that I don't know"
Really helpful info. And it is truly appreciated but I can sum the post up in two words: "Read first." Thank you-- Edited by Marky Mark at 21:36, 2006-01-06
Holly shaiit Marky Mark is that one of your neirboughs on your avatar ......`cause that lady looks from Btown........
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NADIE ES HONESTO EN ESTE MUNDO!! Y NO MIENTAS PORQUE HASTA TU HAS MENTIDO ...
OMG too long... can u give the Coles Notes version por favour?
She is just doing this so i take long to read and get distracted so she can post a few messages .............She is triying to get top guru before me !!!!!!!!
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NADIE ES HONESTO EN ESTE MUNDO!! Y NO MIENTAS PORQUE HASTA TU HAS MENTIDO ...
Ok, I know this Electricity and Gas thing is crazy ... This is an FYI ... Some plans are good, some are not so great ... Hey it's a gamble, but what isn't ...
Just wanted to give you guys a heads up, and please don't call me LOL!!!!!!!!!!
I know itz kinda long ... but the best thing to do is NOT SIGN ANTHING AT THE DOOR!
Consumer Warning
It seems so simple – you get a cheque in the mail made out for a little over $30. It appears to be a rebate, and you’re not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. So you do what we all would – head to the bank as quickly as possible and cash it.
But in this case, that gift horse is more like a Trojan Horse, with a nasty surprise attached – whether you know it or not, by endorsing that little piece of paper, you’ve just committed yourself to a new gas contract at a much higher rate. And you’re stuck there for the next five years.
Welcome to the shady new world of buying natural gas, an amorphous place things aren’t always like the seem.
Experts warn consumers that unless they know exactly what they’re doing, they can wind up in a limbo land of charges when it comes to negotiating for a new home heating contract.
The advantages of being locked in are well known – if the price of gas skyrockets, your rate is protected, for the length of the deal.
But if the rates go down, you’ll still pay.
So what about those sneaky looking cheques?
“If the customer cashes the cheque, they’re automatically entered into another five year contract,” explains Brian Wikant of Riterate.com. To add insult to injury, you’re almost sure to wind up paying a much higher rate.
Smart consumers know they have to be wary of almost everything.
“Sometimes they’re saying you have to sign right now in order to fix the price. Aren’t you interested in saving money?,” relates homeowner Matt Johnston of the claims he’s already seen. “One of their sales tactics was to offer a free long distance phone plan.”
It’s not that these come-ons are illegal, it’s just that they can catch you by surprise if you’re not aware of the fine points.
Other advice?
Never show your current bill or account number to anyone who comes to your door.
Never sign anything at the door.
And don’t feel pressured to renew at the last minute. By law, fixed contractors must send you a renewal notice 60-120 days before your deal expires. That means you have to hang on to the cancellation notice that comes with your original package. If you don’t?
“They get automatically renewed for one year, typically at a very high rate,” Wikant advises.
For more information on Rite Rate’s services, click here.
Here’s some other useful advice from Energyshop.com, an independent company offering energy rate comparisons and objective advice, on what to expect on your gas bill and how to get the best deal:
What makes up the gas bill?
Your gas bill is comprised of three major segments –gas supply, delivery and customer/monthly charge. Gas supply is the cost of the gas itself, delivery refers to the cost of delivering the gas from a central pipeline to your home, and customer/monthly charge is a fixed rate to compensate the utility for service, connecting, and billing costs.
What are my payment choices?
Buy from the utility: If you choose this option, you’ll be paying variable rates depending on how much it costs the utility to deliver gas to you. The utility is not allowed to make a profit. If there’s a difference, and the utility finds it has cost more to deliver the energy than it has cost you, you could be charged a lump sum, or a surcharge over a period of several months.
Buy from a gas marketer: This means a fixed rate over a short- or long-term, depending on what you choose. The fixed-price option means you know what you’ll be paying each month and can budget for the cost. The gas will still be delivered by the utility, and there’s no risk of being without gas as long as the bill is paid.
How to choose the best deal:
Consider your budget, how much you’d like to risk, and your goals.
Decide what’s more important – waiting for the lowest possible price, but risking paying a higher price, or the comfort in knowing what the price will be each month.
Get expert advice on gas trends and prices to determine whether they’re likely to go up or come down.
Check out the prices and incentives offered by the marketers, if you’re examining that option. Figure out which deal works best for you.
What is the benefit of signing up with a marketer?
It’s a good idea if you want constant gas prices month to month, or if you believe gas prices are on the rise. Marketers let you choose long-term or short-term contracts, and sometimes offer incentives like rebates or credits.
Utilities can’t offer fixed term gas contracts
Marketers offering a variable rate often provide a guarantee that the price will be a certain per cent lower than the utility rate.
If I go with a marketer, how long does it take to make the switch?
It takes about 8-12 weeks for the appropriate paperwork to be completed.
If you’re switching from one marketer to another, you’ll usually receive 90 days notice before the end of your previous contract. They usually want 60 days notice of your intention to cancel, and you may have to go back to buying from the utility for a month before you can sign up with another marketer.
Be careful if you receive a cheque from a gas marketer. If you endorse and cash it, you may have just agreed to a three or five year contract. Make sure that’s what you intend to do.
How do I cancel a contract if I’ve signed it?
Marketers must provide a written contract within 40 days, and after that, the consumer has 60 days in which they can cancel it. You must send written notice that you wish to cancel.
The marketer must also contact the consumer between the 10th and 60th day of the contract. You can, at that time, choose to reaffirm or not to reaffirm. If the former, you may be penalized if you try to cancel after that.
If a consumer signs up via the Internet, there’s no reaffirmation required, and the consumer has 10 days to cancel.
If your contract was automatically renewed, you can cancel within 30 days of being sent the first bill after the renewed contract takes effect.
How do I complain if I have a problem with my energy marketer?
First, contact the marketer and see if they can address your complaint.
Failing that, contact the Ontario Energy Board toll free at 1-888-632-6273 or, in Toronto, call 416-481-1967.