Shore power electric costs.

[Deefor]

Let's say you're billed for your marina electric usage at, for example, 15p per unit as an average.

How would you feel if you found out that your marina pays a greatly reduced rate over night (50% less) from their supplier but doesn't tell you this and continues to bill you at 15p per unit and not at a rate of the AVERAGE daytime and nightime cost?

 

[bigwow]

Well as they, by law AFAIK, have to charge the same as they pay for each unit, I would be having a serious talk with them about my rebate before I took it any further.

 

[Talulah]

As I understand it quite a few marinas are breaking the regs.
You need a licence to resell electricity at a profit.
You can charge cost plus a service/admin fee without a licence.
MDL are all good. They charge I think £10 a quarter admin fee (£5 if under a certain number of units) where as Premier are not good. I paid £50 up front. £35 was electric. £15 was their percentage on top to cover service/admin. As this cost is proportional to the amount used it would be unlawful as I understand it.
However. How do you go about enforcing it? I don't know.
It is very unlikely we will be renewing our contract at Gosport.

 

[beejay190]

Recent invoice from MDL ( Cobbs Quay )

9.1p per unit ( less than 1,000 units per month )
Quarterly Admin charge £8.33p less 50% rebate for low usage = £4.16
All plus VAT at either 5% or 20%

Diesel last time i brimmed in Oct - 101p after 60/40.

 

[ARA]

As I understand it quite a few marinas are breaking the regs.
You need a licence to resell electricity at a profit.
You can charge cost plus a service/admin fee without a licence.
MDL are all good. They charge I think £10 a quarter admin fee (£5 if under a certain number of units) where as Premier are not good. I paid £50 up front. £35 was electric. £15 was their percentage on top to cover service/admin. As this cost is proportional to the amount used it would be unlawful as I understand it.
However. How do you go about enforcing it? I don't know.
It is very unlikely we will be renewing our contract at Gosport.

That's strange, Port Solent (Premier) only charge for electricity, to the best of my knowledge they don't charge an admin fee, or have I missed something? You pay an upfront figure & when it goes to a low level you just top up again. No mention of service charges & I topped up 6 months ago with £30.00 & I am still in credit by £15.00

 

[Matt341]

I currently pay 25p per unit which includes a service charge per unit & VAT. Apparently the service charge is capped at 400 units per quarter, I don't know how much the unit charge alone is as I have never gone over the 400 units per quarter!!!

The regulation of no profit on electric is great for the customer but not when service charges are added on. As an example, friends own a caravan site and charge customers £4.50 per night just for electric, plus pitch and occupant charges. This £4.50 is definitely much higher than it costs them. One customer actually calculated their usage over a one night period and failed to exceed £1. Meaning the site is adding a £3.50 service charge per night. Base this over a 2 week holiday, fair profit for the site owners on a service charge alone. obviously they have maintenance and safety checks of the bollards.

Ian

 

[mjf]

Swanwick is currently 8.7p a unit and an additional 2.9p for facility charge

vat extra at 5% elect and 20% facility

Thus 12.199p all up

I think its a different set up on the hard as it was also at port solent unless you were a berthholder

 

[gjgm]

Well as they, by law AFAIK, have to charge the same as they pay for each unit, I would be having a serious talk with them about my rebate before I took it any further.

I am not sure what counts as a profit. Was talking to the leccy guy a while back who was testing every single power socker/breaker on every pontoon. Dont think that was a quick job, for example.

 

[Talulah]

That's strange, Port Solent (Premier) only charge for electricity, to the best of my knowledge they don't charge an admin fee, or have I missed something? You pay an upfront figure & when it goes to a low level you just top up again. No mention of service charges & I topped up 6 months ago with £30.00 & I am still in credit by £15.00

When I paid in the office £50 up front I was issued with a till receipt. The £50 credit was split in two. £35 elec. £15 service. I'm guessing they are split due to different VAT rates. Not sure about Port Solent but as it is identical to Gosport you probably thought you paid for electric only but you were in fact paying both.

 

[KevB]

Premier chichester quote 12.2 per unit. No mention of service charge.

 

[Golden Time]

I don't know the exact cost per unit. But I had to pay £30 for the meter and shoreline and then it's bill quarterly with no service charge. I thought £30 was a bit steep until I realised I could take the shore line with me rather than have to buy my own when away.

 

[Deefor]

But, as much as it's costing you ??? pence per unit, has anyone challenged their marina to see if there's a cheaper rate at night?

I guess they'd all lie through their teeth and say "no" but could you ask to see their electric bill that shows the electric usage and breakdown?

 

[ARA]

Good luck to the marinas if they do make a bit out of it, if you cost it out it can't be that much.

There is always a choice not to use the electrics at night I suppose

 

[Jurgen]

12p per unit @ MDL Brixham plus £10 per 1/4 admin charge.

We have our boat plugged in all year, nett result is always have cold wine in the fridge and the engines start 1st time!

Old adage applies, if you dont like the service or fees vote with your feet, plenty of berths available elsewhere for most sized boats, except Darthaven for a 12mtr berth as I recently found out. 6 year waiting list

 

[Deefor]

12p per unit @ MDL Brixham plus £10 per 1/4 admin charge.

And you really believe that MDL are being charged 12p per unit?

 

[Ian h]

When i owned a static caravan the site had to display the letter from their electric company saying how much they were being charged so that the owners could check this was the same rate. Do MDL not do this ?
Note to self must check next time down marina

 

[JoeQ]

The law about reselling electricity only applies to domestic use. If the marina can argue that the electricity is commercial they can charge what they like. Your option is to leave.

 

[aquapower]

I'm paying 12.56 pp unit at home so would be better off paying MDL prices

 

[SlimRick]

Portishead Quays charge £14 for a 100 kWh card, no service or admin fee. Quite happy with that amount.

 

[henryf]

I was speaking with Ben at Cowes Yacht Haven the other day. By chance he mentioned having just spent £80k on the electrics. Salt water, electricity, floating on water and lots of people from several nations using your facilities are not a match made in heaven.

As has been said already I think land based caravan sites are far more expensive when it comes to electricity charges.

Henry