Advice needed please re our gas heating

shirleyc

Hi please can someone give us advise/point us in the right direction.......

We moved in to this house in April and its our first experience of gas CH, with British Gas on a key meter. Have been trying to figure whats the cheapest way to use it, and currently have it set heating comes on 2 periods a day morning and evening for 1 1/2 hrs heating never set above 18 degrees. Hot water is heated when we use it, and were also on a water meter.

Spoke to my sister and a few friends via facebook she is paying £30 gas dd a month and i think we must be paying too much! Currently on key meter for both, we are in a large 2 bedroom house and are paying per week £25 for gas and £10 week electric.

Please advise what I am doing wrong as quite honestly I cant maintain paying this much per month!?

Many thanks!!

daveyjp

Key meter rates are much higher than dd rates. Far better to compare useage from meter readings.

SwanJon

daveyjp wrote: »

Key meter rates are much higher than dd rates. Far better to compare useage from meter readings.

While they are higher, I'm not sure about 'much higher', and definately not 300% higher.
What a DD will do is spread the cost so you pay the same each month. on a PP meter you pay when you use it, so more when it is colder.
It is also possible a DD is set too low, so not representative of consumption.

As Davey says, check the readings. Have you had anything explainign how to use the meters?

On the gas meter, with the card out, hold the red button and the screen will change - there shoudl be a number in the corner.
9 & 10 will show p/kWh you are paying (I can't remember where the standing charge is - 18?)
27 will show if there is a bill on the meter and if there is 25/26 will show how much is being recovered towards that each week.
The electricity meter is a bit simpler - just press the blue button to change screens (letters this time) - F shows the weekly payment (Standing charge & anything for any bill), I & K sho p/kWH. S & T will show if there is a bill ontg he meter and the weekly payment for this.

Try building a consumption diary - each time you top up record how much it was for, how much credit is now on the meter, if you ahve used the emergency & the meter reading. This will show you exactly where the moeny is going.

shirleyc

Thanks for the advice! Have phone British Gas who initially told me I failed a credit check for DD..... then when I threatened to make a complaint, they phoned me back to say ever so sorry We were wrong you passed!?

They say £50 a month gas DD roughly and the same throughout the year which seems OK to me! Nect step to call other companies and see what they can offer, I dont want to be on a meter it's inconvenient and costly so hope to find someone who will put me on a DD at a reasonable price!

Many thanks for the information!

Shirley

Wywth

shirleyc wrote: »

Thanks for the advice! Have phone British Gas who initially told me I failed a credit check for DD..... then when I threatened to make a complaint, they phoned me back to say ever so sorry We were wrong you passed!?

They say £50 a month gas DD roughly and the same throughout the year which seems OK to me! Nect step to call other companies and see what they can offer, I dont want to be on a meter it's inconvenient and costly so hope to find someone who will put me on a DD at a reasonable price!

Many thanks for the information!

Shirley

On what possible basis could you complain that the lender decided not to offer you credit? :huh:

Credit is a privilege, not a right, and no one has to extend it to you.

timjim

Your sister may be only paying £30 DD but what are her bills.

A DD payment is only a payment against the account and she may be building up a large debt.

southcoastrgi

diff size house, diff size boiler & rads, diff windows, diff insulation levels, there is no way you can compaire with others unless their house is exactly the same

Cardew

shirleyc wrote: »

They say £50 a month gas DD roughly and the same throughout the year which seems OK to me! Nect step to call other companies and see what they can offer,

The call centre staff are on commission and will set the DD as low as necessary to get your custom.

Therefore the initial level of your DD is not important. If it is set too low you will quickly build up a debit balance and the DD will rise by a huge amount.

If you have been paying £25 a week(in the Autumn) then £50 a month by DD is probably too low.

t0rt0ise

Phone around but you'll be lucky to find another supplier willing to change the meter without charging you £50 or more to do so. And they could quote you any amount for the DD but it doesn't mean that you won't end up with a debt at the end of the year. You need to look at the actual price of gas and not just the DD level they quote.