Huge gas bill reasons?

theymademedoit

Hi all,
We moved into our new place about 6 months ago having lived in 2-3 bed homes for years and usually we pay around £300 towards our gas bill in 6 months (direct debit...about £40 per month) and get some back at various times in the year due to overpaying.
We have just had a new bill come in and on top of the £300 paid they say we owe another £400+.
This has shocked me loads as I thought it would be in credit.
The only reasons I can think of is that the boiler is old and keeps dropping its pressure to under 1 bar despite keep topping it up.
Is this the reason or could the meter be wrong....or they worked it out wrong?

We swapped to Npower when we moved in as it seemed like the best deal.

Please help!!!
Al

Cardew

Agreed you must post kWh for your post to be commented upon.

Npower however have a system of 'seasonal weighting'(sculpting) which mean that you pay much more in the winter, and less in the summer plus on some tariffs you get a rebate after 12 months.

gordikin

I think you're now getting more realistic bills!

theymademedoit

Thanks for the replies.
I will get the info together and up it later.
I simply find it crazy that it was £270 for 6 months last year and about £780 this!
Al

zzzLazyDaisy

We have also just experienced the most severe winter in recent history. That, combined with the price increases last year, would have meant that your winter bill is going to be a lot higher anyway. But yes, an old boiler may also be adding to the problem.

As others have said, you need to compare usage, not price.

kjsmith7

There weren't any price increases last year, in fact most suppliers decreased prices in 2009. The price increases were in 2008.

Regardless, I agree - old boiler, extra-cold winter, etc. will push up the bill. Also, you cannot compare a different property to this one really due to different levels of insulation, perhaps different occupancy rates (for instance, different work patterns), different boiler, different walls, insulation, windows, doors, appliances, even curtains (your previous curtains could have been thermally insulated, for instance).

theymademedoit

nowretiredandlazingaround wrote: »

Your post is meaningless without actual meter readings, preferably in kWh

Jim

Hi Jim,
Sorry for the delay.
The bill states that between 15/10/09 to 15/04/10 that we have used 16664 kWh.
The bill is really confusing.
I have read on a site that the averages are - Per annum....small house: 10,000 kWh; medium house: 20,500 kWh; and mansion: 28,000kWh.
This would take us into mansion and thats crazy!
Any help would be great as I have to ring them and need ammo!
Cheers,
Al

flossy_splodge

see https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2466143 Post 24.
It might help you not give up and 'assume' YOU are wrong!
Good luck.:o

Pont

From 1st October - 29th April (192 days).
Used 17,342 kwh of gas
Cost = £611

Seems I live in a 'mansion' too (3 bed semi in reality).

16664 kwh would have cost me £530

theymademedoit

nowretiredandlazingaround wrote: »

That amount of gas, 16664 kWh for 182 days would have cost me £460

And from 9th Oct 2009 to 15th April 2010 I used 14700 kWh of gas.

Are you sure that you are reading your bill correctly?

What about your electricity?
Jim

Hi,
I think I am....the elec is seperate on the bill.
I could post a link to it?
Al

Cardew

16,664 kWh used in 6 months over the coldest winter in years is on the high side of average - but no more!

The UK average is 20,500kWh and you are in line to use not much more than that average - perhaps 22,000kWh

I explained above in post #3 why your bill is so high for that amount of gas:

Npower however have a system of 'seasonal weighting'(sculpting) which mean that you pay much more in the winter, and less in the summer plus on some tariffs you get a rebate after 12 months.

So I would not consider moving until you have spent a year with the company.