40,640 KWH gas usage- help!!!!!!

macman

longhauladdict wrote: »

Sorry I got my meter readind mixed up- I was so mad!!!
The first one on was 7291 not 7921.
This means my gas usage in cubic meters was 3629 - not 3706. Slightly out.
I had spent over an hour on the phone with N Power and even they couldn't get the bill right- they haven't taken all payments off the bill but I am more concerned about the gas usage!:eek:

IThe Kwh conversion comes from their bills so it is right! N power have said that they will recharge me manually and that they will get back to me by 27 May!:mad: However in the meantime can i do anything to check if the meter is faulty- ie an independent gas check etc? I had one done by my landlord about 2 months ago so I would have thought it would raise it then????
I don't have a thermostat on my heating at all, I have a dial in the hallway which I don't think works, it was always fixed on 10 degrees.

I have approx 8 rads in my two bed apartment (approx 4-5 years old- very modern and insulated) and have always had at least 3 of these turned off since I moved in last year (3 in my living room/kitchen) so only have 1 one!

thanks - I will go and check my type of meter- my apartment is in a block of 3 (looks like 3 houses) with all separate meters, I am wondering if any of those are routed to my meter??

The 'dial' in the hallway is a room thermostat. That cannot be accurate, as the average temp most people set to is about 20C. If the 'stat is broken then get it fixed ASAP, as without it you may find that the boiler is running far more than it should-how are you controlling the house temp without a working stat or programmer?

jem16

longhauladdict wrote: »

I have approx 8 rads in my two bed apartment (approx 4-5 years old- very modern and insulated) and have always had at least 3 of these turned off since I moved in last year (3 in my living room/kitchen) so only have 1 one!

Ok so not a new build, as in brand new.

Have you looked at the meter - does it say ft or m?

thanks - I will go and check my type of meter- my apartment is in a block of 3 (looks like 3 houses) with all separate meters, I am wondering if any of those are routed to my meter??

It has been known for the wrong meter to be attributed to the wrong flat. Test it by turning off all gas appliances in your flat and looking at the meter - nothing should be moving if you are using no gas.

macman

On minute it's a new build, the next it's 4-5 year's old...
That explains why the meter started at rather more than zero.
But should still be a metric meter surely? When did suppliers cease fitting imperial ones?

longhauladdict

Hiya
checked my meter and it says its a m3.... which means that I should be being billed correctly- my bill refers to cubic meters. I have turned everything off and its not moving, so am assuming its my gas only going to that, however my neighbours are both out so I can't check if their gas is on or what they pay approx per year? .

still looking for usage figures for my old house, size wise it was much larger but I did only use the same heating pattern etc so should be similar in terms of kwh used? I'm also going to call my landlord tomorrow about getting the boiler and heating fixed.
Any suggestions in the meantime? Thanks

wakeupalarm

Whilst your neighbours are out turn on your boiler and/or gas hob and see if the meter starts turning. Just so we can check it is the correct meter.

ilikepoints

Well I suppose you could have a really crap boiler though even that's not gonna cause such a high bill. Is the place really draughty?

I agree the bill sounds almost impossible unless your maybe doing huge quantities of cooking and maybe leave the heating on high all night long and have crap insulation.

Cardew

ilikepoints wrote: »

Well I suppose you could have a really crap boiler though even that's not gonna cause such a high bill. Is the place really draughty?

I agree the bill sounds almost impossible unless your maybe doing huge quantities of cooking and maybe leave the heating on high all night long and have crap insulation.

A 4 to 5 year old property is unlikely to have a 'crap' boiler or insulation.

Fire_Fox

longhauladdict wrote: »

Now does this sound right- I searched and it said that an average usage was 16000 KWH per house. i live in a 2 bed apartment (new build) and am out of the house for 8-9 hours per day.
I have double checked my meter number etc, is it likely I am being charged for someone else also?

How can I be using more than doube the national average - any ideas???
Thanks for any help!

longhauladdict wrote: »

Hi
I do like it warm but I have always paid £59 (I used to live in a 2 bed large victorian terrace house) and I was always in credit!I only have central heating, of which heats my water. I do cook but I am out 3-4 nights per week. There is only me and my boyf.

I will try to dig out my usage for my old house as my heating patterns etc haven't changed so it should be similar? I have heating on 04.30-08.00 and 16.30- 22.00 (average) - a little more in the cold snap but sometimes off completely.

Your bill is huge and I cannot explain it all away but I think some of the responsibility is yours. It is worth comparing your usage to a previous property, but don't forget we have just had the coldest winter for thirty years AND energy prices have increased substantially in recent years (even doubled ).

Why do you need your heating on for three and a half hours in the morning, how long are you up and home for? Heating can go on half an hour before the first person gets up, off an hour before the last person leaves and nobody will be cold. Again with your evening usage, on half an hour before the first person gets home and off an hour before bed - I cannot see why you could possibly need the heating on MORE than five and half hours in the evening however cold it is.

That means your heating is on for at least NINE hours per day (which means it is warm for 11), yet you are in bed or out at work for 17 of a possible 24 hours!! At weekends your heating will be on for even more hours ... :eek: Nine hours per day for thirty days is 270 hours a month of heating plus extra at weekends plus hot water .... No idea how much gas an 'average' boiler consumes so perhaps someone else will be able to guesstimate? :huh:

What do you mean your heating is 'sometimes off completely', do you mean you are still using it in April?? Is your heating on for five hours on the three to four nights you are not home? How many weeks per year are you heating for 270 hours or so? How long and frequent are your showers or how deep are your baths?

ilikepoints

I hadn't noticed the heating went on at 4.30am. That (combined with the high temperature) would explain quite a bit of the bill.

As other have said, have it come on maybe half an hour before you wake up. Also be sure to turn it down a degree or two. Also check for draughts (and fix them) - just because it is a newish property doesn't mean the builders were any good.

jem16

Fire_Fox wrote: »

What do you mean your heating is 'sometimes off completely', do you mean you are still using it in April??

I can't see what's wrong with having heating on in April - it's only 2 degrees C outside at the moment!