Advice Required: How to Use Minimal Electricity?

Wig

Roz_V wrote:

It is a brand new flat so shouldn't have any problems with ex-tenants outstanding bills!! But will double check so that we don't get charged for anything the builders may have used!!

I'm not sure whether we will even see the bill to be honest as I would think that it will be sent to the landlord as he is paying, but I will check and ask for a copy to be sent (is this a good idea?)

thanks for all the help

Yes ask to have copies of the bills, and make sure any under spend per quarter will be carried over to the next quarter, it's your money, it's just included in the rent. You can also say you want to see the bills because you want to check the estimated readings are accurate. I imagine the bills will come through the letter box addressed to the landlord, ask him if it's ok to open them when they arrive so you can check the readings.

black-saturn

upton66 wrote:

I beg to differ with most people that showers are more economical. Put the plug in when you next have one and you'll find that you may well have used as much, and probably a lot more water than having a bath.

A pwer shower will use more electric and water than a bath. But giving that I can be in and out the shower in 1 minute it only uses a fraction of the water and electric. Next time you have a shower keep the plug in the drain and see if you use more or less than a bath. If you use more, stick to baths!!

Ken68

Hi Roz,....it sounds fishy, re your bills going thru a third party.
Ask for the electric and gas bills, and indeed any others, to go direct to you.
Otherwise any economies you make , the landlord will benefit. You may still have to pay the £30/£30 Contribution.

black-saturn

Just what I was thinking. Ask for statements for your water and electric consumption as I doubt you would get through £30 for each.

jen_jen_2

you can sometimes get free bulbs from the electricity provider, have a check of their website and if there are any advice agencies in your area they may have some (the electric companies sometimes give out thousands for them to give away - depends if your local agency has agreed to do it)

you can also get small energy saving bulbs now that like the twisted ones fit lamp shades.

culpepper

When you boil a kettle put the left over in a flask.
When you wash up,wash hands or do laundry see if you can save some of it for flushing the loo or cleaning. Save the cold water you run waiting for the hot to come through.
I wouldn't be suprised if the landlord was expecting the £30 of each bill to be paid every month wether or not you reach that amount of use (its part of the rent isn't it? )
Try and fill the cooker when you use it to get the best use from it.
Fill the freezer up with bread if there isn't much else in it.
If you have to use the tumble dryer ,make sure the filter is clean,check the laundry every now and then and take out the dry things leaving the wetter to finish off.If you have a tumble dryer that vents to the outside, hoover out the ventilation tube every 6 months.
All our bulbs are energy saving . Ikea do them very cheaply (I did buy a pouindland version but the bulb came away from the end and we had a terrible job getting it out of the socket).
Switch off the PC when not in use.
We've got a microwave for heating up OH's dinners (he gets home whenever) and its great for cooking chicken,baked potatoes,steamed puddings,veg etc in very little time compared with the ordinary oven.

Roz_V

The £30/£30 is part of the rent and I assume that when we use less than this, the landlord will keep the difference... to be honest (and I know its not very MSE) this doesn't bother me - I'm just concerned about not going over it!!!!

The bills aren't exactly going through a third party - they will be in the landlords name as he is paying them... I'll ask him for a copy of the bills each month a) so that I can check that the estimated readings are correct, and b) so that I know he isn't ripping us off (not that a landlord would ever try to do such a thing :rolleyes:

Anyway, thanks very much for all your help - there are some great tips here that I'm sure will keep the bills down! :A

Ken68

You must be satisfied, Roz, with your letting contract otherwise, but it would bug me to think any economies I make are profiting someone else.
If it turns out to be the case, you could ask the landlord to super doopoo the insulation.

MushyPeas

Gosh - my bill seems a lot for little ole me - electricity £27 and gas £27 a month. I must be doing something wrong as I'm out a lot of the day working. So far I:

• Turn off everything at the wall when not in use
• I do have the radio when at home as I have tinitus so need to mask background noise
• I use my washing machine during the day - how can I find out it it is cheaper to use at night?
• I have a gas emersion (sp?) heater - not on at the moment!
• Washing machine, try to use a short cycle
• Lightbulbs - going to low energy as they need changing
• Drink - only boil as much as I need for a cup

But my bills are still really high! I must be missing something

Ken68

The day rate is higher when you have Economy 7. With the difference between day rate and economy night rate being 5.79pence per kwh,(EBICO) it's worth thinking about if your usage is 20% plus.