Gas bill DOUBLED this year when I used less...

RazWaz

I'm with British Gas, and just got my quarterly bill for the last 3 months and it's twice what it was last year. I'm wondering how this is possible as I actually used the heating less this year, and when I did it was at a much lower temperature (25% instead of 80+ %).

It's saying in the last 3 months I have used 1393 metric units, when in the last 2 years of living here (including the above bill) I've only used 2167.

I'm a single person in a 2 bed flat, gas is used for the shower, hob and heating only, I shower every other day and cook on the hob maybe once a week. The heating has been on low for about 10 hours a day, so is that usage possible or not?

I know the prices went up but £550 is ridiculous, I'm disabled and on benefits so how am I meant to afford this?

stewie_griffin

First of all is your latest bill based on an actual reading and if so have you checked that this corresponds with the reading on your meter now? Have a look at your previous bills and check to see if they have been estimated. If they have then this could be a catch up bill.

RazWaz

It's an actual bill, and I can't check the meter cause it's locked and I don't have a key. I think some were estimated but they were higher than last years ones anyway, so not sure how such a huge amount could be built up. Looking though my old ones I used around 300-500 units per quarter consistently across the actual bills and estimated ones.

KimYeovil

If you are disabled and on benefits you receive significant premiums to account for greater costs.

Keeping the heating on low for ten hours per day will cost a significant amount of money. Do you actually need the heating on for such long periods?

5200 kWh per month is 17 kWh each hour of the ten. That is impossible unless you are using more than one radiator. Do you heat your whole house? Something is amiss.

RazWaz

I only turn the heating on once I start shivering. The radiators are turned off in rooms I don't use, the living room radiator is on, and the one in my bedroom is turned on but turned right down low.

I may get more than the average person but most of it goes on my care, this bill (split weekly over the bill period) is around 1/4 of my income before any other bills. I didn't get cold weather payments for most of the winter as I was working, but I lost my job a few months ago.

stewie_griffin

RazWaz wrote: »

It's an actual bill, and I can't check the meter cause it's locked and I don't have a key. I think some were estimated but they were higher than last years ones anyway, so not sure how such a huge amount could be built up. Looking though my old ones I used around 300-500 units per quarter consistently across the actual bills and estimated ones.

I could be something straight forward like the meter being misread or the wrong meter being read. Find out who has a key to the meter and demand they give you access to it.

RazWaz

stewie_griffin wrote: »

I could be something straight forward like the meter being misread or the wrong meter being read. Find out who has a key to the meter and demand they give you access to it.

It's BG who have it, I'll have to pay someone to call them at some point :mad: (I'm deaf so can't do it myself).