Why is my gas so expensive?

spookycat_2

We are 2 adults 2 children in a 3bed mid terrace paying 48 quid/month, DD, to Powergen on their Age Concern option. We have a domino hob which may get used once weekly and have the hot water on timer for 1hr morning and 2 hours evening. That's all. We have a gas fire but rarely use it even in Winter.
Our CH system is old I accept that but how can I reduce the bill further?
I rang Powergen today to ask if we are overpaying but she said that our usage is correct, but it's Summer how can we use the same regardless of the season?
Any advice greatly appreciated.

I have decided to switch off the timer for hot water, do any of you have a system for checking how much gas you use in one day? Presumably if I turn off the water, the meter shouldn't go round?!?

libra10

We are with Powergen Age Concern, changed over from BG as uswitch estimated we would save £90. Over the 12 months we have been with them we have spent much more than we were doing with BG. I know prices have been rising but Powergen's charges are enormous.

We have now applied to change to EBICO. I know this will take a few weeks, but as you say, Powergen summer charges seem very similar to their winter charges. We pay quarterly and have always had high bills.

Good luck

Gal

Powergens DD Prices are based over a period of a year.

To Quickly explain how they work this out:-

They take a reading from a similar period this time last year. and your current reading. Then Work out your consumption (Take this years reading off last years to give the difference) Then charge this at the current unit price to give the total figure for a years consumption at new prices. Apply Duel Fuel discounts and DD Discounts. Then divide the total by 12 to give a monthly figure.

It does mean that you will be paying more in the summer then what your using as its an average. However it also means that in the winter this evens itself out. If they were to work out your DD based on summer usage and winter usage it means you would be paying small amounts in the summer and large amounts in the winter.

So to even it out its divided over the 12 months instead.

Powergen are now reviewing DD every 6 months on average. So if you have had a DD Review your next one will be around January time.

Also the age concern product is more expensive if your an average user then there standard Product. It means that you get a slightly cheaper primary rate and a slightly higher secondary rate. But cold weather payments made in winter. Your best off changing products to standard domestic tariff in the summer then moving on to age concern in the winter when its cold and you get the payments.