避難所 from the 2008 energy price rises

By Ed 修道士 for Thisismoney.co.uk
Updated: 15:03 BST, 18 January 2008

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支援する in 2004, a few lucky souls took a punt on 直す／買収する，八百長をするd-price energy 取引，協定s that saved them hundreds, if not thousands, of 続けざまに猛撃するs in the coming years as prices 急に上がるd all around them. It could be time to take another 賭事.

Those fortunate 顧客s had 選ぶd to 調印する up to special 取引，協定s before energy 供給者s 乗る，着手するd on 積極的な prices rises that saw the cost of a year's gas and electricity for a typical home jump from £580 in 2004 to £1,013 in 2007.

The 関税s they 調印するd up to were わずかに more expensive than the best 取引，協定s 利用できる at the time but the extra money they spent to 直す／買収する，八百長をする their 法案s paid for itself several times over as prices in the 残り／休憩（する） of the market 急に上がるd.

In the past year, prices across the market have fallen 支援する わずかに. At their 頂点（に達する）, the 普通の／平均（する） 年次の 燃料 法案 攻撃する，衝突する £1,013 but price 削減s brought the 普通の／平均（する） 法案 負かす／撃墜する to £912 for 基準 関税s. The best prices 利用できる are online 関税s ? where you 適用する and get 法案d over the internet ? and the cheapest of these 取引，協定s (British Gas and Scottish and Southern Energy) are around £743 a year.

But prices may be about to move 上向きs again. Prices fell about 10% in 2007 after the 卸売 markets for gas, the price that the 供給者 themselves 支払う／賃金 for energy, halved. This 劇的な 減ずるd the cost to 供給者s and they 器具／実施するd long-延滞の price 削減（する）s. Now 卸売物価s have 二塁打d from those lows and 供給者s are under 増加するing 圧力 to 引き上げ（る） prices all over again.

The first 調印するs that price rises were on the way （機の）カム when British Gas 増加するd its 'tracker' 関税, where prices are pegged to movements in the 卸売 market. Later （機の）カム news that Npower was to 増加する the cost of its online 関税 from £767 to £901 a year.

Joe Malinowski, 創立者 of price comparison 場所／位置 TheEnergyShop.com, said: 'While the 率 at which 卸売物価s have 増加するd has slowed in the past month, にもかかわらず both (卸売) gas and electricity prices are a lmost 二塁打 their 2007 lows and at uncomfortable levels as far as the 関わりあい／含蓄s for 国内の energy 消費者s are 関心d.

'The 傾向 in 卸売物価s has continued to 辛勝する／優位 ahead now making the prospect of 近づく-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 増加するs in 小売 energy prices that much more likely.'

The 関心 was echoed by Tim Wolfenden, 長，率いる of home services for uSwitch. On the Npower price 増加する he said: 'Npower is 簡単に 反応するing to pricing 圧力s, such as 卸売 energy costs, that it can no longer afford to ignore. This is a （疑いを）晴らす 調印する of the 形態／調整 of things to come. While Npower is making this pre-emptive move on its online prices we fully 推定する／予想する it to 是正する the balance in the New Year with hefty price 増加するs on its 基準 計画（する）s too.'

Thankfully, there is a way 顧客s can 保護する themselves from the price rises on the horizon. Like those fortunate 顧客s in 2004, today's 顧客s can 調印する up to a 取引，協定 that will keep higher prices at bay.

While 顧客s this time 一連の会議、交渉／完成する are ありそうもない to 利益 to the same degree as their 前任者s in 2004 ? prices started from a much lower base 支援する then and the 取引，協定s 利用できる lasted for longer ? today's 直す／買収する，八百長をするd 取引，協定s are more competitively 定価つきの.

削減（する） your 法案s in moments

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Karen Darby, 創立者 of comparison 場所／位置 SimplySwitch.com, says: 'Fortunately, for those wishing to 保護する themselves from price rises, there are still some 高度に 競争の激しい capped 取引，協定s 利用できる. In the past, capped 取引，協定s were expensive, with 顧客s 支払う／賃金ing way over the 半端物s for the 追加するd peace of mind. Now, however, some capped 関税s are almost as cheap as the UK's best online 取引，協定s and 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 no 刑罰，罰則s if the 顧客 wishes to leave.'

Joe Malinowski 追加するs: 'We are now 堅固に advising 顧客s that they should not just check 取引，協定s but 活発に switch to a cheaper 取引，協定 before they get 孤立した. In particular we recommend the Price 直す／買収する，八百長をする 2008 製品 from Scottish and Southern Energy, which 連合させるs a very 競争の激しい 関税 with 直す／買収する，八百長をするd prices until 30 November 2008, 申し込む／申し出ing 保護 in the event of その上の 増加するs in 小売 prices.'

Price 直す／買収する，八百長をする 2008, is 現実に the second-cheapest 関税 利用できる of any 肉親，親類d ? just a few pence more expensive than the cheapest British Gas 取引，協定. Considering the certainty with which 専門家s are 予報するing price 増加するs, Price 直す／買収する，八百長をする 2008 代表するs tremendous value at the moment. However, 顧客s need to 行為／法令／行動する quickly before SSE joins 競争相手s in raising prices.

顧客s could have been forgiven for not snapping up 直す／買収する，八百長をするd price 取引，協定s in 2004. No-one knew that prices would rise so 劇的な in the years to come and no-one could have 予報するd the 貯金 that could have been made by 直す／買収する，八百長をするing.

But this time is different. The best 直す／買収する，八百長をするd price 取引，協定 is 近づく-as-makes-no-difference the cheapest of any on the market and is from the 供給者 with 終始一貫して the best ratings for 顧客 service, while the 令状ing is on the 塀で囲む for 切迫した price rises.

If 顧客s don't 直す／買収する，八百長をする their 法案s this time, they can't say they weren't 警告するd.