£400 gas bill this quarter!!

machofairy

This was our first proper bill in 2 years due to some issues, which is now resolved. We live in a 3 bed semi and the gas bill for Nov - Feb is £400! Ok, so we had the heating on all day during the cold spell for about 2 - 3 weeks, but usually we only heat the house between 4 - 10pm. Does this seem a bit excessive?

The reading is correct, but seems a bit high ... almost 40% of the amount for the whole of last year. There are no errors in the pricing.

maxmycardagain

yes

you wont use much from april to november will you

Money_maker

What was your useage?

saj1981

Ok, so we had the heating on all day during the cold spell for about 2 - 3 weeks

If you had the heating on most of the day 'like we did' then this most likely is normal. Check your bill for meter readings

I just paid £492.68 - bill for 28 October 2009 until 28 January 2010 (93 days). Thats with Southern Eliectric -

YOUR ELECTRICITY USAGE
Reading last time: 52659 (E)
Reading this time: 56627
Total: 3968
Standard energy
YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL
Your Tariff is Domestic Standard - moneysavers
Standard energy
3968 units at 11.55p each £458.30
Standing charge at 12.340p for 93 day(s) £11.48
Total charges before VAT £469.78

VAT at 5.00% £22.90
TOTAL CHARGES THIS BILL INCLUDING VAT £492.68

Mrs_Thrify

£400 just for gas.
£400 devide between 12 weeks = £33.33 per week :eek: and electric on top? That is 4 times more than me! so I would say you need to cut down and be more carefull.

I too live in a 3 bed semi. Our heating is also by coal and log fire though so we have another bill.:(

maninthestreet

machofairy wrote: »

This was our first proper bill in 2 years due to some issues, which is now resolved. We live in a 3 bed semi and the gas bill for Nov - Feb is £400! Ok, so we had the heating on all day during the cold spell for about 2 - 3 weeks, but usually we only heat the house between 4 - 10pm. Does this seem a bit excessive?

The reading is correct, but seems a bit high ... almost 40% of the amount for the whole of last year. There are no errors in the pricing.

So does this bill also include some charges for the last 2 years when you didn't get a bill? Assuming it didn't, does you house have cavity wall insulation, as well as at least 8 inches of insulation in the loft?

charis18uk

My bill was £131 for the last quarter. I live in a 2 bed end terraced.

I have my heating on timer for two hours in the morning and then from 1800 - 2200. If it gets cold during the day I click the heating on TEMPORARILY.

My thermostat is set at 18C. I find this satisfactory but tend to wear a comfy fleece and slippers. I also have a fleece blanket and a water bottle in the evening when I watch TV. I find that much more effective than turning the heating up.

I can honestly say our house feels cosy and warm without turning it into a sauna so we can walk around with just a t-shirt on!!!

Three years ago I began to turn the thermostat down a degree or two each winter. I used to have it set at 23C, but feel a bit of a fool now for wasting my money.

We keep doors closed, especially the sitting room, close curtains promptly and it seems to do the trick.

Hope some of this advice helps.

iscrimger

If you had the heating on all day for 2-3 weeks then this bill seems not bad!

I'd say I had mine on for around 12 hours everyday for the same period and my bill was due to come in around £300-350.

I stay in a new build flat, this year I've not had the luck of the flats up/down stairs heating mine as they were all repossessed and there was nobody in them over winter.

Andy_WSM

charis18uk wrote: »

I can honestly say our house feels cosy and warm without turning it into a sauna so we can walk around with just a t-shirt on!!!

What is cosy warm to you isn't to everyone else though. If I was made to sit in a room at just 18C I'd feel miserable as hell. I hate wearing layers of clothes anyway, but to HAVE to do so to keep warm wouldn't feel "cosy" to me.

We're all different though, otherwise life would be dull.

Cardew

machofairy wrote: »

This was our first proper bill in 2 years due to some issues, which is now resolved. We live in a 3 bed semi and the gas bill for Nov - Feb is £400! Ok, so we had the heating on all day during the cold spell for about 2 - 3 weeks, but usually we only heat the house between 4 - 10pm. Does this seem a bit excessive?

The reading is correct, but seems a bit high ... almost 40% of the amount for the whole of last year. There are no errors in the pricing.

Seems like you spent £1,000 on gas last year. That is very high for a 3 bed semi.

However to use 40% of your gas between Nov and Feb is not that unusual. In the period 14/2/09 to 13/02/10, I have used 44% in the last 3 months(13/11/09 to 13/02/10)

before_hollywood

mine has been about £20 a week in winter

and about £7 a month in summer

large 3 bed town house

heat on 3 hours in the morning and 3 in the evening, switched off for 6 months of the year to water only