New House - SSE, supplied - storage heating - expensive?

louisa042

Hi there,

This may turn into quite a long winded query but I'm hoping someone out there can be more help than the person I got with Scottish Hydro.

We have just moved into a bungalow which is on the standard tarrif rate with SSE and has a 'key' meter due to a past tenant debt. I have been assured by SSE that the rate I am paying is the same so I'm not that bothered about that.

I have never had storage heating or had to watch 'literally' what electricity I'm using and it seems high to me so I'm looking for any advice.

We use anywhere between £7-£10 a day. (£300 a month is an extremely scary thought!)
The heating can be on 6-10 hours a day dependant on the met office?? I can't say when I want heating?
I have the boost on the heaters set to 0.
I have a large one in the hall which I leave at 9 as it is a long hall and one in the living room which I leave at 4.
The bedroom are freezing as they have electric heaters and I can't afford the extra electricity to run them.
The water tank is just switched on in the cupboard all the time (it has a boost button in the utility but I've never had to use it).
The house is a 3 bed bungalow of normal proportions.

Does anyone have a similar set up? Are those costs correct?

I'm worried to even use the washing machine more than once every few days as I don't know how much it will cost (which is hard with 2 toddlers!)

Any advice or money saving tips would be wonderful.

thank you

P_McGoohan

Storage heaters are designed to charge up on cheap rate electricity over night. They should be run off a time switch, and to make the best of them you should be on an Economy 7 tariff or similar.
I' check if that is the case.
Your immersion heater should also be set to heater the water over night to take advantage of the low rate as well.
Check with your supplier regarding the period, typically 1 am to * am, and run your washing mc during those hours.

But check you are on an Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariff.

louisa042

Hi there

Thank you for your reply.

No we are only on what the gentleman called the standard rate, there was nothing else he could offer me as it is fitted with a key meter due to last tenant debt.

In terms of times, I found it very odd that the met office control my heating with no advise from sse as to any specific times but had no option but to go with what he told me.

Thank you for your reply

chanz4

ask for them to send energy efficency out to help you correctly set them, for your hall thats way too high set