Can someone please help re electricity usage?

Magentasue

Economy 7 is essential if using the storage heaters but more expensive if not. Put simply, you get seven hours of cheap electricity at night but you pay a slightly higher rate for the other seventeen hours.

littletommytucker

You should check the meter readings and compare how much electric is being used at night, compared to how much is being used during the day. With British gas u need to be using more than 40% of the electric on a night ( normally 1 till 8 ) for it to be effective. They could have the meter changed to a standard rate pay as you go meter free of charge x

Pyewacket338

Does the economy seven meter take into account the clocks going back one hour? they could be using more power on the expensive tarrif.

iamesbo

You would not think a second person would make that much difference, I mean heating and lighting should not change too much.
I would think heating will be the big energy burner, you can forget the Xbox!!
Are they using more electricity or has the price changed?
There are big hikes in prices due about this time in the order of 30% plus.
October is the time of year people start using the heating so either of those two
factors could explain a large rise.
People often forget fridges which are silent users of electricity, on 24/7.

Steph998

Thanks all for your helpful and informative replies. Never even thought about the clock change...have told my son to amend the timed off peak water heater. The pay meter itself does not show the time, so not sure if it would automatically adjust to the time changes or how to change it manually...?

They have switched off all storage heaters, and the electric usage really does seem to have slowed down a little. I thought they made no difference...but you definitely can feel it is colder in the flat without them. They just take the chill off the air. (It's an ancient granite built tenement) Anyway, healthy young lads as someone said...they can just put on an extra jumper.

Cheers

Pyewacket338

One of my friends rents out rooms in her house, her biggest usage of electric is her shower and washing machine.
They should take a meter reading every day at the same time for a few weeks and see if they can pinpoint when their biggest usage is.