I have a massive bill coming please help!

joshinlondon

HI
The last meter reading I took for our electric was Aug 2014 apparently we have used 15,733kWh as of this weekend. I am with first utility v3 london. Is there anyway i can estimate how much this is going to cost me?

First utility have been estimating bills but I think this is way under where it should be, we moved into the house recently so i don't have much of a handle on managing the power consumption (there is little insulation etc)

Can I fix onto a cheaper deal with them before paying this off, would they spread the cost over time?

Should i just pay and switch supplier? I have just joined the energy club.

What is a good way to monitor our consumption? I just found out our immersion heater has be on all the time

Any advice appreciated!
Thanks

zaax

Bloody h%ll multiply that by 14p = £2202 - are you down for mansion tax?

spiro

Is the property all electric because if not the average annual consumption is about 3300kwh.

System

It's a pretty simple equation:

Days times the Standing Charge

Usage(kWhs) X the unit cost

Plus 5% VAT less any discounts

Sadly, I cannot find a version 3 tariff so I cannot help further with the calculation. FU should allow you to switch to a cheaper tariff if they have one but they will want to come to some agreement about the amount owed.

The only way to monitor consumption is to read the meter once a week.

FWiW, I am with E.ON, and 15,733 kWhs would cost about £1700. Are you sure that you have read the meter correctly? Even with the immersion heater on all day, this looks very high. Immersion heaters cut out when the set temperature is reached so it will not have been on continuously.

joshinlondon

HI

I found the costs 16p per kwh and 8p per day are the charge.

We have been running dishwasher and tumble dryer, 2 fridge freezers, dehumdifier (we have single skin walls and have condensation issues) one electric heater, TVs etc

I did not do the old reading (I think the wife did) and there is no history before then (aug 2014) although we have been in the house for longer so I guess the old reading could be wrong. Should i question the reading before the last in Aug 2014?
And yes, i wish i had paid more attention to this before now
Thanks for the responses!!

Robin9

Did you have a bill in August 2014 and was it based on an actual or estimated reading ?

footyguy

joshinlondon wrote: »

HI
The last meter reading I took for our electric was Aug 2014 apparently we have used 15,733kWh as of this weekend. I am with first utility v3 london. Is there anyway i can estimate how much this is going to cost me?

First utility have been estimating bills but I think this is way under where it should be, we moved into the house recently so i don't have much of a handle on managing the power consumption (there is little insulation etc)

Can I fix onto a cheaper deal with them before paying this off, would they spread the cost over time?

Should i just pay and switch supplier? I have just joined the energy club.

What is a good way to monitor our consumption? I just found out our immersion heater has be on all the time

Any advice appreciated!
Thanks

joshinlondon wrote: »

HI

I found the costs 16p per kwh and 8p per day are the charge.

We have been running dishwasher and tumble dryer, 2 fridge freezers, dehumdifier (we have single skin walls and have condensation issues) one electric heater, TVs etc

I did not do the old reading (I think the wife did) and there is no history before then (aug 2014) although we have been in the house for longer so I guess the old reading could be wrong. Should i question the reading before the last in Aug 2014?
And yes, i wish i had paid more attention to this before now
Thanks for the responses!!

Well you could calculate the cost

Add the product of the units used & unit cost to the product of the number of days involved and daily cost (then allow for any other additions or discounts your tariff may include) and that will give you the cost of consumption

Remember not to forget to allow for the amounts you have already paid.

If the supplier has a cheaper tariff, then of course you can transfer to that - just give them a call (Beware of any possible early exit fees that may apply)

If you are paying monthly by DD, the supplier will usually just readjust your DD payment as necessary

You could also switch supplier, and why wouldn't you is you know of a better deal for you? The supplier may be less willing to allow you to spread the cost if you switch supplier, but it sounds like you have the ability to pay anyway

You'll have to explain about the immersion, sorry.

macman

You said you 'moved into the house recently', and then said it was longer, before August 2014. So when was it?
You must have an opening read from when you moved in, because that'll be the starting read on your first bill. So it sounds like you have had nearly a full year to get a handle on your consumption.
Backs to basics-how is the property heated and hot watered? Is the immersion heater just intended as a backup to a gas or oil-powered CH system? Your consumption is not credible unless you are heating with electricity-even the immersion being on 24/7 would not account for such massive usage.
Over what exact period did you use 15,733kWh?
PS: the best way to 'monitor your consumption' is to read the meter-that's what it's there for. The supplier only has to read it every two years.

joshinlondon

HI
It is going to be over £2.5k which feels crazy to me, I think I am going to have to ask them for some more history on the account to see what we have been using!

We had left on the immersion hot water heater which i understand is expensive.

Also looking at the above costs, the deal i am on appears to be much more expensive than it should be.

Thanks for the responses

macman

That would be the total cost for that amount of power, but you've already paid the standing charge, and the bills based on estimated usage. The amount owing will be a lot less than that, and you can easily calculate it simply by working out the number of unbilled units. That will be the difference between your current actual reading and your last billed estimated reading.
What you then need to do is post your actual kWh usage over a full year, or since occupation if less than a year-if so state the number of days as well.

footyguy

joshinlondon wrote: »

...Also looking at the above costs, the deal i am on appears to be much more expensive than it should be.

What do you mean exactly?

Are you suggesting you are being charged at higer rates than the tariff you agreed to? If so, contact the supplier with supporting evidence.

Or are you suggesting there may be a cheaper supplier/tariff available to you? In which case switch/transfer.