Comments: Floored

The energy price cap would work fine in the UK if it wasn't for ofgem increasing it on a quarterly basis.

Posted by Ian on 10 August, 2022 at 8:18 AM

Good to hear about the progress. And you can always retire to the new bedroom when things get heated!
I was surprised to hear that fire doors are compulsory in domestic houses. I don't think I know of anyone else with one.

Posted by Tim W. on 10 August, 2022 at 9:54 AM

Tim, we only need a fire door because the garage is attached to and has direct access from the house so there is an opening from dwelling into a service area.

At least that's what they tell us.

Posted by Mr BW on 10 August, 2022 at 10:01 AM

It's new (quite recent) Building Regs Tim.

We are trying to get away with having the auto-closer but not actually fitting it and hoping the Building Inspector doesn't remember it wasn't there when he saw completion on all the other elements of that phase, as who wants a loud 'bang' every time they go through a door in their house as it auto-slams? Plus, needing the door open (for various reasons) would mean finding a way to prop it open a lot of the time.

Posted by Blue Witch on 10 August, 2022 at 10:17 AM

Ian - I don't think it would as it is based on a formula that relies on wholesale pricing in the last quarter. Much better to let the market work its own pricing, as it always did before.

All that has happened now is exactly what happened with university fees - a top price was set, so all universities charge it.

Just look at the profits the energy companies are making... and that is while a significant proportion of consumers are still on historic (comparatively low) fixed tariffs.

Posted by Blue Witch on 10 August, 2022 at 10:21 AM

If the building inspector does insist on the door closer, you should have a look at safetyassured dot co dot UK / product / slam-stop /

They also sell a gadget for holding open fire doors.

Posted by Tim W. on 10 August, 2022 at 2:24 PM

Tim:
" They also sell a gadget for holding open fire doors."
Where I worked that was always known as a fire extinguisher :)

Posted by Mr BW on 11 August, 2022 at 6:44 AM

What I meant was if the energy price cap had been set to act as a cap, then the energy companies wouldn't be able to increase prices to the detriment of consumers. And if the private energy companies went bust, so be it. Their assets could be nationalised at a knock down price and the CEOs could experience some of the theoretical risk of privatisation

Posted by Ian on 11 August, 2022 at 8:10 AM