Electricity Price Rise

 Hi all,

Apparently an article in a Costa Blanca paper is reporting that electricity prices are to rise by 9.8% on 1st January 2011.  Can anyone confirm this?

Happy New Year to all Condadians.

keeve 

 Yep,

I got a letter from Iberdrola confirming this a couple of weeks ago.   From what I've heard the prices are going to raise each quarter for the next 18 months.

I'm looking into the possibility of switching supplier,  will try my apartment first and let you know how it goes.

Hi everybody,

Mick Parsons told us 3 months ago that if we went in to any Iberdrola office we could get the cheaper rate as Polaris had us on the highest rate. Its about 3 to 4 cent cheaper per unit which over a period of time is very good. It will help eleviate the current rise. In fairness to Mick he did tell us all this months ago. We went into Puerto de Mazaron and changed it without any problem. Once again Polaris World sold us a pup.

Munster

We also read about this when Mick posted but thought he was saying 'some' people may be on the wrong tariff.

As we are in the Uk  we cant access any mail in our mailbox so if anyone can post further information on these price hikes we'd be grateful.

Has there been any similar information about the water supplier?

With regard to the electricity- where in Puerto Mazarron do you need to go?

A question for presidents or ML,

If we are on a higher rate from polaris world, is the community on the same rate and should we look at changing that also, or see if we can agree a better rate for everybody. With the amount electricity that we are all using as a whole, could this provide us a greater bargaining power with other suppliers.

Marshman,

  You are indeed correct.  Milleniun and the senior presidents should be working in our best interest.  Negotiating block resort utility rates would certainly fall in to this category.  Well pointed out.  Hopefully a senior president with negotiaing powers can advise why this is not on the agenda, perhaps it is, or are there any barriers? 

The price an owner pays for electricity is that was agreed between an Owner and the Electric company, (The Contract) If you gave Polaris your consent to set up your contract then you pay that price, as in my case and many others Polaris put us on a green tariff which was more expensive, it is relatively easy to change to a normal tariff.but you wont get any money back.

If Electricity companies choose to increase charges then thats the way it is just like the UK.

The Community and the Presidents are not responsible for contracts for supplys Elect or Water to Private Dwellings. or for defects to Private dwellings. These issues are between the Owner and the supplier.

The Community and the Presidents Manage the Budget for the Maintenance of common areas, or other areas benificial to all owners ,they have no powers or say in any other business.

On the Electricity side Spain has de regalised Supplies of Electric and we are all free to choose a supplier of our own choice, at the moment those of us who live hear do not know which is the best offer?

It is fully understood that we currently negotiate our utility charges on an individual basis.  My point is, would it not be better to negotiate as a community.  is there any reason why we cant?  I'm sure that an approach to any supplier as a unit would greatly increase our negotiating power and position.  This is how it is done in business.  Is this not what happened with the community insurance?

It has got to be up to the individual to sort out there own utility bills it is nothing to do with the presidents or PW , how could you negotiate for the whole of Condado when  we each own our own properties, and are responsible for our own untilities. You would have to contact each owner and then each owner would then have to agree and sign a contract, it would be a complete nightmare. If people don't like the tarrif they are on, they have to do some leg work themselves and sort it out,as you would at home. The presidents should only be looking at the communal areas etc.

I have still to hear or read of any reason why this can't be done other than it's too much work.  Quite simply put it on the agenda at the next AGM, vote it through and get on with the negotiations.  If any individuals are not happy paying less let them opt out.  My company is a member of a buying group with 1000's of members, the buying group negotiate our utility rates much lower than we could do as individuals.  Again as I understand we have a group insurance policy, why not expand it to utilities.  There may be legal reasons of which I am not aware, but to simply say it is too much bother doesn't cut it I'm afraid. 

Happy New Year to one and all.

When we signed for the apartment we signed D/D for our utilities and PW organised the rest.  I can only assume that PW would have negotiated our utility tarrifs.  I don't know for sure and am aware that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but if it is the case that PW carried out the negotiations on our behalf it would seem they didn't do a great job.  Why should they, no gain for them unless the secured a better deal for themselves at our expense.  Someone agreed a job lot deal on our behalf therefore it must be possible to renegotiate better terms as a unit.  It may very well be the case that PW hung us all out to dry, signed us all up and let the utility companies rip us off.  Wouldn't surprise me, PW certainly don't have our best interest in their list of priorities.

Its a shame there isnt more competition like in the UK but i understand Phil(ptan) has looked into where to go for the best deals.

Del007,

Polaris didn't do any negotiation, they simply passed the owners details to the local electricity supplier ( Iberdrola ) and arranged for connection.  The Jardines were the first so they went on an old contract, Naranjos were not connected until Nov/Dec 2009 and so were on a newer contract.  When Mick Parsons contacted them they simply changed him to the latest rate, which those in Naranjos were already on.    Ibredrola have a fixed "home user" rate which is standard nationally, yes there are other rates for heavy business users but that's different.   The Spanish government has now imposed rate increases so all rates are going up. In mid 2009 the electricity supply was deregulated in Spain, the same way it was in the UK years ago, so consumers now have freedom so chose suppliers, assuming there is another one in the area and assuming the change would be worth it, as I believe they all have to charge roughly the same rates ( give or take a few % )    

The community cannot negotiate on your behalf for the private supply of utilities.  What is can do, as we did with insurance, was find the best deal for the community and then offer this to the owners.    When we changed community insurance companies early this year we found out that all the buildings were covered ( it may well of been the same last year, but RPM didn't tell anyone ),  this meant that private owners only required content insurance, which the community were able to offer as Mileniun became an agent for AXA.

If the community does find a cheaper supplier, and it would benefit the owners I'm sure it will be published.

At the moment I only have details of a electricity management company that claim to offer a 10% to 45% deduction over iberdrola, but they charge a monthly admin fee, so unless to live here or spend a lot of time here the saving may not be worth it.

Be assured, this is on the "to do" list for 2011.

Ptan,

Thank you for you very concise response, this certainly has not been a wasted exercise, I have learned something today and have a better understanding of our utility situation as I am sure other patrons have.  You must forgive me for my sceptical view of PW, I simply have to trust or confidence in anything they are involved in.  Now all I need to know is how do I arrange the best deal from Iberdrola whilst I am in the UK?  Tank you once again.

This is something we would probably be interested in doing as well- but my few contacts with Iberdrola by telephone in 2008 was fraught with language difficulties, even after waiting a very long time and finally being put though to English speaking operatives there was much confusuion on both sides. This experience makes me a little nervous of trying to change things by phone.

We hadn't realised that all the Jardines were on a different rate than Naranjos and suspect quite a lot of people dont know that.  So, if there is a way of reliably changing to a slightly better rate, other than personally going into their offices, we'd be interested to hear it.

Most properties were put on a "Verde" tariff (Green) and we were unaware of a lower rate. If you check your electric bill and you have the word Verde on top you will be paying around 15.4 cents per KW, you can change your contract to a lower rate 11.8 cents per KW and it is easy to do if you are here.

There is an Iberdrola agent within a Domestic  Electric shop in Puerto Mazarron, ( drive into port past Lidl and after passing the market on right you come to a 3 way junction on the right is the shop opposite a shoe shop) It has an Iberdrola sign on window but sells TV fridges etc, one of the Ladies there speaks a little English, if you take your Electric Bill and some ID, with the Verde on and ask for a lower Tariff, she will do it for you whilst you wait if she is busy she will ask you to call back, there is no new contract to sign.

Sometimes she will ask for a contact phone number this must be a Spanish number so if you dont have a spanish number perhaps you can give your keyholders number as a contact.

From the day you change you will be on a lower tariff. 11.8 plus tax etc.

Dont know if it is possible to do this over the phone

Hello again,

 I have just registered with Iberdrola on the internet and requested a change in tarrif from my existing Verde contact to the best available tarrif.  I'm not convinced I'll get anywhere but will post any response I receive.  Should anyone wish to register for online billing or attempt to change their tarrif please click on the registration URL below.  Complete the boxes and you will be forwarded to the contact page, simply click on enter.  This in turn will take you to a page with various Iberdrola contact details, I have chosen to send an email to Iberdrola on the Internet.  You may decide to follow me on this one or you can await my post notifying you all of any response.

User Registration:

https://www.iberdrola.es/02sica/clientesovc/iberdrola?IDPAG=ENOVC_ALTAUSUARIO

Contact:  Hit enter

http://www.iberdrola.es/webibd/corporativa/iberdrola?IDPAG=ENWEBCONTACTA

IBERDROLA on the Internet:

informacion@iberdrola.com

Hi everyone,

I very much agree with de1007.  I am sure the Presidents could ask our M.C. to get a list of any new electric companies who are giving cheaper electricity and their new rates. I am sure if any company thought they could get over 1000 new accounts in one resorts, they would jump at the idea. Like the insurance, the community, management company and residents would all be making money.

Munster,

Please read my previous post.  But for now, if you ARE on the old tarrif contract Iberdrola and get put on the latest one.