confused at how my electricity bill can be so high ?

fendertele

Hey everyone hoping might get some help with this as i feel it should be much lower.

I have been renting a flat for about a year and a half. When i first moved into the flat I got Scottish power set up in the first week, the flat itself is small and has storage heaters.

For the first few months i was out of work and in the flat a lot, using the heating,dehumidifiers, tv, cooking etc.... a lot!! i got the first bill through which was an estimate for something like £150.... i called them up as even then i thought it was quite high, i gave them my meter readings and it turned out i owed more £250ish.

So i paid it and from that day on i turned my storage heaters off at the switch next to each of them and stopped using dehumidifiers and all round watched what i was using.

I got a job working night shift... so i was coming into the flat early morning and going to bed so no need for heating... the next bill came in as an estimate around £150 again... i paid it as i was too busy to sort it out as was working so much.. i then got a new job offer working away from home, so the flat is vacant mon-fri and i'm only in it at night fri,sat,sun... again estimate bills come in for £150 and i continue to pay it planning on being in credit when i do get round to calling them up.

Today i called when i received my next £150 estimate bill and gave them my readings... turns out the estimate was pretty close and i owe them money over a certain period.

How can i be hitting £150 pounds quarterly only being in my flat 2/3 nights a week and using only tv,shower, cooking one meal and doing one big wash on the sunday!!!

Can the storage heaters still be using some power even if i have turned them all off at the wall switch ( flicked it to off )

Mr.Generous

most of your bill is standing charge, look how much your bill is for electricity used v's standing charge. If you dont use much look for a supplier with lower standing charges. With actual bills in front of you go on comparison sites and find the best deal.

CashStrapped

I do not know how you can determine it is all due to the standing charge. They did not even mention the tariff. A standing charge is immaterial and the overall tariff cost including unit rate is what is important.

.......

Firstly, when you moved in did you give an opening meter reading?

Can you supply us with all the actual (confirmed) meter readings you have taken and the dates (ignore any estimated ones).

You have to get a grasp as to what you are using on a daily basis. This will tell you if you are using an abnormal amount of electricity.

Once we have done this, we can calculate your annual use in KWH and that will help you to pick the best tariff (high or low standing charge).

Then, you can look at how you can reduce you consumption. Are you using the heater controls correctly. Are you using as much use as possible on the night E7 cheap rate? How is the water heated? Is the immersion left on? Doe sit have a timer?

You just have to go through everything methodically. Only then will you work out why your utility costs are so high.

Mr.Generous

CashStrapped wrote: »

I do not know how you can determine it is all due to the standing charge. They did not even mention the tariff. A standing charge is immaterial and the overall tariff cost including unit rate is what is important.

lets see when they check, I was thinking minimum use working away and bills staying same - more about standing charge than use. :beer:

CashStrapped

I understand where you are coming from. But, standing charges might equate to maybe £100 a year plus (assuming 30p per day..which is quite high). So the quarterly total for standing charges would only be around £27. This is just speculation obviously.

Even if standing charges are a component, it is immaterial when looking at their annual KWH use, as that will always determine the best tariff be it a high or low standing charge.

If the OP can give the information I requested above, we can look at everything that may be contributing to the high bills, and work through everything methodically.

fendertele

CashStrapped wrote: »

I do not know how you can determine it is all due to the standing charge. They did not even mention the tariff. A standing charge is immaterial and the overall tariff cost including unit rate is what is important.

.......

Firstly, when you moved in did you give an opening meter reading?

Can you supply us with all the actual (confirmed) meter readings you have taken and the dates (ignore any estimated ones).

You have to get a grasp as to what you are using on a daily basis. This will tell you if you are using an abnormal amount of electricity.

Once we have done this, we can calculate your annual use in KWH and that will help you to pick the best tariff (high or low standing charge).

Then, you can look at how you can reduce you consumption. Are you using the heater controls correctly. Are you using as much use as possible on the night E7 cheap rate? How is the water heated? Is the immersion left on? Doe sit have a timer?

You just have to go through everything methodically. Only then will you work out why your utility costs are so high.

Sorry i don't have any readings as i gave them over the phone while looking at the meter.

I moved in and within the first week i gave them the meter readings while signing up with them, then the first bill came in which was an estimate, even though i had in comparison to now been using 10x more power i was still quite shocked with the amount the estimate was so rang up and gave a proper reading and they adjusted the bill and sent it out and it was infact more than the estimate.

So from that point on i stopped using the heating in the flat as it isn't really needed even in the winter as it's small and i get heat rising from the flats below, i also stopped using all my fans,dehumidifiers etc... things which i had been running 24/7 to clear flat of any allergies/mold if there was any upon moving in.

i then began working night shifts which meant i was using nothing through the night and only my tv,cooker,fridge,shower,washing machine and hot water for dishes and were talking every few days for dishes and one big wash a week.

i continued to pay the estimates even though i thought it should be lower but wasn't 100 percent.

But my current job means i'm now away mon-frid night and only in the flat friday night - sun night and im out a lot of the time, so i am really using next to nothing... few foreman grilled meals, cups of tea, showers and dishes and washing on sunday before leaving on the monday.

When i leave on the monday every socket is turned off except the fridge, so nothing is running on standby, and i only turn the hot water on when i do the dishes for one hour on boost.

CashStrapped

If you ring your supplier, you can get your historical meter reads and/or they will be on the bills they sent when they calculated them, or via your online account.

We could guess to the causes, but without the numbers to crunch, it would be just that ....a guess.

I also note you say your receive your bills quarterly. Is that £150 estimate a quarterly bill. If as you say it is about correct then that equates to £40 a month.

Are you paying quarterly on receipt of bill? This is the most expensive way to pay if so. Are you on a poor tariff? Again you may be paying a premium there too.

As I said, this is all guesswork.

The only way to find out is to get those numbers, do a quick bit of simple maths and then use a comparison site.

You may see your bills reduce massively if you do this.

When you get the actual meter readings, post them here, and the dates they were taken and we will help. You should have two sets of readings being on E7... a day and night or high/low reading, we need them both. Also post your current tariff name and the unit rates if possible (on your bill)

welshmoneylover

Immersion heater?

CashStrapped

welshmoneylover wrote: »

Immersion heater?

Already mentioned....

We just have to wait for the numbers...

fendertele

welshmoneylover wrote: »

Immersion heater?

will have to get back to you on that, idon't think so as i only have hot water when i put the hot water switch on for an hour so.... or else it comes out cold. And i only put the hot water on once a week when i get back to do dishes before i leave on the monday.... it has a little timer i can turn for a one hour boost.

footyguy

fendertele wrote: »

Hey everyone hoping might get some help with this as i feel it should be much lower.

I have been renting a flat for about a year and a half. When i first moved into the flat I got Scottish power set up in the first week, the flat itself is small and has storage heaters.

For the first few months i was out of work and in the flat a lot, using the heating,dehumidifiers, tv, cooking etc.... a lot!! i got the first bill through which was an estimate for something like £150.... i called them up as even then i thought it was quite high, i gave them my meter readings and it turned out i owed more £250ish.

So i paid it and from that day on i turned my storage heaters off at the switch next to each of them and stopped using dehumidifiers and all round watched what i was using.

I got a job working night shift... so i was coming into the flat early morning and going to bed so no need for heating... the next bill came in as an estimate around £150 again... i paid it as i was too busy to sort it out as was working so much.. i then got a new job offer working away from home, so the flat is vacant mon-fri and i'm only in it at night fri,sat,sun... again estimate bills come in for £150 and i continue to pay it planning on being in credit when i do get round to calling them up.

Today i called when i received my next £150 estimate bill and gave them my readings... turns out the estimate was pretty close and i owe them money over a certain period.

How can i be hitting £150 pounds quarterly only being in my flat 2/3 nights a week and using only tv,shower, cooking one meal and doing one big wash on the sunday!!!

Can the storage heaters still be using some power even if i have turned them all off at the wall switch ( flicked it to off )

I struggle to understand how anyone does not need heating.
Agreed you may not have needed it recently, but yoiu will soon else yiu will suffer possible damp, (especially as you also appear to have thought it appropriate to use a dehumidifier previously), frozen/burst pipes, etc

Consult a comparison site to find the best deal for you.

If you are leaving the property empty regularly as you say, you may find insurance will be invalidated unless you tell them, and then if they continue to accept the risk, they will insist the property is heated 24/7 during cold winter months.

If you are renting, you may well find you are in breach of your ASTA.

Sorrry to bring you the bad news...:cool:

Good Luck!