Cost of a unit of Electricity in Devon

DJ9

Hi, Im currently living in an old holiday let where the landlord gives me a bill each month based on the number of units used. Im trying to find out how much a unit of electricity should be costing me. I know this changes depending on the tariff but Im paying 19pence per unit. Is this high?

PeterJohnson

It isn't unrealistic to be this amount as all suppliers and their tariffs vary. However I would speak to the landlord (afterall he probably doesn't care what the tariff is as you are paying it!!) I am on 13pence during the day and 7pence overnight but I have seen it higher than this as one rate and with no standing charge. Worth checking the supplier website and see if it is all fair.

lillmisschatterbox

Your best of checking with your supplier, every tariff has different unit rates. Some suppliers charge a daily standing charge with a flat rate of units regardless of useage, where others charge you a higher band of units, where for every quater you have to use so many before you qualify for the lower rate. Your region will affect it, but without knowing your tariff its impossible to say if thats right or not. It will say on a bill if you receive those?? Otherwise ring the supplier they will go through it all with you in detail - hope this helps.

Premier_2

DJ9 wrote: »

Hi, Im currently living in an old holiday let where the landlord gives me a bill each month based on the number of units used. Im trying to find out how much a unit of electricity should be costing me. I know this changes depending on the tariff but Im paying 19pence per unit. Is this high?

As you say, it varies and you have no idea what supplier/tariff the LL is being supplied on.

It could be that as a holiday let, the property is on a business tariff (depends on what other usage the supply is put) or may only be let to you and so you are paying the higher tier 1 rates (around here, some suppliers charge >30p per kWh at tier1) or even if not, then the landlord can pass onto you the proportion of standing charges he would be incurring.

Why not simply ask your LL to see the bill his supplier has sent him?

macman

Ask to see the bill. if you have your own meter you can simply check the billed consumption against the meter reading.
The LL is not allowed to rebill you at a higher rate than they are charged.

DJ9

Thanks All,

I will have a word with the Landlord to see how much he is being charged. Got the same problem with oil aswell but I can check what the general local prices are to see where I stand.
My current monthly bills for a 2 bedroom house is costing me £80-£90 a month on oil and electric with the heating switched off!!
Last winter my bills were hitting £200 a month . . . . that hurts badly in the current financial climate, hence looking to see if I can make some savings.

HappyMJ

As you are paying a flat rate I'd argue that you should be paying the Ebico rates which in the South West would be 15.908 pence per kWh or 19.183p/kWh for a day rate and 6.573p/kWh for the night rate. https://www.ebico.org.uk/products-and-prices/equipower-prices?regid=22

chris1973

Bear in mind that if the OP is renting this 'holiday let' on an Ad-Hoc basis with little or no contract in place or only a 'loose' holiday rental type agreement, then the OP may not be considered a tenant, or be protected by the same laws or rights as they normally would under a standard Tenancy agreement. I'm not sure where they would stand when 'demanding' to see any bills if they are living in what is classed as holiday accommodation.

So my first question would be, "Do you have a short term tenancy agreement in place"? or any form of tenancy agreement?, or are you renting just on a weekly / monthly basis with no form of contract?

My current monthly bills for a 2 bedroom house is costing me £80-£90 a month on oil and electric with the heating switched off!!

£90 a month seems high usage during the Summer months in a 2 bedroom property, even at 19p / Unit. Have you made an assessment of the appliances you are using to see where further savings can be made?, replaced all lights with low energy ones?

Premier_2

chris1973 wrote: »

Bear in mind that if the OP is renting this 'holiday let' on an Ad-Hoc basis with little or no contract in place or only a 'loose' holiday rental type agreement, then the OP may not be considered a tenant, and be protected by the same laws or rights as they normally would under a standard Tenancy agreement...

Whilst I suspect you are correct, it doesn't alter the fact that no one may resell gas or electricity at a profit unless they hold a suppliers licence.

chris1973

Whilst I suspect you are correct, it doesn't alter the fact that no one may resell gas or electricity at a profit unless they hold a suppliers licence.

You missed the point that I was making

I wasn't refering to or disputing the legal aspect of the reselling cost, I was refering to the OPs right to demand to physically see the bill in order to confirm that this was also the price that the LL was paying, and what happens (and what are their rights) if the landlord says 'NO' or "Get Lost"

What then????? - without seeing the actual KW/H rate on the bill, or having any actual legal right to see it, the OP can't prove a thing, even if they suspect the LL is profiting.

I suspect that there are people right now renting holiday caravans, log cabins, cottages etc during their summer holidays for a few weeks or a month, and I suspect that non of them have any legal right to see the bills their 'landlords' are paying, even if they are feeding a coin meter or paying back the cost of the electricity consumed on a sub credit meter during their stay. Whilst your point may be right in all respects of the law in relation to reselling electricity, to prove any wrongdoing the OP would need to physically see the bill, and if under their present rental situation they don't have any right to see it, and the LL continually refuses then I suspect it will go nowhere.

Under a normal tenancy agreement I believe that the OP would have that right to see the bill and be protected in some way if the LL refused to provide a copy, however i'm not 100% sure whether these rights would be extended to what essentially appears to be an ongoing holiday!.

I may be wrong, and stand to be corrected, but a holiday let usually carries very few, if any 'rights' and is a whole different ball game compared to actually being a tenant and having all of the paperwork in place.

Premier_2

chris1973 wrote: »

You missed the point that I was making

I wasn't refering to or disputing the legal aspect of the reselling cost, I was refering to the OPs right to demand to physically see the bill in order to confirm that this was also the price that the LL was paying, and what happens (and what are their rights) if the landlord says 'NO' or "Get Lost"

What then????? - without seeing the actual KW/H rate on the bill, or having any actual legal right to see it, the OP can't prove a thing, even if they suspect the LL is profiting.

I suspect that there are people right now renting holiday caravans, log cabins, cottages etc during their summer holidays for a few weeks or a month, and I suspect that non of them have any legal right to see the bills their 'landlords' are paying, even if they are feeding a coin meter or paying back the cost of the electricity consumed on a sub credit meter during their stay. Whilst your point may be right in all respects of the law in relation to reselling electricity, to prove any wrongdoing the OP would need to physically see the bill, and if under their present rental situation they don't have any right to see it, and the LL continually refuses then I suspect it will go nowhere.

Under a normal tenancy agreement I believe that the OP would have that right to see the bill and be protected in some way if the LL refused to provide a copy, however i'm not 100% sure whether these rights would be extended to what essentially appears to be an ongoing holiday!.

I may be wrong, and stand to be corrected, but a holiday let usually carries very few, if any 'rights' and is a whole different ball game compared to actually being a tenant and having all of the paperwork in place.

As far as I know, there is no legal right for a tenant to see a LL's energy bill. (But I'm willing to be proven wrong on this if anyone can point me in the direction of the appropriate legislation )

However, as I said, no one is allowed to resell gas or electricity for a profit (unless they are a licensed supplier)

So all one has to do if the bill is not forthcoming is to refuse to pay the amount demanded, Ultimately, the creditor can only pursue this in court. If the defence is that the defendant doesn't believe the cost is what the creditor themselves is paying, then I'm sure the court will want to see the original bill for themselves ...and probably will show it to the defendant to prove what they owe.