Why Are We Expensive For Our Gas & Electric?

[Deleted User]

I live in a 3 bedroom house just myself and my mum. We pay between £40 - £50 a week for both of these. So about £20 - £25 each and its £3 - £4 each a day roughly. Maybe its not as much as others are paying but for example:

my brother and his family also in a 3 bedroom house, have the heating on all day, computers and everything on all day and he said they don't pay anything like we do.

And I know more people like this but are also not as much as we are.

My mum said that she buys the gas and electric and then next thing its almost out so need to buy more from the shop.

Why on earth do we keep having to run to the shops to buy more? Could there be some sort of electrical problem?

Premier_2

It's difficult to make comparisons based on price alone as you have attempted to do.

1. The cost of electricity (but not usually gas) varies by region.
2. The method of payment may be different. Prepayment meters tend to be more expensive than credit meters
3. Suppliers prices differ and may have different tariffs themselves (although differing tariffs are usually more for credit meters)
4. Some people are paying off a debt on their prepayment meter
5. Some customers have preferential rates as they are entitled to a special social tariff

Best option is to find out how much gas & electricity you use in kWh per year (this can be obtained from your supplier), and then punch this into a couple of comparison sites in the Resource Bar above to see if you could get a better deal (although you won't be able to switch supplier if there is any outstanding debt on the meter).

anguk

Are you paying off a debt through your meter each week?

Also check your consumption, do you have a tumble dryer or use an immersion to heat your water? My friend had really high electric bills and couldn't understand why until she realised her immersion heater was switched on constant! :eek:

BASSETT

Definitely check for meter debt. If you tab through the menu on the meter it will flash up any debt amount. All meters differ so phone your supplier and they will tell you how to do it.
I was doing the same last year, paying about £200 a month for gas and electric, until I found out I was unknowingly paying off the owners debt of almost 3k. I got a refund of £400 from the Hydro.

Fire_Fox

Check for debt as has already been advised. Have you tried switching supplier? Is it your gas or electricity that is high or both? How much are you using the heating, hot water, tumble dryer? How well insulated is the house? Gadgets and lights don't use that much energy.

Plushchris

Its almost impossible to compare costs with other people as there are so many factors that can affect the cost and amount used, Your brothers house may be far better insulated for example, or his boiler ma be a lot more efficient etc etc.

Try not to focus on what other people are paying as that makes no difference to what you are paying, best thing to do is check for debt on the meter and possibly invest in an energy monitor to see where your electricity is going, take regular reading too, give it a month or two and you should see where the money is going and be able to make cutbacks