Getting a right plan

Mirey

Hello!

I'm a student and I've just moved into a flat with my gf (I know, risky move!).

Anyway, I've never been responsible for setting up the bills before, and I've just given money to flat mates who have.

I have no idea how much electricity I use (though I could maybe do a rough estimate, I know the wattage of most things in my house) but I just don't know what plan I can get.

I've read that the average duel fuel price is about £1000/year. Now I only have Electricity, and I'm in a small flat, but I espected electricity prices to be more than £450/year. Is this because its expecting me to have gas as well

I've used comparison websites to check, and put in the info it tells me, but some of them are offering fixed rates at £450/year, and I don't know if that is too little (e.g. they don't have enough information)

I also don't have the internet at home, and I'm spending quite a lot of time on projects at uni.

Please can someone tell me if this seems reasonable. Also, if I do use too much electricty on a fixed tariff, is there some sort of "fair usage policy" like broadband?

I have an electricity meter.

Sorry if this is a bit incoherent, I'm late to a lecture!

Thank you!
Mike

macman

First thing you need to do is to take opening readings (which you should have done on day one) and submit them to the existing supplier, with whom you are in a deemed contract. Until you register with them, you can't commence a switch.
Your main expense will be heating and hot water. So you need to say how your flat is provided with these, and whether you are currently on an economy 7 tariff or not (usually so if you have storage heaters).
£450pa is not nearly enough to power an all-electric flat. Electric heating is about 2.5 times more than gas, but as stated above it will depend on how you heat and what tariff.
You are on the right lines with the comp sites, but make sure you use an estimated kWh figure , not a monthly DD figure-the latter will not give accurate results.
You have got entirely the wrong idea about a 'fixed tariff'. It's a fixed rate tariff. It's not like a curry house 'eat as much as you like for a tenner' offer. The only thing that is fixed is the unit rate for the minimum term-you still pay for every unit that you use.

ceh209

Hey, it can be done! I heated my 2 bed flat for ~£360 for a year, so with recent price rises I would be expecting ~£450 this year (if I wasn't now moving out due to a break-up... BTW, good luck OP! )

Key is to know your usage really. Our flat is extremely warm so heating was only on mid Nov to end Feb, we used 4200Kwh in a year (1700 day, 2500 night - we're on Economy 7). Usage with heating off was ~9 units a day, with heating on was ~17 units a day. That might give you some idea?

Mirey

macman wrote: »

First thing you need to do is to take opening readings (which you should have done on day one) and submit them to the existing supplier, with whom you are in a deemed contract. Until you register with them, you can't commence a switch.
Your main expense will be heating and hot water. So you need to say how your flat is provided with these, and whether you are currently on an economy 7 tariff or not (usually so if you have storage heaters).
£450pa is not nearly enough to power an all-electric flat. Electric heating is about 2.5 times more than gas, but as stated above it will depend on how you heat and what tariff.
You are on the right lines with the comp sites, but make sure you use an estimated kWh figure , not a monthly DD figure-the latter will not give accurate results.
You have got entirely the wrong idea about a 'fixed tariff'. It's a fixed rate tariff. It's not like a curry house 'eat as much as you like for a tenner' offer. The only thing that is fixed is the unit rate for the minimum term-you still pay for every unit that you use.

I took a reading as soon as I moved in (same for the water meter).

Yeah, I realise now its fixed rate, and not a fixed amount, what a silly mistake.

Its entirely electric, but I'm generally against using heaters, when blankets and jumpers will do. It doesn't have central heating, just wall mounted electric ones which I hopefully won't have to touch.

I'll phone up npower (I got a letter from them, so I guess they were the old provider) and let them know. I'll try and work out how much power I'm likely to use I guess.

Thanks for the help and well wishes everyone!

macman

You haven't said what sort of heaters-storage heaters or just electric panel heaters? Also check if you have got a dual rate meter. You need to determine the type of electric heating and whether it is E7 or not.
And you'll still need hot water (unless you are advocating cold showers as well as no heating...)

Mirey

macman wrote: »

You haven't said what sort of heaters-storage heaters or just electric panel heaters? Also check if you have got a dual rate meter. You need to determine the type of electric heating and whether it is E7 or not.
And you'll still need hot water (unless you are advocating cold showers as well as no heating...)

They're just wall mounted convection heaters. I haven't checked the wattage, but thats variable anyway. They're all plugged into the mains. (it isn't central heating)

The boiler is fairly large, and I'm not sure how to turn it off onn using the timer, but I'm going to check that out.

The cooker/oven/stove is electric as well, which will eat through money I guess.

There are no night storage heaters.

How do I know if its dual rate? IIRC theres just one number. The flat above me has some fancy looking device for their meter (I think it has an E-ON logo on, though I can't remember).

macman

You won't have a boiler-are you referring perhaps to a hot water tank fitted with an immersion heater? if you leave that on 24/7 it will cost a lot. Use the timer morning/evening as necessary, and make sure that it's lagged/insulated.
A dual rate meter will have dual displays, or a button to scroll through the different tiers if it's a digital display.
Electric panel heaters on standard rate are the most expensive way to heat, so you're right to stock up on the woolly jumpers...