Pre-empting HUGE electricity bill

triggerhappy_2

details removed.

Magentasue

Storage heaters, I guess.

Without checking you night/day figures, I'd say average of 38kwh a day sounds right for somewhere with electric heating. Gas CH isn't popular for the lovely looking radiators!

Up to you how you repay deficit. I would keep quiet, and put money aside so that I'd have enough to pay when the meter is read. I'm sure the supplier would work out a payment plan if you'd prefer that.

Supreme_2

triggerhappy wrote: »

Is there ANY possibility that the meter is wrong? (Based on what my landlord paid, it seems like I'm paying for two flats! - this is obviously some kind of wishful thinking.)

Get a power consumption meter and check everything for youself. Cost is less than £20, and will tell you all you need to know.

I live in a small 2 bed flat that is all electric, and my usage is about 9kWh/day. I don't use heating though as its so well insulated. The biggest culprit i had was the water heater, and prior to me getting a power consumption meter i was using 18kWh/day!

Looking at your list, your electric heating has probably been costing you at least 3kW/hr! Which will make up the majority of your usage when combined with water heating.

Magentasue

Supreme wrote: »

Get a power consumption meter and check everything for youself. Cost is less than £20, and will tell you all you need to know.

IMO, energy monitors aren't worth having in one or two person households unless you really don't know what's spinning the meter. The OP's meter would seem to be dodgy if she wasn't using electric heating. If she turns the heating off, there should be a huge drop from 38kwh a day. If still too high, the water heater needs checking. If it is still high, an energy monitor would be useful.

I think off-peak averages 11kwh for March - suggesting some heating on. Daytime averages 22kwh a day - this is high unless plug in heaters are being used. Off peak is only about 34% of total suggesting Econ 7 is not a good idea, as the percentage will probably go down when calculated over a year rather than just a winter month.

Supreme_2

Magentasue wrote: »

IMO, energy monitors aren't worth having in one or two person households unless you really don't know what's spinning the meter. The OP's meter would seem to be dodgy if she wasn't using electric heating. If she turns the heating off, there should be a huge drop from 38kwh a day. If still too high, the water heater needs checking. If it is still high, an energy monitor would be useful.

I am not talking about a monitor like the Owl... just one that you put between device and socket.
Like this one:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=38343&doy=30m3&C=SO&U=strat15
£12.99

I used one and it helped me go from 18kWh/day to 9kWh/day, in a 2 bed all electric flat.

Magentasue

Supreme wrote: »

I am not talking about a monitor like the Owl... just one that you put between device and socket.
Like this one:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=38343&doy=30m3&C=SO&U=strat15
£12.99

These are sometimes in Aldi and the like for £7 or so. I found one useful for working out how much the tumble drier cost for an hour, or which washing machine program was cheaper, but OP's problem probably lies with heating and hot water.

Fire_Fox

Supreme wrote: »

I used one and it helped me go from 18kWh/day to 9kWh/day, in a 2 bed all electric flat.

But you aren't using the heating, the OP is and he is more than doubling your highest daily usage: electricity killers are heating, hot water and tumble dryers.

Fire_Fox

triggerhappy wrote: »

All in, it works out to be 38.4 units per day. Breakdown of powered items:

American fridge freezer (ice machine usually switched off)
Electric hob & oven/microwave (rarely used)
Dishwasher (used about once a week)
Washing machine/dryer (rarely used)
2 x TV + 1 freeview box
stereo (amp + DVD player - rarely used)
1 x laptop (on most of the time)
2 x PC (rarely on)
Electric powered heating (Switched on Oct, off March - usually heating through econ 7 periods apart from 6pm - 9pm)
Halogen downlighters (usually switched off in favour of lamps with enegy-saving bulbs)

This is a LOT more than I expected for one person in a one-bedroom flat, and obviously at some point (presumably after coming out to read the meter) they'll demand this money from me. I'm looking for some advice on what to do here.

you haven't mentioned your immersion heater and/ or electric pumped shower - have you set this to switch on off peak, or have you accidentally left it on 24/7? Have you used a price comparison site lately? Are you being charged on the standard E7 tariff?

How many people are in residence is irrelevant when you are using the heating for half of the year AND heating for three hours a day on top of the E7 usage. How many hours are the heaters switched on in total? Are you heating the whole flat? What is your preferred ambient temperature? How well insulated is the flat? How well insulated are you (clothing layers)?

SwanJon

It's also worth checking that you are using enough at night to make E7 worthwhile.
Quick maths: since 10/08 ~5600 Day, ~3300 Night.= 63%/27% Night.
Look at your tariffs & the equivelant single rate tariff and see if you can swap -especially once the heating is off you'd be better off, but not sure if you'd get away with swapping to single for the summer and back again in winter!