Does my Gas usage seem right?

peterc2609

3 bedroom semi.

2 people both at work all day.

Gas CH and HW, electric fire.

Electric Oven, but Gas hob (not used much)

Heatline Vizo 24 Combi Boiler 2 years old.

We were paying £60 a month dual fuel with nPower capped till 2011.

Bill just came in and new monthly payment is £258!!!!

Electricity usage:

4th August 2008 - 27th Jan 2009 = 2221kWh = £293.59

Gas Usage:

13th August - 25th February = 880 (100s cubic feet) = 27873 kWh = £752.42

This seems really high... esp the gas...

Anyone advise??

KimYeovil

Combination of previously only paying £60 and the cold winter = higher debit. The debit should be recalculated in April and will come down again then - but not back to £60.

£750 gas for six months heating is not bad. The trouble is with the recent mild winters you may be out of touch with how much gas you use when you do need the heating. Was the 13 Aug meter reading an actual reading?

bigheadxx

You may have previously had an imperial meter which has been replaced. However they may still be converting the readings as if the imperial meter was still in place. Your gas consumption should be around 50 kwh per day in the winter so it would appear that this is what has happened. Get in touch with your supplier and see if this is what is happening

peterc2609

Hi, they are actual readings and not estimates.

It is still an imperial meter.

The heating has been non 24/7 but not in August/September...

Magentasue

You use twice as much gas as us and more electricity - we're a family of six in a three bed house. We are high users but try not to be wasteful - certainly not frugal.

Gas is easy - it's been cold and you use a lot of heating. Turn it off when you're out and half an hour before you go to bed.

Electricity - ditch the fire and work out where you're being extravagant. Only two of you so won't be using tumble drier or dishwasher regularly - what about plasma TV? Electric shower?

peterc2609

Hi there...

Electricity I'm not too worried about.... We don't use the electric fire, but TV is on quite a bit (50" Plasma) as well as PC on 24/7 and CCTV cameras etc.

But don't have dishwasher or tumble drier and washing machine is on maybe twice a week...

Its the gas I cant really work out... even if it was on 24/7 for 6 months... would it actually use that much as it seemsto have?

Magentasue

peterc2609 wrote: »

.

Its the gas I cant really work out... even if it was on 24/7 for 6 months... would it actually use that much as it seemsto have?

Yes. Easily.

Treadway1

How odd. Ive just had my nPower gas bill through aswell and mine is £311.87 from 05/11/2008 - 04/02/2009, using 7516KWh. I was a little shocked aswell to be honest, but have read enough posts to know that winter is obviously going to bring a bigger bill. My heating/hot water was also on 24/7, which Im guessing didnt help, so Ive now changed the settings so that theyre both on at relatively the same time, when I most need them, and Ive got it down to 10 hours a day now. Might be best if you take a look at the times for yours aswell.

BOL

bigheadxx

peterc2609 wrote: »

Hi there...

Electricity I'm not too worried about.... We don't use the electric fire, but TV is on quite a bit (50" Plasma) as well as PC on 24/7 and CCTV cameras etc.

But don't have dishwasher or tumble drier and washing machine is on maybe twice a week...

Its the gas I cant really work out... even if it was on 24/7 for 6 months... would it actually use that much as it seemsto have?

Try this website : http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/consumer_advice/latest_meters_pic.shtml

It is possible that your supply company is not billing you for the correct type of meter.

KimYeovil

bigheadxx wrote: »

Try this website : http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/consumer_advice/latest_meters_pic.shtml

It is possible that your supply company is not billing you for the correct type of meter.

OP already confirmed it's an imperial meter.

I think lots of people have just forgotten what cold weather is like and how much energy is used for heating. Compound that with the tripling of the price of fuel (since the last cold winters.)

bigheadxx

It is the KWH usage that is too high for this type of property and my point is that if the wrong conversion factor has been used then this will distort the KWH usage and thereby increase the size of the bill.