Too much to pay per month?

ultim

Hi,

Ive got my keys to my house today and have been sorting out the utility companies.

This is my first house and i will be living on my own.

I wasnt sure how much i should pay per month but they suggest £85? I reckon that is too much?

vuvuzela

Might be fine, might be too low.
Gas and electricity or just electricity ? How many rooms, what sort of property and how old, how is the property heated ?

ultim

Both Gas and Electric. 3 Bedroom Semi, 1950's. Gas heated.

vuvuzela

I would say it's potentially on the low side. The average spend for gas and electric is ( I think) around 1150-1200 pounds / year so it depends on your usage, the insulation of your house (and if it is double glazed or not). I'd say 85 / month for a 3-bed semi might be a little on the low side, definitely so if the upcoming winter is as harsh as the last one.

WestonDave

If it helps I'm paying £110 per month (roughly equal split gas and electricity) for a 3 bed detached 1950's house with full insulation and double glazing, a 3 year old boiler, and a family that don't like a hot house. You'd save something for it being a semi, and for your sole electricity usage, but if the heating and insulation are a bit older you might find yourself fairly near our £110.

Kathy535

I'm in a 1950s semi detached house with double glazing and I pay £81 for gas and electric although that's on my old fixed rate and doesn't allow for the recent 18% rise - I'm budgeting for a DD of £100 for the coming year. I reckon the others are right and £85 is slightly too low.

figgyroo

I live on my own in a 1930's 3 bed semi and pay £96 per month for both.

irnbru_2

ultim wrote: »

Both Gas and Electric. 3 Bedroom Semi, 1950's. Gas heated.

1960s here. Signed for Online Energy Saver 15 using previous 12months usage ~ £83/month

starlet10

I'm quite surprised to see how much more others are paying!

We are a family of 6 in a 1930's 4 bed detatched, paying £80 per month for gas and electricty.

I'm guessing a single person on their own wouldn't use as much electricity as us (£40pm), but maybe the same amount of gas (£40pm) to heat up their home.

So I think an estimate of £85 per month is on the generous side. As others have mentioned, it depends on a lot of different factors.

cifpower

We were paying £100pm for a 1930s semi, double glazing, loft insulation and gas heating.

Put in the meter readings today, bill showed credit of £72 and then next screen had a message saying direct debit will be lowered to £63 from 1 November.

It was only reassessed 3 weeks ago and the all-knowing computer calcualted that £104pm would be needed.

Very confusing.

spiro

It will also depend a lot on the supplier as some seem to want DD accounts to balance (£0) in the spring in which case the poster is going to have to pay more as they will have built up no credit over the summer.

If you do set it that low set yourself up a spreadsheet, put the readings in each week and see how much you are spending. If its works out at more than about £60pm for the next few weeks then I would increase it because come the winter months the gas will take a big jump.