Mega Mega Big Leccy Bill

mooro1973

Guys I would like your advice on whether this bill seems reasonable.

I moved into my property in May 06 and am being charged £88/month by my electrical supplier. I do use alot of electrical gadgets, but have gas central heating, cooker. I even boil the kettle on the stove. I thought my charges reasonable as this house has alot of "style" lighting.

Imagine my surprise when today I opened a bill for - wait for it - £2718 - £792dd = £1859.

Wow!

I called my supplier who gave me the follwing break down. At first they said they had no meter readings from the time I moved in until July of this year. They then said that I had in Jan 08 an "Energy Data Recording". This reading as you will see cast serious doubt upon the accuracy of my bill, and when I pushed them on this point they claimed this was the same as an "estimate" made when their rep couldn't get access to the meter. Since my meter is an unlocked outside cupboard, I doubt this, and rather expect that an E.D.R. actually refers to a reading taken whilst the owner is not there to confirm the veracity of it. I am also not sure why they have made no attempt to read the meter in the meantime. So, the readings were as follow:

May 06 44,411 (actual)

Jan 08 55, 261 (EDR) = 18 units/day for this 18 month period

July 09 84, 652 (actual) = 53 units/day for this 18 month period

Oct 09 97, 332 (actual) = 23 units day for this three month period.

My questions are two fold. One does energy useage of 44000 in three and a bit years seem reasonable for a two bed detached, gas heated house? This equates to £150 month of electricty.

Seconed, even if we accept the EDR as nothing more than an estimate, my average useage over the whole 3 yr period is 35 units a day. Interestingly in the last three months it is down to 27 units, despite me adding a hot tub in May of this year. So I have added an electric hungry item, and see my useage drop by 23%!

I'd say that something fishy was going on in the 53 unit period, and that the 18/27 seem like accurate representations of household use that then added a hottub?

Any comments? Advice?

Thanks for reading such a long post.

Cardew

If you don't heat with electricity, there isn't a huge seasonal variation in the bills. Winter is higher because of lights required longer,

The average UK electrical consumption is 3,300kWh pa - 9kWh a day.

It really is difficult to envisage anyone using 12,000+ kWh pa.

Are you sure that the May 06 reading is correct?

Your problem is that you should have checked the quarterly bills which presumably were based on estimated readings?

I would certainly take the issue further. Why no readings?

Wickedkitten

I thought my charges reasonable as this house has alot of "style" lighting

Halogen downlights? Someone I know actually went through his house find out how much electricity everything was using after people were telling him that he pays a tonne on his bill, and just the downlights in his kitchen use about 550 watts, which was easily about £40 onto his monthly bill if they left them on all the time.

spiro

Couple of questions on your post;
1) Do you agree with the reading used for the October bill and the opening reading for the account (moving in reading)?
2) What period is the £2718 billl for? The DD amount indicates 9 months is that right? If so you are using £302 per month.

aelitaman

A friend of mine has halogen downlights in the study and the kitchen family area. He works from home so the office downlights (12 x 50w = 550w) are on for 8 hours a day and then when the wife is home the kitchen area (20 x 50x = 1000w) are on from 4pm till about 10:30pm.

He has gas cooking and central heating yet his elecy bill is 1800 quid a year. I could not beleive it when he told me.

How much "style" lighting do you have and how lond are they on for?

vikingaero

Faulty meter?

mooro1973

spiro wrote: »

Couple of questions on your post;
1) Do you agree with the reading used for the October bill and the opening reading for the account (moving in reading)?
2) What period is the £2718 billl for? The DD amount indicates 9 months is that right? If so you are using £302 per month.

1) The reading for this October is accurate as I did it myself. I cannot find the peice of paper where I jotted down the opening reading unfortunately.
2) The period billed for is Feb - July of this year! However what it really is ia bill for 2006 - present. I know this since the telephone services rep told me that they would cut what I owed them since the extra 20000+ units are all being charged at the current rate, and not the rates in 2006,7 etc. So basically the extra 20,000 units (on top of the 24,000 already billed for) are the difference between the May 2006 - present estimate/actual readings.

I have done some reading of myself in the last two days. Seems to be approx 40units day! This is madness. I have been really careful with turning all the standby gadgets off, and only having lights on in rooms that are habitated.

I'm going to turn the hottub off for 24 hours to see what difference that makes, but has I said I've only had it since May, and in the last three months my actual readings show 27units day useage.

albyota

Oh Hot tub, that'll do it......

Fire_Fox

Wickedkitten wrote: »

Halogen downlights? Someone I know actually went through his house find out how much electricity everything was using after people were telling him that he pays a tonne on his bill, and just the downlights in his kitchen use about 550 watts, which was easily about £40 onto his monthly bill if they left them on all the time.

I have eight 50W halogen lamps in my living area and six in my hall, all of which are on far more than is necessary (north-facing flat and lazy me). My entire energy bill is £34 a month - heating, hot water, appliances, lighting. Do they actually leave their lights on when out and at night?

aelitaman

Fire_Fox wrote: »

I have eight 50W halogen lamps in my living area and six in my hall, all of which are on far more than is necessary (north-facing flat and lazy me). My entire energy bill is £34 a month - heating, hot water, appliances, lighting. Do they actually leave their lights on when out and at night?

Ia the 34 pound your direct debit or your actual energy usage?

mooro1973

Cardew,

You seem pretty clued up on this.

If they say may meter is indeed correct do Ihave any options for a reduction.

Surely they should see the meter more than once every three years?


One representative did say the bill would get reduced because they ahve cahrged the whole lot at today's and not 2006 prices.

When I actually agree on a debt with my suppier, Am I right in thinking that I have 3 years to pay it back, since it has acrrued over three years?

Cheers,

mooro