are we paying too much for our electricity?

jammerr

hello,

i live in a 2 bedroom flat with one other person. we've felt our bills have been high since we moved in. my flatmate has a girlfriend who lives in a flat by herself and her bill was £40 last month!


our bill in december was £200, and we were both out the flat for two weeks! we have no gas but it still seems excessive every month.

we have two heaters/'radiators', we are stingy with them, i only ever put the one on in my room just before i'm going for a shower and turn it off half hr max later. the one in the living room might go on for an hour every other day if that. at a low heat too.

the water is on for 3 hours a day max, probably nearer 2. we have a widescreen tv but i think we've got energy saving on it. we only really turn the lamp on in the living room, or one set of spotlights in the living room. washing machine (no tumble drier) and oven is used as much as you'd expect for two guys to usually use it. we both work ft so out the flat for half/most the day.

we're on a blue price energy tariff with edf. my flatmate has rung edf about our bills and they think it's a bit steep. though maybe whoever he spoke to was just saying that.

should we investigate further or are we just niave? it's just everyone we speak to seems to pay far less than us.

thanks

Kayalana99

It does sound excessive for a flat we are with Eon as well and pay £63 a month but that works out over the year as I belive our gas/eletric bill was £150 one month but we had the heating on day and night as our house is high ceilings and is impossible to get warm.

Not sure how they can over charge you tho maybe something your not aware of is happening as it would be rare for eletric companys to get figures at thier end wrong?

Are you on a meter?

dogshome

So this is an all Electric flat - Do you have an ECO7 meter that delivers cheap power ovenight for Storage Radiators & Hot water ?
If so, those heaters & hot water you are turning on during the day are really costing as the cheap overnight power is traded off against very expensive power during the day

It would help to answer if you posted the actual meter readings on this £200 bill

Fire_Fox

£40 for an all electric flat in the winter is either wrong (not based on accurate start and finish meter readings but instead at least one estimate) OR the occupant barely uses the heating or hot water. Are you reading your own meters monthly and are you on the right tariff for your usage patterns? Compare your actual use in KWH not £££ to the girlfriend's actual use.

Your gadgets and lighting are largely irrelevant: it's the heating, hot water, showers, washing machine and tumble dryer that are the energy guzzlers. Agree with the others if you have an economy 7 meter/ tariff you will be being absolutely stung if you use the heating and immersion and washing machine during the day, use timers for overnight.

[Deleted User]

I live in a 2bed flat, my electric is about £15ish a week (no more than £16) in the winter. My annual electric usage is around £550 per year at the highest and £402 at the lowest in the past 5years. My bill was higher last year than any other year, even though this year theres only me, as my oldest left home 18months ago and Im using less electric. but the day and night rates (im onE7) have gone up in price. Edited to say, i have a separate shower and tend to use this rather than heat the water for baths. When having a cuppa i use the rest of the hot water in the kettle for washing up rather than heat the emmersion heater. I have an electric blanket instead of heating my bedroom as i have my window slightly open in the night for air). Ive a storage heater in my lounge which hasnt been switched off since last autumn, that cost me around £9 per week to run. The other £6 i use in electric is for everything else.

Horseunderwater

When you moved in did you give the energy company a meter reading from the meter? Then set up the account in your name? If not then it may be that you are paying for the previous occupants electric?
Do you have storage heaters on the wall at all? If you do they draw energy into them overnight between approx 12.30-7.30 each night for 7 hours (economy 7). This then gets released in the day time - but the process can slowed down by turning them down, when you're out then up when you get home. Also putting the immersion onto a programable controller to heat up a tank over night will save too. Make sure that the tank is well insulated. It does not need to be on too long. An hour is normally fine. If you washing machine is cold fill only - you do not need to heat water up for it - it does itself and if you can run it overnight after 12.30am you'll save money then too. That is assuming you are on an Ec7 meter.