Shocking utility bill..

Uplift

I've just got my first bill from Npower and it's knocked me for six, i wanted to enquire here first before i call them up and possibly look stupid.

I've only been in my property since October, by the time it switched over i wasn't due to make a direct debit payment until the end of December... the DD was set at £50/month (it's low i know)...

so technically i've paid £200 (excluding this month)

Electricity
30/10/12 to 10/04/13
Estimated 2086kWh a 10.600p £221.12
Standing charge 163 days at 35.000 per day = £57.05
= £278.17 + VAT £13.91
= £292.08

Gas
02/11/2012 - 18/04/2013
Last reading: 8518 (actual), this reading: 8818 (estimated)
Calorific Value 39.9 300 (100s cubic feed) = 9623 kWh

9623 kWh at 3.375p = £324.78
Standing charge 168 days at 21.800 per day = £36.62
= £361.40 + VAT £18.07
= £379.47

total £471.55

absolute total = £671.55 for the 6month ish period.
take away £200 paid = £471.55

ok so it all adds up, but surely thats exceptionally high?

I live in a 2 bed roomed house, only 2 adults, we're never home, boiler comes on for a few hours a night and the rest is electricity.. i expected electricity to be higher since cooker, fire and oven is also electric.

My parents aren't even paying that much with a family of 4 in 3 bed and gas cooker etc..

Due to low monthly payment i expected to to owe some money maybe £200? but not more than double..

They are saying my new monthly payment is £147.55 or if i pay the outstanding balance of £471.55 then it will be reduced to £104... i can't afford either of those.

Does my bill sound right? anyone else in a similar situation and usage able to shed any light?

My predicted gas for next 12 months is 539.60 and predicted elec is 282.90.

on jan energy online tarrif.

molerat

That is not exceptionally high but the readings used are Estimated, are they close to the actual figures, you MUST check this NOW as the actuals could be more than you have been billed for. Also check that the gas meter has cu ft on the dial. I have a nasty feeling you are going to be in for a shock.

Uplift

If i split this bill over 6 months then thats £111/month.. if thats the case then i'll be going cold next winter as thats just too high for me, as i say my parents live in a bigger house than me with more people and someone home all day their bills are not even that high... and also the matter of gas being higher than electricity, i dont know how it's measured but i have one gas boiler and everything else is electricity inc ove, hobs and fire.

boiler was on 6 1/2 hours per day.. 1 on morning, 1 on afternoon and 3 1/2 on a night.

i'm thinking may be a gas leak? we had a leak when we first moved in but was fixed almost instantly, i'm wondering if we have a smaller almost undetectable leak that hasn't been noticed?

good_advice

Hiya, consider yourselves shocked to how high fuel bills are and are getting more so at each tariff change.

£104 DD after you pay your dept sounds ok for most bills.

You say your predicted duel fuel for the next 12 months is £822.50
so £822.50 devided by 12 months is ££68.52 and not £104

molerat

As I mentioned you need to check your meter readings as estimates (guesses) have been used which could be massively out either way. If you had a leak big enough to notice on the bill you wouldn't have a house to send it to.

Uplift

My start reading was 8518... My meter reading now is 8756 and the estimate is 8818

i'm not sure how that difference translates into cost

molerat

About £67 less. Also check what units the meter reads in.

Uplift

So their estimation isn't too bad, therefore leak unlikely? i thought i could smell gas when i checked for the reading but feel like i'm just being paranoid now.

[Deleted User]

The last 6 months has been exceptionally cold, I am seeing many people collecting what ammounts to two winter quarters with very cold weather right up to the middle of April. Many have huge gas bills just coming in. I can see a lot of direct debits being increased as the spring review is used to set the levels. I havent had such a long freezing cold winter as the last one which only just ended in mid April

Uplift

Thanks for the advice - i think i'm going to have to take this one on the chin.

Whats the chances of Npower re-assessing my bill if i phone with new readings? just to get it down a little bit.?

chanz4

should imagine they will