I am becoming a curmudgeon!

The reason is not bad and inconsiderate drivers who have a killer instinct when it comes to other road users. 

Neither is it staff in certain supermarkets who regard the customer as an ‘add-on’ who gets in the way when they when they want to top up shelves – no ‘please,’ ‘thank-you’, acknowledgement or apology. 

The reason for my curmodenous feelings this week are utility companies. Some years ago politicians assured us that they would be making it easy to switch from one supplier to another and bills would be easy-to-understand. 

The first may be true. The second is certainly not. 

Consider... you are presented with: the price per kilowatt hour (kwh); an estimate of the cost per year; and the standing charge per utility.

You are then blinded with the banner headline: “Saving you £350 per year.” 

Of course this is mostly rubbish.

Analyse the data and the saving is based on a comparison with the standard rate offered by your current supplier – which is what you go on to if you don’t ask your supplier for a much cheaper 12 or 24 month contract.

I always attempt to consider the price different companies are offering per kwh for both gas and electricity.

But even this is complicated because you then have to take into account the standing charge, which could be higher than that offered by the ‘cheaper deal’.

The difference could be anything from £20 to £50 per year per utility.

I have a reasonable brain and a computer.

God help those who are either not very savvy when it comes to maths and/or who haven’t got computer skills and internet access. 

By-the-way, I am still waiting for the fibre broadband I was assured ‘was available’ in my road two years ago.

I have friends in villages in Morocco with faster internet speeds!

So politicians, forget your hang-ups on Brexit and spend a bit of time this year sorting out utility bills (and my broadband).

I suggest scrapping standing charges as a starter.

Your ill-tempered constituent – Mark Parry, Broadwell.