25 June 2017 — CHS Newsletter 9 — Electric Shock

Dear Member,

It’s a nice change to report some positive news about Custom House Square. With a few emails I have obtained a quotation to save our company 27,500 euros on electricity.

Electrical Contractor
Those of you who attended the AGM on 22 April will remember how we discovered the identity of the electrical contractor engaged by our company.

The 2015 Accounts showed that we spent 53,000 euros on Electrical Repairs and Maintenance, up from 16,000 the previous year. Our Building Manager, Shay Gannon, was asked for the name of the electrical contractor. The business is called Gannon Maintenance Service and its proprietor is Adrian Gannon.

And what is the relationship between Shay Gannon, Building Manager, and Adrian Gannon, electrical contractor? Shay admitted that they are brothers.

Electricity Budget Increase
In his Building Manager’s Report, Shay stated that the company has installed new LED light fittings which run ‘at a fraction of the cost of the existing fittings’.

The budget for electricity in 2017 is 120,000 euros, up from 95,000 euros the previous year. Why did we spend 53,000 on fittings to reduce our electricity consumption while our bills are going up? His answer: ‘We are looking into it’.

Well I looked into it and it didn’t take long to see the reason. Our electricity supplier, Energia, had increased prices in May 2016 but neither the Manager nor the Directors seem to have noticed. Our basic rate is now 18 cents/kWh. I looked at my own domestic bill and I am paying 15 cents/kWh.

Alternative Quotation
I requested an emailed copy of bill consumption data for our 36 electricity meters from Energia and sent it to Bord Gais Energy for an alternative quotation which they duly provided — see email exchange below.

BGE offered a basic rate of 14.5 cents/kWh. I keyed their rates into the spreadsheet from Energia. The total with BGE came to 94,000 euros for last year compared with a total of 121,500 for Energia, a saving of 27,500 euros.

I have just sent the BGE quotation to Energia and they will be responding with a quote on Monday. With a little haggling I may be able to get this reduction without even switching supplier.

Our budget for 2017 is 1.3 million euros, so 27,500 represents 2% of our service charges. It’s a small percentage but a few more re-negotiations with the suppliers and the service charges could be significantly reduced.

The members expect the Manager and the Directors to get us the best value for our service charges but they are not even watching the expenses, never mind shopping around for the best rates. If they had spotted this increase last May and acted sooner then we could have saved 2% of our services charges this year.

Other Savings?
This is the only expense I have been able to investigate so far. If the Board allowed me to inspect the invoices and the accounts, and to talk to suppliers, I’m sure I could make further savings but they continue to block my access.

Regards,
Kevin Fitzpatrick
Director
Custom House Square Management CLG

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Begin forwarded message:

From: “businessdirect@bordgais.ie” <businessdirect@energysupply.bordgais.ie>

Subject: Your Recent Email to Bord Gáis Energy [<AD722929>]

Date: 22 June 2017 17:10:53 IST

To: <redacted>

Dear Kevin,

Thank you for your recent email to Bord Gáis Energy’s Business Care Team.

Standing Charge
(€/day)€0.74
Day Block 1 unit rate
(c/kWh)14.50c
Day Block 2 unit rate
(c/kWh)16.50c
Night unit rate
(c/kWh) 5.95c

We can offer you the above contract rates for the following MPRN’s. The contract end date would be 30–06–2018
· MPRN 10000564982
· MPRN 10000564965
· MPRN 10000561756
· MPRN 10000566004
· MPRN 10000566629
· MPRN 10000565787
· MPRN 10000566614
· MPRN 10000566355
· MPRN 10000703258
· MPRN 10000565799
· MPRN 10000703265
· MPRN 10000705129
· MPRN 10000566168
· MPRN 10000704105
· MPRN 10000705136
· MPRN 10000704568
· MPRN 10000704085
· MPRN 10000705922
· MPRN 10000706405
· MPRN 10000706418
· MPRN 10000702764
· MPRN 10000566636
· MPRN 10000704097
· MPRN 10000706923
· MPRN 10000703233
· MPRN 10000706420
· MPRN 10000706432

Standing Charge
(€/day)€1.3700
Day Block 1 unit rate
(c/kWh)14.95c
Day Block 2 unit rate
(c/kWh)14.20c
Night unit rate (c/kWh) 5.95c

The above contract would apply to the following MPRN’s and also would have the contract end date of 30–06–2018.

· MPRN 10000566348
· MPRN 10000705059
· MPRN 10000706757

Standing Charge
(€/day)€0.70
Day Block 1 unit rate
(c/kWh)12.60c
Day Block 2 unit rate
(c/kWh)14.60c

The above rates would apply to the following MPRNS. Contract end date would also be 30–06–2018.
· MPRN 10000566026
· MPRN 10000703270
· MPRN 10000706624
· MPRN 10000706915

Standing Charge
(€/day)€1.3700
Day Block 1 unit rate
(c/kWh)14.95c
Day Block 2 unit rate
(c/kWh)14.20c
Night unit rate (c/kWh) — 5.95c
Night storage heating unit rate (c/kWh) (6.50c)
Night storage heating standing charge €0.0220)

The above contract would apply to the following MPRN’s . The contract end date would also be 30/06/2018.
· MPRN 10000566038
· MPRN 10001059064

1. The rates quoted do not include PSO, VAT, Carbon Tax or any other taxes/levies which may be introduced over the course of the contract.
2. This offer is subject to a satisfactory credit check, which we’ll carry out before we register you as a customer.
3. Prices shown exclude VAT at 13.5%.
4. On entering the contract you would be committing to Bord Gais Energy until the contract end date, if you change supplier before the con tract end date you will be liable to an early exit fee.
If you wish to avail of these rates please advise and I would be happy to forward you forms to complete.

If you wish to avail of these rates please advise and I would be happy to forward you forms to complete.
Should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact our Business Care Team on 1850 405 805, 01 611 01 66 or by email to bgenergy@bordgais.ie <mailto:bgenergy@bordgais.ie> .

Yours sincerely,

<redacted>
The Bord Gais Energy Team
___________________________

Bord Gáis Energy
PO Box 10943, Dublin 2, Ireland
T: 1850 405 805 or 01 611 01 66
www.bordgaisenergy.ie

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______________________________
Original Message:
From: <redacted>
Sent: 19 June 2017 12:43:07
To: businessdirect@bordgais.ie
Subject: Electricity Quotation

Good Afternoon,

I was talking today with Joan, one of your team, and she suggested that I email you our Meter Read History and Consumption Report.

I am a director of this apartment management company:

Custom House Square Management CLG
Unit 3 Boyne House
Custom House Square
Mayor Street Lower
Dublin 1

This is a large complex of 600 apartments and 20 shops. The management company has 36 electricity meters powering lighting, gates, lift motors and pumps. These are commercial meters and not residential.

As you will see in the consumption reports, our electricity costs went up by 20–25% last year and our annual budget has increased from 95,000 to 120,000 euros. Our current supplier is Energia.

Please supply us with a quote for electricity.

I can be phoned at 0872530583.

Regards,

Kevin Fitzpatrick
Director
Custom House Square Management CLG