Why are my electricity bills £100 higher than my neighbours!

freeme86

I pay a monthly direct debit for my electricity bills, which scottish power calculate on my electricity consumption, and over the months my bills have been getting higher - I now pay £156 each month, for my small 2 bedroom flat!

I have asked the other residents in my block how much they pay, and they pay between £20-40 each month....so i really need to do something about this! I have spoken to scottish power to see whats wrong and they insist the bills are right.:mad:

All our flats don't have gas, so I assumed my electricity bill was high because of this.

I realise now that I must be using my Dimplex Economy 7 storage heaters wrong, and also the water heater... but I can't work out how to control this economically.

Can anyone advise when is the best time to switch the water heater on? I can either have it switched off or on a timer (there isn't just an 'on' switch) and it looks like the timer is set to be switched on for half the day, but i can't really tell which half is on and off. I only want to make sure i have hot water for a shower in the morning.

And as for the storage heaters??? I have now started to leave it switched on low over night, and then completely turn them off at the wall in the morning. This still seems to keep my flat nice and warm during the day, and i switch the heaters back on in the evening if it is getting cold. But i've no idea if this is economical???

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! I need to save money!:rolleyes:

Magentasue

Do you have Economy 7? If so, you need to find out the cheap period and have the water heater on for just as long as you need to during this time. 40mins should be fine, maybe less for just a shower and maybe a bowlful. Trial and error.

If they are real storage heaters, rather than just electric heaters, they need to be on and storing overnight and off during the day until you want the heat. It's a while since I had them so I can't remember the settings and controls for input and output but someone's sure to come along and tell you.

Storage heaters are expensive to run - that's why you should have E7 if you use them.

Look at your bills and work out how many kwh you use - they'll be separated into day/night (peak/off peak) if it's E7 and post the results. Lots of people will have ideas to reduce your bills.

freeme86

Great thanks for your reply.
Yes I have Economy 7. I'll find out when the cheap period is and leave it on for an hour or so then (i guess it doesn't neccessarily need to be just before the time I have a shower?).
The storage heater instructions say leave the heater on overnight on minimum, so i guess i can completely switch it off in the morning. I just can't find any details of exactly what times it is set at. and i'm never sure when to switch them on.

My last bill says this -
Periond 14/09/08 to 01/10/08
NSC Domestic Tariff Secondary - 297 [EMAIL="kwh@11.138"]kwh@11.138[/EMAIL]
NSC Domestic Tariff Primary - 44 [EMAIL="kwh@15.949"]kwh@15.949[/EMAIL]

Thanks for your help!

espresso

freeme86 wrote: »

My last bill says this -
Periond 14/09/08 to 01/10/08
NSC Domestic Tariff Secondary - 297 [EMAIL="kwh@11.138"]kwh@11.138[/EMAIL]
NSC Domestic Tariff Primary - 44 [EMAIL="kwh@15.949"]kwh@15.949[/EMAIL]

Thanks for your help!

So have you recently changed to E7 because that looks like a standard rate tariff, where the first X units are charged at a higher rate (like a standing charge). For an E7 tariff you should have day rate and night rate unit prices.

Magentasue

It looks as if you're not on Econ7 which would explain, if you're using storage heaters, why your bills are so high. You don't have any cheap rate period.

It also seems as if you've used over 300 units in two and a half weeks - have you had the heaters on much in this time?

freeme86

Strange, I have just rung Scottish power to query the Economy 7, and they said Yes I am on Economy 7. and they said my cheap rates are from 11pm - 7am.
So do you think something is wrong with my account by the sound of these tariffs? Maybe I should query this with them but i'm wouldn't really know what to say.

I have had my heaters off and on, maybe too much. But now i just switch them on at night...or maybe not even this often? My flat does get quite cold though.

Magentasue

If you are on E7, you will be paying a lot less for your 11pm-7am electricity. Not sure how much - I would guess about 5p kwh.

Do a search on here and the Fuel and Heating boards for storage heaters - you need to know how to use them properly. When we had them, they were useless on cold days when we were home during the day because, by the evening they were cold. Newer ones are supposed to be more efficient but you need to have the input and output settings correct for your circumstances.

espresso

freeme86 wrote: »

Strange, I have just rung Scottish power to query the Economy 7, and they said Yes I am on Economy 7. and they said my cheap rates are from 11pm - 7am.

Your seven hour could be any time between 11PM and 7AM, not from 11PM to 7AM.

So do you think something is wrong with my account by the sound of these tariffs? Maybe I should query this with them but i'm wouldn't really know what to say.

Ask them what your day time and night time units rates are.

I have had my heaters off and on, maybe too much. But now i just switch them on at night...or maybe not even this often? My flat does get quite cold though.

You obviously need to make use of the cheap night rate hours for your heating and water. Electric heating is very expensive if you don't!

...................

freeme86

NSC Domestic Tariff Secondary - 297 [EMAIL="kwh@11.138"]kwh@11.138[/EMAIL]
NSC Domestic Tariff Primary - 44 [EMAIL="kwh@15.949"]kwh@15.949[/EMAIL]

I presume the top tariff here is the economy 7 night tarrif and the bottom is the day time. I'll make sure i restrict using it to night.

Thanks for your advice. I guess i was just using it anytime of day before. I assume it has an inbuilt timer that i can't control.
However I did notice that the timer on my water heater was completely wrong, which i have recently changed. Hopefully these changes will make a big difference, it seems silly that i'm paying so much more than the others.

espresso

freeme86 wrote: »

NSC Domestic Tariff Secondary - 297 [EMAIL="kwh@11.138"]kwh@11.138[/EMAIL]
NSC Domestic Tariff Primary - 44 [EMAIL="kwh@15.949"]kwh@15.949[/EMAIL]

I presume the top tariff here is the economy 7 night tarrif and the bottom is the day time.

No you completely misunderstand. E7 night rate should be much cheaper than that! Ask them exactly which tarif you are on and then it can be looked up on their website.

I'll make sure i restrict using it to night.

Thanks for your advice. I guess i was just using it anytime of day before. I assume it has an inbuilt timer that i can't control.
However I did notice that the timer on my water heater was completely wrong, which i have recently changed. Hopefully these changes will make a big difference, it seems silly that i'm paying so much more than the others.

..................

Magentasue

freeme86 wrote: »

NSC Domestic Tariff Secondary - 297 [EMAIL="kwh@11.138"]kwh@11.138[/EMAIL]
NSC Domestic Tariff Primary - 44 [EMAIL="kwh@15.949"]kwh@15.949[/EMAIL]

I presume the top tariff here is the economy 7 night tarrif and the bottom is the day time. I'll make sure i restrict using it to night.

.

No. We're not saying that.

We're saying it looks as if you are not on Econ 7 and that you are charged a single rate.

I know there are two rates but that's not day and night. The higher rate is for the first x units. By the time you've used these units, you've essentially paid a standing charge. All units in excess of this, are charged at 'normal rate'.

You need to be on Econ 7 if you are using storage heaters.