Monster final gas bill from last supplier

10,000_Angry_Vegans

Hi folks,

First post ever, please be gentle!

I've recently moved home and switched suppliers from Southern Electric to British Gas.

The gas meter reading given by the prior owner to Southern on Dec 10, 2009 was 4831 ft3. The meter reading I provided Southern on 28 Jan, 2010 was 5363, meaning 532 units used over the period of around six weeks.

The bill I've just received is mammoth: £575.20. In my last home that would cover over half a year!

Anyway, I cannot believe I've actually used this amount of gas, but the meter when read yesterday clearly said 5706 ft3, suggesting that I am indeed burning through close to 100 units and thus almost £100 per week :shocked:

It's not Blenheim Palace. It is an ordinary family home with 2 receps and 4 bedrooms - one of which is a box room. The boiler isn't going 24/7. All the rads have thermostats and the rooms we don't use are on frost setting. We do not have a gas fire, nor do we have any gas appliances in the kitchen!

There are two adults and one child aged under a year, so we have two showers and a quarter filled bath per day - maximum.

Does the bill sound right to anyone? If it's wrong, what could be the matter? Could it be the meter? Could it be a leak!? Is the boiler not working correctly?

Any thoughts appreciated. I've not yet phoned Southern but will this afternoon - I just need a plan.

spiro

Make sure the bill says your meter is ft3 and not m3.

ally18

This is just a thought but did you make sure what the reading was the day you moved in?

You never know, the previous occupiers could have knocked off a few numbers off their reading so some of that usage could be theirs.

(Cynical I know, sorry, but it has been done.)

KimYeovil

Compare what you have you used between YOUR readings - the previous occupants could have made up a number. You did check the readings when you moved in, didn't you?

Also check your readings daily now - it's still cold so you should be able to guess whether you just need to wear a jumper or pursue the opening reads issue.

10,000_Angry_Vegans

My first thought was that the prior occupants' final reading/my initial reading was incorrect, but as shown by the fact I have used 343 units between 1 February and 3 March suggests that the readings are consistent, if incredibly large (i.e. approx. 10 meter units per day).

The meter is definitely an old style ft3 device and the bill appears to have a conversion factor applied to convert it. The numbers are thus:

532 units x factor 100 x correction factor 1.02264 = 54404.44
54404.44 x conversion factor 0.0283 = 1539.64
1539.64 cu mtrs x calorific value 39.1 / conversion factor 3.6 = 16722.2 kWh

A lot of numbers there without any real explanation of what they are - only the kWh figure is made obvious.

All that aside, £100 a week to heat an ordinary home is unaffordably crazy

DUTR

10,000_Angry_Vegans wrote: »

My first thought was that the prior occupants' final reading/my initial reading was incorrect, but as shown by the fact I have used 343 units between 1 February and 3 March suggests that the readings are consistent, if incredibly large (i.e. approx. 10 meter units per day).

The meter is definitely an old style ft3 device and the bill appears to have a conversion factor applied to convert it. The numbers are thus:

532 units x factor 100 x correction factor 1.02264 = 54404.44
54404.44 x conversion factor 0.0283 = 1539.64
1539.64 cu mtrs x calorific value 39.1 / conversion factor 3.6 = 16722.2 kWh

A lot of numbers there without any real explanation of what they are - only the kWh figure is made obvious.

All that aside, £100 a week to heat an ordinary home is unaffordably crazy

Looking at my recent gas bill, that would equate to around £535, they say the average gas consumption is 20,500kwh per year , so your supplier seems a little enthusiastic.

10,000_Angry_Vegans

I did read that the average annual gas consumption for the average four bedroom home was 20-25,000 kWh, meaning I've gotten pretty close to that in just six weeks. Given that we don't use gas for anything but c.heating I'm not sure how it's even possible!

Thanks for all the responses so far...

alleycat`

When you first moved in did you supply an opening reading to southern?
I'd assume they had to do that when the account was put in your name?

If you didn't do that i suspect you might be on the hook for a lot of someone else's usage.

To find out where you stand with your own usage:-

Take a daily usage (at the same time or near as) and see if it is still zooming around the clock (bear in mind it is slightly warmer now / your usage might have changed).

If it isn't zooming along then someone has likely left you holding their bill by not supplying their real reading (and i doubt you'll be able to prove otherwise to southern).

If it is still zooming along then to check if it is genuine usage or a leak, isolate the gas to the heating or other gas appliances and check the meter has come to a standstill.

If it is still zooming along something else is wrong.

kjsmith7

This could be correct depending on level of insulation, double glazing age and quality, age of boiler, service history, whether you where at home a lot over Christmas and New Year, don't forget to take into account the exceptionally bad weather. Do you both work or is one of you at home caring for your baby? This will obviously push your consumption up above the average.

You say your heating on via thermostat - remember that it will cause your heating to come on every time it reaches below that temperature, say 20 degrees, and due to the cold weather this could equate to you having your heating on pretty much constantly. I don't know much about how much a frost setting will do to consumption sadly as I'm not lucky enough to have it, but I'd be interested to find out!

I do agree though, it does seem high, but not that high - lots of people in a 4 bedroomed house use a lot more than the average, whether there's 4 people+ or otherwise. Check the meter doesn't have five black numbers (m3) instead of four black numbers (ft3), and check your opening meter reading.

Average consumption for a home is purportedly 20,500kWh but that doesn't mean that it what you will use. Same as 3,300kWh for electricity, almost everyone I know uses more than that

10,000_Angry_Vegans

kjsmith7 wrote: »

Average consumption for a home is purportedly 20,500kWh but that doesn't mean that it what you will use. Same as 3,300kWh for electricity, almost everyone I know uses more than that

I do agree that consumption can vary wildly from the average figures, but based on my usage from December through February and now into March I am burning through almost 350 kWh per day, which equates to over 120,000 kWh per year or roughly six times the average. My house would have to have no roof to waste that much energy!

spiro

10,000_Angry_Vegans wrote: »

I do agree that consumption can vary wildly from the average figures, but based on my usage from December through February and now into March I am burning through almost 350 kWh per day, which equates to over 120,000 kWh per year or roughly six times the average. My house would have to have no roof to waste that much energy!

During a winter week you will use 4-6 times as much gas as during the warmer months. Therefore dont take what you have used during this period and multiply it up to get an annual figure. If you take the annual average of 20,500 and divide by 7 (3 quarters at 1/7 and 1 quarter at 4/7) your winter quarter could be 11,700 or 20,500 divided by 9 (3 quarters at 1/9 and 1 quarter at 6/9) your winter quarter could be 13,666. Therefore if your useage is over average and the winter has been colder than usual it could get a high as the bill you have especially if you like your house nice and warm (I work with someone who has their thermostat at 28c).