Crazy high bill for a month - British gas?!

Graciexo

Hi there,

Im unsure if this is the right place to put it but i thought i would give it a bash to get some peoples opinions.
I have been with British Gas for just over a year now, and in summer our gas bills are around £20 p/m rising slowly to around £80 p/m in winter (we like it toasty!).
This time last year we were hit with a bit of a shock bill of £100ish, but it was put down to our over use etc.
However this year we have been billed just over £200 for a months gas for a ONE BED flat with two of us living there?! :O

This seems crazy and I am unsure if it would be even possible to use this much gas for us as we are out most of the day? Do you think i should challenge this? Could there be a leak or theft of gas going on? We have a carbon monoxide alarm and this hasnt gone off and i have checked it?

Thanks in advance,
Gracie.

System

Have you provided BG with an actual meter reading or is the increase based on BG's estimated reading?

If it is the latter, then read the meter and pass the reading on to BG. They should then issue a revised bill.

Nada666

How do you know the bill covers a single month's use of gas? How do you know it is not a catch-up bill?

Read your meter and check how much you use day to day and week to week just now. If you use a normal amount now continue to use it and chalk the bill down to a catch-up.

Nada666

(I take it you have checked you are not being charged for an imperial meter when you have a metric one - that would explain a jump from £80 to £200.)

zaax

BG is the problem - move. Also record your meter reading each month and work out how much they should be. Use Google sheets to record the readings if necessary. Your gas bill should be about £30 (mine is), if your house etc is properly insulated

energyworker

zaax wrote: »

BG is the problem - move. Also record your meter reading each month and work out how much they should be. Use Google sheets to record the readings if necessary. Your gas bill should be about £30 (mine is), if your house etc is properly insulated

Blindly encouraging people to move supplier seems a little hasty.

What readings is the bill based on? It should state them on the bill, if they are actual readings then it is worth looking in to the physical supply. That said the likelihood of there being a leak not being picked up by an alarm is unlikely.

Joyful

When you say you like it toasty what temp do you heat your home to? Remember last year was milder than now too. I spoke to a customer this week that uses £1800 a year. I was shocked when he said he had brought it down to 24 degrees but needed it high due to a sick wife.

For anyone using only £30 a month during winter I am impressed as this is unusual. I often see people using around £100 per month.

Graciexo

Joyful wrote: »

When you say you like it toasty what temp do you heat your home to? Remember last year was milder than now too. I spoke to a customer this week that uses £1800 a year. I was shocked when he said he had brought it down to 24 degrees but needed it high due to a sick wife.

For anyone using only £30 a month during winter I am impressed as this is unusual. I often see people using around £100 per month.

Thats in summer normally we are around £80 in winter. I have always given them my readings via text message for both my gas and electric (in response to other questions)?

Thanks

Graciexo

Nada666 wrote: »

How do you know the bill covers a single month's use of gas? How do you know it is not a catch-up bill?

Read your meter and check how much you use day to day and week to week just now. If you use a normal amount now continue to use it and chalk the bill down to a catch-up.

I give them my readings via text every month x

Andy_WSM

Graciexo wrote: »

I give them my readings via text every month x

The important thing to know is whether they are using the readings to generate a bill? Does the bill say "Actual" against the readings?

It's not been unknown for readings to be ignored due to system errors.

Graciexo

Andy_WSM wrote: »

The important thing to know is whether they are using the readings to generate a bill? Does the bill say "Actual" against the readings?

It's not been unknown for readings to be ignored due to system errors.

19 Nov 2014 - We read your meter 020976
19 Dec 2014 - Estimated your meter reading 03081

(We just checked our meter and its currently at 03094 today)