I am writing this having just received notice of the latest Manx Gas standing charge tariffs and deciding that SOMEONE has to try and put a stop to the disgusting excesses of Manx Gas.

I have sent the following message (italics) to Manx Gas, the OFT and my MHK.

If you agree with my sentiments please sign this petition and then write a letter to Manx Gas saying that you do not accept their latest tariffs and will not be paying ANY bills from January 2016 until the concerns of the Manx public are addressed in a constructive manner. If we ALL stick together Manx Gas cannot win.

As have been placed in Band C this means my standing charges have increased by 383% !!! My gas unit price has decreased by around 23%.

One presumes this sudden shift to obtaining more revenue from standing charges is because consumers are reducing their gas usage (ie sitting in the cold) due to the ridiculously high unit prices charged by Manx Gas.

Let’s also not forget the price hike last year as us peasants “did not use enough gas” to maintain Manx Gas’s 10% return rate – Who the hell agreed to that? In the these tough times 10% is a VERY nice rate of return which is easy to maintain when you have a captive market and can make huge (383%!!!!) changes to tariffs at a moment’s notice.

Why is the isle of Man the only place in the WORLD where gas prices are going UP instead of DOWN? Because we are a monopoly dominated market where the monopoly provider is being guaranteed a 10% return. When is the OFT or the IOMG going to do something about this incredible situation??

Speaking personally I have had no cost of living pay increase for the last 4 years (I know many people for whom it has been a lot longer). Yet the ordinary man in the street is still expected to fund the excessive rate of return for Manx Gas who are adjusting the rules to suit themselves so that even if hard pressed households elect to sit in the cold rather than being pushed into energy poverty by Manx Gas they will end up being robbed anyway. This situation is completely unacceptable to EVERYONE except Manx Gas.

The lack of action from both IOMG and the OFT indicates agreement on their part of this disgraceful abuse of monopoly power by Manx Gas to remove money from the pockets of normal working people and place it instead into the hands of Manx Gas’s shareholders. The energy poverty being created by this unbridled greed will have knock on effects on ALL other areas of business and commerce on the Isle of Man as the pockets of consumers are emptied by the antics of this greedy, self-seeking corporation as it ruthlessly exploits its monopoly supplier position.