NPower first elec bill £130.00!! 1 person studio

alexm08

I have just moved into a studio flat and received my first energy bill from NPower (who was also the provider for the previous tenant)

The charge for 1 month (Oct to Nov) was £130.00! Which was way way more than I expected

I have been so careful this month turning off electric when im not using it. The studio uses a storage heater. Not using main lights and substituting them with 1 energy saving lamp

Surely this can't be right?? I can't even afford to pay this bill, I was expecting more like £30-£40

Should I switch companies? If so would I be within my rights to not pay this bill? Or demand it to be reduced or reassesed?

Magentasue

With the information you've given:

- Storage heaters are very expensive to run.
- Always sensible to look at alternative suppliers.
- You have used the energy so must pay for it - how could you be 'within your rights' not to?
- I can't see why you should demand to have your bill reassessed or reduced
However:
- You may have received an estimated bill - check the meter readings.
- You can probably elect to pay monthly rather than on receipt of the bill.
- It's possible there is a mistake - check serial number of meter on bill. There are also instances of incorrectly wired meters.

Meanwhile, start reading your meter daily. The biggest users of electricity will be the heater, water heating, tumble drier - anything that produces heat, especially over a long period of time. Then look at how much you are charged per kwh. You should probably using 10kwh a day or less without heating which is about £1.30 a day. Electric heating can make a huge difference depending on how much it's used and how efficient the heaters are (or aren't).

Also check your tariff. You will probably be better off on Economy 7 (cheaper overnight electricity) with your storage heater but maybe not with only one. If you have Econ 7, work out how many kwh you are using during the day and at night. If 20% or more night time, Econ 7 is probably your best bet.

spiro

On other threads I have seen people quoting using between £1200-£1500 elec when they have elec heating. Given it has been colder recently this figure will be above the monthly average.

1carminestocky

Easiest way to get that bill down is to move supplier - npower's leccy is, on most tariffs, HORRENDOUSLY expensive!

derek.gtalk

1carminestocky wrote: »

Easiest way to get that bill down is to move supplier - npower's leccy is, on most tariffs, HORRENDOUSLY expensive!

Npower Sign Online 14 Electricity looks cheap.

mikeyw

Warning - Npower can affect your health !

Move away from the supplier.....i repeat move away from the supplier.

EnergyAssesor

It is highly likely that if your first bill is high it could be estimated based on the previous tenants use for the same period last year.
If however the account is from a true reading then it is likely that the higher consumption is likely to be from the immersion heater.Check to see that you have it switched to make best use of the night charge period.
Usually you would have 2 switches. The lower element is night rate and the upper element is normal rate for top up.
Storage Heating is cheaper to run than Direct Heating but will use more energy.(but this is from the lower night rate).

It is always wise to look at other suppliers as rates do vary considerably from different suppliers. I have just recently saved a third by switching!

wr1ght

did you phone them with your meter reading on the day you moved in ?

alexm08

wr1ght wrote: »

did you phone them with your meter reading on the day you moved in ?

Yeah I did

Thanks for all the help so far everyone

prolific8

I have/had a similar issue...check this thread, it might be of some use.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1200739

alexm08

**Update**

Can someone help me please?

I've just read meter from my bill it was

Customer reading (07/10/08): Night 96866 Day (07/10/08) 68867

Actual (11/11/08) Night: 97680 Day: 69332

I've been away for 2 weeks completely turned everything off storage heater, tv etc etc.. nothing on

Just read it now 6pm: Low: 977701 Normal: 694463

Update: Read it 6 hours later (12pm) it now reads: Low: 977701 Normal: 694500

The only thing running since then has been like my energy saving lightbulb, the storage heater is back on and my laptop



________________________________________________________________

From previous posts I checked and I was on economy 7


Can anyone make sense of my readings?

What shall I do? This bill is due tommorow and I can't afford £130.11 for 1 month electricity for just a tiny studio! I thought £50-60 would have been more like it

Hoping someone can help out