Choosing the correct tariff - standing charge or no standing charge?

moneysaver599

Hi everyone!!!

I've just moved into a new flat and need to pick the correct tariff for electricity. I'm with Scottish Power and don't know if I can change supplier as we're only tenants and don't plan on staying here any longer than 6months to a year.

I only have a rough estimate to our usage -

56 "Normal" rate electricity units used in the 8 days since we moved in
(average 2555 units annually)
13 "Low" rate electricity units used in the 8 days
(average 593 units annually)

I've tried to check the prices online, but as I'm not due a bill from Scottish Power until 22nd March I have no idea what supply area code I'm in for accurate prices.

Also, as our water and heating coming from gas (British Gas), our electricity seems quite low so I think we might be better off on a No Standing Charge option and only paying for the units we use?

Scottish Power have put me onto "Capped 2011 Premier price"

Let me know what you all think!

olly300

You can change supplier however if you do have the courtesy to tell your landlord/letting agent AND stick a note on the meter about who the supplier is.

moneysaver599

What an estimate of gas usage of 10000kwh per annum be accurate enough??

For a 1 bedroom flat with gas central heating and hot water - high ceilings. Heating on 1 hour each morning and 2 hours at night??

I want to compare the cost of gas & electric on uswitch.
Thanks

KimYeovil

Unless you are planning to use less than 2.5 units per day there is no problem with paying a standing charge. Your electricity use above is not 'quite low'.

You should concentrate your head-scratching on the complications of being on an E7 meter rather than standing charges.

You can check your prices (and alternatives) online with only your postcode on a comparison site such as uswitch or energyhelpline.

moneysaver599

Managed to check uSwich for prices, thanks

Can the E7 meter be changed, seeing as we hardly seem to use it (I think the flat probably had storage heaters before gas CH and was better on E7)?

Or would I be better keeping it and charging phones overnight for low rate and using washing machine early morning while still in the low rate. I can't think of anything else which would be on in the off-peak time except fridge and freezer.
Thanks

Bark01

If you are not using the most of your electricty in the night period of your E7 then its not worth having.

Most suppliers change meters for free but its worth checking as some don't.

JennyR68

moneysaver599 wrote: »

Hi everyone!!!

I've just moved into a new flat and need to pick the correct tariff for electricity. I'm with Scottish Power and don't know if I can change supplier as we're only tenants and don't plan on staying here any longer than 6months to a year.

I only have a rough estimate to our usage -

56 "Normal" rate electricity units used in the 8 days since we moved in
(average 2555 units annually)
13 "Low" rate electricity units used in the 8 days
(average 593 units annually)

I've tried to check the prices online, but as I'm not due a bill from Scottish Power until 22nd March I have no idea what supply area code I'm in for accurate prices.

Also, as our water and heating coming from gas (British Gas), our electricity seems quite low so I think we might be better off on a No Standing Charge option and only paying for the units we use?

Scottish Power have put me onto "Capped 2011 Premier price"

Let me know what you all think!

Put your details in http://smartmeter.ukpower.co.uk/ and it will work out costs so far for you. Also if you add total you can work out how much it would have been on single rate.

macman

moneysaver599 wrote: »

Managed to check uSwich for prices, thanks

Can the E7 meter be changed, seeing as we hardly seem to use it (I think the flat probably had storage heaters before gas CH and was better on E7)?

Or would I be better keeping it and charging phones overnight for low rate and using washing machine early morning while still in the low rate. I can't think of anything else which would be on in the off-peak time except fridge and freezer.
Thanks

You're not serious! Charging your phones overnight is hardly going to offset the premium you pay for E7 on peak rate. If you don't heat your home or get your hot water on E7 then it's pointless and a waste of money to have it.

moneysaver599

macman wrote: »

You're not serious! Charging your phones overnight is hardly going to offset the premium you pay for E7 on peak rate. If you don't heat your home or get your hot water on E7 then it's pointless and a waste of money to have it.

Only asking, how am I supposed to know??

Anyway, I've worked it out on the website given above ^^ thank you

We just manage to break even with the amount of low rate electricity we use at the moment so no point in changing to one rate meter. However, I have found tariff that suits me better with Scottish Power.

Thanks for everyone's help.

macman

moneysaver599 wrote: »

Only asking, how am I supposed to know??

Anyway, I've worked it out on the website given above ^^ thank you

We just manage to break even with the amount of low rate electricity we use at the moment so no point in changing to one rate meter. However, I have found tariff that suits me better with Scottish Power.

Thanks for everyone's help.

I wasn't having a go, but it seemed puzzling to me that you thought a couple of phones charging would make a difference. A mobile phone charger uses typically 4 watts. A storage heater might take 3,000 watts. The only heavy duty factors are heating and hot water, electric cooking and washing/tumble drying.

moneysaver599

macman wrote: »

I wasn't having a go, but it seemed puzzling to me that you thought a couple of phones charging would make a difference. A mobile phone charger uses typically 4 watts. A storage heater might take 3,000 watts. The only heavy duty factors are heating and hot water, electric cooking and washing/tumble drying.

My OH laughed at me last night when I suggested charging our phones overnight too, guess it's not going to be worth it!!

Heating = gas
Hot water = gas
Electric cooker = used once each night
Washing machine = quickwash 30degress once a day - would it be worth doing this in the off-peak time or not making much difference?
No tumble dryer (we got a bill at our old address for £609.00 from Nov - Feb for using a 10 year old dryer most of the night!)

Apart from that we only have -
1 TV (plasma, 4 years old in the Living Room on 5pm-11pm most nights)
Iron (once a day)
Fridge and Freezer
Lights (we're always in the same room so usually just have a couple of lamps on)
Hair dryer - once a day
Kettle - once a day
3 phone chargers on 5-6 hours a day (we both use these phones for work and need to charge everyday)

How come our usage is high??