Setting up utilities for first time

Deant

I moved into my granddads old house in Manchester a little while back, but now for the first time in my adult life, I'm going to have to set up the utilities...

(when my grams died and his accounts were shut down, apparently, everything is left on for a month or so to give time to set up new accounts)

The house is a three bedroom semi and I live alone. It has a "conventional boiler" (I think). That you turn on for central heating/hot water and it has a gas powered fire in the living room.

Everything else oven/shower ect. is electric.

Now it is time for me to set up the utilities in my name and I have no idea where to start. How much to expect to pay.. Or how to pay (top card/DD/quaterly) or who to go with...

All the comparison sites seem to want to know what the previous bills are but I have no idea what these were.. It's like I'm starting from scratch.

He was previously with British Gas for Gas/Electric.

In regards to usage... Im not sure if I use a "lot" of not. TV (50inch LCD) is on all the time I guess. My PC is on 24/7 along with a 42inch and 24inch monitor...

I generally only do "a wash" once a week and usually hang cloths rather than use the dryer.

I rarely use the fire and central heating, but it would obviously increase some when it gets really cold.

Use the electric shower at least once a day...

I turn the boiler on once or twice a week to heat water, generally for washing dishes...Then the water usually stays hot for a few days. But I notice when doing so the central heating comes on for the whole house.

There is also an electric immersion heater in the water tank, which when turns all heats just the tap water... But I have no idea what's more efficient for just general hot water...Gas boiler or Immersion.

I use the electric oven/hob once a day I guess for cooking.

Other than recharging phones/virgin box/dvd player and light bulbs... I think that's about it...

Any tips/advice advice?

Cardew

If electricity and gas is connected to the house, then you are on a 'deemed contract' with whatever company is supplying electricity/gas. This will presumably be British Gas as that was your grandfather's supplier.

You need to call BG and register yourself as the account holder - and give them meter readings for gas and electricity.

Once all that is settled you can look to see which is the best tariff for you.

The cheapest tariffs are internet tariffs, and paying by monthly direct debit is the cheapest payment method.

Go to a comparison website like www.energyhelpline.com and guess your annual consumption - I suggest 16,500kWh gas and 3,300kWh electricity a year(the uk average). For current tariff put down BG standard.

You can play around with the consumption figures and a pattern will emerge.

macman

Gas heating costs about one third per kWh compared to electricity.
You will be liable for all consumption since you moved in, how long is 'a while back'? I trust that you took opening readings. The services are not 'left on' for a month, they are permanently on unless disconnection was requested. You really should have registered with BG on day one to avid a big catch up bill.

victor2

If it's an older style gas boiler, you'll probably find that the hot water tank is heated whenever the central heating is on. That may also be the reason why when the hot water is on, at least one radiator warms up.
Don't use the immersion heater - it'll cost, especially if you forget to turn it off!
You need to establish some usage patterns before you can reliably forecast what your future requirement might be, but talk to British Gas and get on one of their online tariffs for now. As you build up some history, you can look at changing supplier, but ideally you need a years worth before you'll get realistic figures.

Deant

Cheers guys.

By a little while I mean a couple of weeks.

My gramps died back in june, they were all contacted soon after to say he passed and to close his accounts. They were asked if gas/electric would be turned off, as over the last few months we've been emptying the house, decorating and then working out what we will be doing with it. Be it sell or moving in.

When I rang I'm sure they said not to worry and that nothing will be turned off for like six months. I asked who would be liable for to pay for it in that time... now it was a rough time and I had a crapload on my mind... I can;t remember specifically what she said.. (and as I write this I realise how unrealistic this sounds....

But I came off the the phone with the impression that as long as it was minimal use over a shortish period of time.. that usage would be written off when a new account is set up at this address. Be that me or a new owner.

Am I going mental and imagining that?

Either way that time is up and I have to pay what I have to pay.

So the skinny seems to be, avoid the immersion heater, get a gas oven, call up British gas and ask for an online tariff and give it six months/a year and then start looking around?

I notice on that comparison site, a bunch of the firms require you to have lived at the address for 3 years before you can switch... Gulp.

tlh858

Deant wrote: »

In regards to usage... Im not sure if I use a "lot" of not. TV (50inch LCD) is on all the time I guess. My PC is on 24/7 along with a 42inch and 24inch monitor...

You need to turn those off when not being used, otherwise you will be wasting £100s of electricity per year.

macman

Deant wrote: »

Cheers guys.

By a little while I mean a couple of weeks.

My gramps died back in june, they were all contacted soon after to say he passed and to close his accounts. They were asked if gas/electric would be turned off, as over the last few months we've been emptying the house, decorating and then working out what we will be doing with it. Be it sell or moving in.

When I rang I'm sure they said not to worry and that nothing will be turned off for like six months. I asked who would be liable for to pay for it in that time... now it was a rough time and I had a crapload on my mind... I can;t remember specifically what she said.. (and as I write this I realise how unrealistic this sounds....

But I came off the the phone with the impression that as long as it was minimal use over a shortish period of time.. that usage would be written off when a new account is set up at this address. Be that me or a new owner.

Am I going mental and imagining that?

Either way that time is up and I have to pay what I have to pay.

So the skinny seems to be, avoid the immersion heater, get a gas oven, call up British gas and ask for an online tariff and give it six months/a year and then start looking around?

I notice on that comparison site, a bunch of the firms require you to have lived at the address for 3 years before you can switch... Gulp.

The supplies remains live unless you ask for it to be disconnected, they can't be turned off 'remotely'. If you do, then a charge will then be made to reconnect.No, consumption is not 'written off', however minimal. It's either payable by your grandfather's estate or by you as the new occupier.. Beware an online tariff that will lock you in for a year or so.
And you do not have to live at an address for 3 years before you switch-where did you get that from?