New build- new meter- big prices!

ztan

Hi guys

I've recently purchased first home, 2 bedroom coach house with DOH. We have just received our meter readings from developers... and have called relevant suppliers (who we were pre registered with) to provide readings and set up DD for payments.

I am shocked and amazed at how much they "estimate" 2 people would use... Our gas bill was initially going to be £65 a month:eek:... but they agreed to reduce it to £50... our electric is £35 (and not for this board but water is £32)

Now I was estimating about £30 a month for each.. we are very economical, and as we have not had central heating prior to living in our new house, are used to the cold and keep the thermostat down low. It is just us two, and we are both at work all week... and out most of the weekends!

I know they'll redo meter readings in a few months and we'll either owe, or be in credit... but that's £107 a month in utilities coming out of my pocket!

Does this seem about right??? I may just be in for a big shock, or right in my gut instincts...

ginvzt

Coach houses can be cold - at least the one we were renting was rather freezing in winter, even through it was just a couple of years old. And it was annoying to have to go the garage to adjust the heating controls!

penrhyn

You could go for a pay what you use monthly tariff, like British Gas Energy Smart.

By coach house is this a new build 2 storey job with the garage underneath or a conversion, as per prevoius post levels of insulation vary a lot.
I'm in a 3 bed mid terrace and use around 2000Kwh Electricity, and 10,000 Kwh Gas pa , costing atm around £18/month Electric and £32/month gas.

PS, they may have skewed you gas on the high side as we are now in the heating season and they don't want you to have a large debit amount next April.

Premier_2

The supplier is damned whatever they do.

Set the DD too low and the customer moans later when they discover they've accumulated a debt; set the amount too high and and customer moans it's too expensive.

Some suppliers also aim to have an account 'zero' in March and with no accumulated credit and the expensive months to come, they would need to set the DD amounts high.

It's not what the monthly DD collections is that is important, it's what the annual cost will be. (which probably won't end up being 12 x the monthly DD payment )

ztan

I'm not damning the supplier Premier.. I get how these things work... but do you not think £50 a month between 2 people, in a well insulated 2 bedroom, one floor property is a bit much?!

I know families of 4 paying £30! well... anyway, we'll see come Feb when they run our meter and we don't have to pay anything again until April...

Premier_2

ztan wrote: »

I'm not damning the supplier Premier.. I get how these things work... but do you not think £50 a month between 2 people, in a well insulated 2 bedroom, one floor property is a bit much?!

I know families of 4 paying £30! well... anyway, we'll see come Feb when they run our meter and we don't have to pay anything again until April...

As I said, it doesn't matter what the monthly amount collected by DD is; it's the total annual cost they will bill you that is important.

If you don't want to pay the monthly DD amount, opt to pay quarterly on receipt of bill and you'll only have to pay for what you've used (providing they have accurate meter readings) ... but it might cost more overall.