Help! Why is my electricity so expensive?

adnanjanuzaj

I moved into a small one bedroom flat 45 days ago.

There is no gas. The electricity bill for that period is £122.87. There is a day rate and a night rate (Day is 20.99 and Night is 8.5).

Maybe some people think that isn't a lot but I don't think I have used a lot of power. In the 45 days, this is my usage:

• Heating has never been turned on
• Dishwasher never used
• Washing machine used 4 times
• TV is on approximately 4 hours a day
• Some lights are on approximately 6 hours a day
• Fridge / freezer is on 24 hours a day
• Grill is on approximately 5 minutes a day
• Oven used three times in the 45 days

Does this sound like a normal amount considering my usage? If I turned off absolutely everything for 24 hours (lights, tv, fridge) how much do you think that would cost me? I feel like I am being charged for using next to nothing so thought maybe I could do that experiment.

Thanks

JJ_Egan

What supplier what tariff .

Smiley_Dan

That seems very high for what you've *said* you consumed.

Is the bill for metered or estimated usage? That's the first thing to check.

If it's accurate, then you need to start measuring usage because likely *something* is on. You can use the electricity meter for this to give you the whole house picture, and progressively shut things down and use kill-a-watt meters on individual appliances.

2013yearofthehouse

What about hot water?

adnanjanuzaj

Those are my meter readings from the date I moved in up to yesterday.

Spark Energy. I stated the rates in my first post.

adnanjanuzaj

2013yearofthehouse wrote: »

What about hot water?

I'm guessing that must be heated by electricity too.

2013yearofthehouse

adnanjanuzaj wrote: »

I'm guessing that must be heated by electricity too.

Yes, but is it on all the time or on a timer etc. do you use a lot of it?

Alter_ego

adnanjanuzaj wrote: »

I'm guessing that must be heated by electricity too.

I'm guessing that must have been on 24/7

WestonDave

2 critical things you haven't mentioned that will be using a lot of electricity (both connected) - if you have an immersion heater running to keep a supply of hot water, and if you are using (as I suspect) an instant heat electric shower then both of those could be using a fair bit of power. You also mention a few uses of grill and oven but presumably you cook other things (apart from using a microwave) and again as its a heat source it will be power intensive.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

adnanjanuzaj wrote: »

If I turned off absolutely everything for 24 hours (lights, tv, fridge) how much do you think that would cost me?

There should be no movement on the meter, so no cost from there; you will still be billed for any standing charge that is included in your tariff.

adnanjanuzaj

This is how it breaks down:

Total Day Usage = 513
Total Night Usage = 98
Total Day Cost = £107.6787
Total Night Cost = £8.33
Total Standing Charge = £6.30
Total = £122.3087
Total + VAT = £128.424135