Excessive electricity bill!

Bjh2003

I am a small business owner and I run 2 shops. The electricity bill for my established shop is about £70 per month. My new shop however has just had a bill for 2 months electricity at over £600
There is probably less lighting in the new shop, but nothing extra compared to my old established shop. How do I go about investigating how this bill is so much and why the usage is so high.

macman

Forget £££'s billed. How does the actual kWh usage compare-that's what matters. How are the 2 shops heated and hot watered? That's what uses energy, not lighting.
Actual or estimated readings?

Bjh2003

Ok, need to compare usage, sounds bad, but no hot water or heating, as I run one premises and my wife runs the other it's never been an issue.

macman

You haven't answered; actual or estimated? If the latter, take readings and get an accurate bill.

Bjh2003

High priced bill is actual, bill is calculated from 2 meter readings by the landlord

Pineapple88

Are the readings correct? Best to check them yourself to make sure. Take weekly meter readings to monitor usage for the next few weeks.

Do you have a dial meter (series of 5 clocks)? They are notorious for being difficult to read and producing incorrect bills.

Is this your first bill? If possible try to get hold of old bills to check the readings on them. If the bills have been estimated in the past it is possible this they were estiamted too low and you are now being hit with the 'catch up bill'.