Gas Prepayment - Does this sound realistic?

SG_crazy

Hi everyone.

Firstly, I'm on gas and electric prepayment in a mid-terraced house. Its 3 floors, 6 bed. I'm with Ebico for gas and electric and have no issues regarding the electric consumption (I've a Owl monitor and it all ties up with the credit I'm using)

Now I appreciate gas is expensive and I'm not here to moan about it, I'd just like others with prepayment meters to express their view on how much gas is costing me. Is it in line or not with others?

The heating system consists of a Baxi Solo boiler (16 months old) and all new piping and radiators (again about 16 months old). The thermostat is left at 15 because its set on the ground floor and its always chilly there (single glazed sash windows). However running the boiler for heating only is costing me 80-90p per hour. I have quite often popped £10 on the card over the last month whilst its been so cold, ran the boiler 7-12 and again 4-10 and Its used all the £10 credit.

I have been looking around on the internet and found that holding the red button on the meter I can see if there is any debt collection, which it shows as 0 so I assume not. Have only been in the property 4 months and changed to Ebico from BG as soon as I moved here.

Again, I understand the rising costs of gas but over the winter months the potential cost of heating the house is £300 and I would have expected it to be around half of that, especially with Ebicos fair rate of 3.5p per unit.

If anyone has any suggestions they'd be most welcome
Regards

Magentasue

We don't have a prepayment meter but do have central heating in a three bed house heated on three floors. We use gas for cooking, hot water for six and CH. I consider us to be high users. We are using 700-1100 kwh a week at present, average about 850kwh or 120kwh a day which I cost at around £4.80 a day.

Thermostat in hall at 20deg morn and evening, 19 during the day when we're in and 16 (meaning it stays off) at night or when we're out.

Pyewacket338

My girlfriend shared a house with a prepayment gas meter, the boiler ran 5 rads and the shower, they paid around £50 per month and usually had a bit of credit left each month.

SG_crazy

Thanks for the input. It does sound higher than it should be. May I add that cooking is all electric so the gas really does just heat the house (oh and heats water for one hour per day)

Looking at your consumption Magentasue (three floors, heating for six, cooking) it seems like I am paying over the odds. Hmmm definitely puzzling. I'd be happy if I could half my payment to £5 a day!!

Just to add.. does anyone know which option number to scroll to on the quantum meters to check the unit charge. Mine shows 3.5p, 5.6p and 15.6p. I'm hoping its using the 3.5p rate

Pyewacket338

Call your supplier and have a chat, they should be able to tell you what tariff you're on.

Have you taken readings to see how much gas you're actually using?

Fire_Fox

SG_crazy wrote: »

The heating system consists of a Baxi Solo boiler (16 months old) and all new piping and radiators (again about 16 months old). The thermostat is left at 15 because its set on the ground floor and its always chilly there (single glazed sash windows). However running the boiler for heating only is costing me 80-90p per hour. I have quite often popped £10 on the card over the last month whilst its been so cold, ran the boiler 7-12 and again 4-10 and Its used all the £10 credit.

That's likely to be your problem. If you have draughts you can be losing as much as 2/3 of your heat - install some plastic film 'double glazing' (rather like thick cling film!). You are running your heating for nine hours a day, which is a hell of a lot to only reach 15C. Also how well insulated is your loft?

SG_crazy

Again thanks for the replies. I will start to take readings to analyse usage.

I'll try the suggestion for applying film over the windows. I have quite thick curtains which I do also keep closes in some rooms when possible to keep heat in. I also keep every door shut apart from leading into the kitchen from the hallway. Once the house is 'warm' it does hold the heat for a few hours (not amazing i know).

The loft is insulated with that orange foam stuff (sorry not sure what its called)

Thanks

SG_crazy

UPDATEHave ran the heating for exactly 1 hour and used 1.8units (m3) 1.8 x11.5 x 3.77 (3.77 = kwh cost) = 78p to run the heating for one hourProoves the meter is set right, just cannot understand how in one hour the boiler can use 1.8m3 of gas?!Searching forums shows some people living off 2-3 units per day and having the heating on 6-10 hours.

KimYeovil

But how much is used the second hour or third hour after the initial burst? The second hour is not going to use 1.8 units.*

* Well, hopefully.

Magentasue

SG_crazy wrote: »

Proves the meter is set right, just cannot understand how in one hour the boiler can use 1.8m3 of gas?!

Because you have a big old house? Because it's cold today?

You can't tell much from one hour on any one day but some houses are cheaper than others to heat. Our house is Victorian and poorly insulated. I love the draughty sash windows and make do with heavy curtains drawn late afternoon. Loft is well insulated but it's always going to cost more to heat our house than a well-insulated new build with smaller rooms and lower ceilings.

nasman

this is slightly off-topic but was it relatively quick and painless to change from britishgas to ebico?

i'm already on a bg prepayment meter (it was upgraded to a smallish one last year) so do ebico use the same meter and just give you a different topup card?

and also is it siginificantly cheaper, anyone have kwh charges for them?