confusing bills and useage

girlsmum

I am sure i am not the only one, but i thought about doing a comparison. I logged onto my current supplier to see my usage (they are useless) been with them since 13/7/12 despite me sending readings they seem to estimate, however i have got some genuine readings

GAS
23/09/2013 - 15283
13/07/2012 - 13608
usage over 14 months -1675
Per Month - 119.64
therefore per year 1435.714 - GAS

ELEC

23/09/2013 - 85341
13/07/2012 - 80290
usage over 14 months -5051
Per Month - 306.785
therefore per year 4329.429 ELEC

When i put in the per year figures in the sites it states that my current useage is about £780 PA but i am paying £108 per month.

I thought that maybe i am in credit, but my last estimated bill was electric 84904.703 Gas 15257.7 both estimated on 7/9/13, as you can see they have overestimated my gas slightly, but not really on the electricity. So how can there be such a huge difference.
between what i am paying and what the sites say i should be paying based on my tarriff
thank you
Ax

macman

Your gas meter reads in volume, either in cu m or cu ft (it's shown on the front which), so either metric or imperial. But you are billed in kWh. So to use a comp site you need to convert that gas reading to kWh first.
Use this handy converter:
http://www.energylinx.co.uk/gas_meter_conversion.html
With electricity, one meter unit is one kWh, so no conversion is necessary.
Based on a usage of 1,675 gas units, you probably have a metric meter and have used about 19, 032 kWh in 14 months. UK annual average is 16,500 kWh, so about right. You need to be wary or pro-rating 14m down to 12m though, because your winter gas consumption is much higher than in summer, so it depends which 2 months you are overlapping.
Your supplier is obliged to give you your annual consumption if asked-and it's on your annual statement.

girlsmum

many thanks I never knew that.
No point in asking for usage as they dont read the meters, and when they do they dont seem to use the readings, i have a better useage record, and estimating is the best way as the overlapped months are july and Aug so low useage months

but many thanks for clearing this up for me

Ax

pinkie3187

Can't see how to ask a question so hope someone picks this up.... Have done comparisons and looks like I can save up to £820 per year (a huge amount) BUT is the comparison taking into account the standing charge. Am with Southern Elec at 15.66p per day - cheaper energy comparisons quote up to 68p per day. Do I need to add this into the equation?

thriftylass

pinkie3187 wrote: »

Can't see how to ask a question so hope someone picks this up.... Have done comparisons and looks like I can save up to £820 per year (a huge amount) BUT is the comparison taking into account the standing charge. Am with Southern Elec at 15.66p per day - cheaper energy comparisons quote up to 68p per day. Do I need to add this into the equation?

When using comparison sites you will have to choose your current supplier and tariff in one of the fields, so the site knows your kWh and standing charge and will compare that to all the other tariffs. So you don't need to do anything else but put your kWh in and select your current supplier (well and answer all the other usual questions about postcode etc) Hope that helps.

thriftylass

girlsmum wrote: »

many thanks I never knew that.
No point in asking for usage as they dont read the meters, and when they do they dont seem to use the readings, i have a better useage record, and estimating is the best way as the overlapped months are july and Aug so low useage months

but many thanks for clearing this up for me

Ax

Sorry I don't understand, why is there no point in asking them for usage. Don't you give them actual readings now and then so they don't have to estimate? They don't have to read the meters (only every two years) that is our job. :cool: Especially now as you can see you are using more then you are billed for as their estimate is lower than your reading.

Nada666

I doubt the £820. I suspect you have entered an annual figure as a quarterly or monthly amount somewhere. Or quarterly as monthly. (Could be not your fault - some comparison sites/browser combinations are terrible and poorly implemented.)

Check again with annual useage in kWhs.

macman

Or possibly gas meter units being (metric or imperial) entered erroneously as kWh figures?
An £820 saving is quite impossible unless you live in a mansion and pay £10,000 a year + in energy bills.
Post your annual kWh usage for proper advice.