Slightly ridiculous query over gas bill...

sherrypie

hi there..i have just recieved my bill from british gas..its disgraceful !!! it was from 7th nov 2012 to 25 feb 2013....for my electric they have charged me £323.24 and my gas is £1185.54 !!!! is this right ? i have never had a bill so high...i live in a 4 bed house with my 4 children..i am really worried as how im going to pay it..i phoned them today to query it but they say its correct..i can not understand how i have used so much...any advice would be great...many thanks

Wywth

sherrypie wrote: »

hi there..i have just recieved my bill from british gas..its disgraceful !!! it was from 7th nov 2012 to 25 feb 2013....for my electric they have charged me £323.24 and my gas is £1185.54 !!!! is this right ? i have never had a bill so high...i live in a 4 bed house with my 4 children..i am really worried as how im going to pay it..i phoned them today to query it but they say its correct..i can not understand how i have used so much...any advice would be great...many thanks

No one here can help you. You haven't provided anywhere near enough detail.

Call your supplier again - they will talk you through it, and discuss payment options if you explain you are struggling to pay.

salted_london

sometimes they send estimates of the gas bill, give them the right reading

otherwise, change the boiler

macman

Post your actual kWh usage. £££'s bills tell us nothing about your actual consumption.

sherrypie

they estimated meter in november which was 28734....then did meter reading end of february and that was 30993... hope that made sense as i have no idea how they work it out lol x

Ecodave

Looks about right based on the figures you present. Of course the opening reading was estimated, so the previous bill may have been a littlebtoo low. Gas has gone up significantly over the last few years, and looks like it will continue going up. Perhaps now is a good time to take a look at what you can do to reduce consumption.

For future reference, I would start taking regular (monthly?) meter readings, and get to understand how the meter readings convert into bills. You don't want any more nasty surprises, right?

Fire_Fox

sherrypie wrote: »

they estimated meter in november which was 28734....then did meter reading end of february and that was 30993... hope that made sense as i have no idea how they work it out lol x

Why is your opening reading estimated? What is your actual usage based on actual readings taken by you, the landlord or the letting agent when you moved in, or the last actual reading by you or the supplier?

Agree with the others take readings monthly and send them to the supplier, consider setting up a direct debit to spread the costs through the year instead of waiting for a bill covering the whole winter. Unfortunately you as energy user and bill payer are responsible for budgeting and for making sure your bills accurately reflect your usage. The supplier only has to read the meter every two years so you can end up getting behind and receiving massive catch up bills.

Kalama

Fire_Fox wrote: »

It may make more sense to do it the other way around, they pay the bills since they are permanent residents and then you contribute when back in the UK, I think you are setting yourself up a taxation nightmare.

So you are wanting to treat your brother and partner as your lodgers not tenants? Be careful, that could look like tax evasion given you actually live overseas. We have had cases before where HMRC have wanted tax returns for someone paying bills on a house they allowed a relative to stay in.

Thanks for the advice - I will check with HMRC when next back.

I am ordinarily resident in the UK for tax purposes, and this is my primary residence. I am being a very good big sis and the contribution towards gas and electricity is the only thing I am letting them give me. We're back in the house living with them for 2 out of every six weeks, and we're moving back for good in a few months time.

You wouldn't believe the trouble I had convincing the council NOT to give me a discount on my council tax - some sort of second home discount? I had to explain that this is my primary residence and if they gave me the discount I could get in all kinds of bother.... Don't even get me started on the mess they made when I added my brother and his partner's names to our council tax account!