British Gas - can they do this..

Wywth

claires_123 wrote: »

Oh I see so its the stone walls!
Above us is another apartment its stone floors too so I guess the heat will escape up through these too. The people before us had the heating on low but constantly on would this be a cheaper way to do it maybe?
THANK YOU!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4327195

claires_123

Wow - that seems like another big arguement! Why can't there be a simple yes/no answer haha!

Fire_Fox

claires_123 wrote: »

They never asked us for meter readings when we moved in but they have supplied the correct ones as the previous owners must have given them the final readings. Then the bill they have created is based on our readings from the weekend. Our meter is a new style one I think - its the same as our previous house which was only 5 years old.

It's your responsibility to read the meter, give these to supplier, ask for the tariff you feel best suits your needs, give payment details - you normally do this the first day or two after you move in. Previous owners may have made a mistake or may have lied.

claires_123 wrote: »

I don't really know about the insulation - it's a converted mill & has real stone walls in some areas so these do create cold drafty areas but I don't have the boiler on anymore than in our previous house our bill there used to be £82 a month for both gas & electric & I was always in credit. Hope the new tariff makes a difference.

High ceilings? If so heat rises and you are heating a larger volume than the floor space implies, it's probably toasty up above whilst you don't get the benefit. Also if you have large windows as many mills do, this tends to lose heat, even if they are double glazed.

It doesn't matter if you are not having the heating on more hours, if you have a well insulted property the boiler will be on less to keep the space warm than if you have a poorly insulated one. Your old home was brand new so will have been well insulated and likely fairly small rooms so the thermostat will likely have switched the boiler off quite a bit.

Seven hours heating a day is an awful lot if you are out at work all day, try only heating the rooms you are using, electric underblanket on bed, electric overblanket on sofa, wear more clothing, curtains or blinds with blackout lining (better than thermal lining) on all the windows or even shutters - if they are very large windows IKEA is cheapest for a basic curtain then sew in the lining yourself or pay a seamstress.

Did you get an energy performance certificate as part of the sales particulars? I don't think they are a legal requirement any more but the flat might have been on the market a while.

claires_123

We did take meter readings the day we moved in they were correct - but British gas never asked us for them when we called to register, thats what I meant - but they had the same meter readings so I know there isn't a problem there.
I think its just basically the stone walls and large windows like you say the celings aren't high at all, the windows are very large, wooden framed but there is a draft that comes from them.
I have the heating on for 2 hours on a morning whilst we are getting ready, eating breakfast etc... then I have it on from 4pm till 9pm on an evening when we are home. I have just changed the timer today to have it on for a little less see if this helps.
I do have an energy performance certificate I will dig it out see what it says, it hadn't been on the market too long when we bought it, 8 months or so, the previous owners had lived there over 10 years too since it was converted they were moving purely as they had started a family. Sure it won't be a problem its just getting used to the settings & moving from a new house like you say the rooms were smaller also carpeted, and well insulated! Thank you for your help!