Huge gas energy bill spike

auslol

Hey guys,

I recently changed suppliers and when changing gave them an actual reading, of 0468, and did an actual reading again this month and it has spiked to 0867- that is a massive jump considering it is summer and the heating hasn't been on once.

I do have a new flatmate who likes to have baths, but still I don't think the usage should have jumped that much. In the three or so years I have been living at the flat I have never seen such an increase.

I have read some things online that it could be the boiler. The only other gas thing we have in the flat is out stove and we do both cook regularly but no more than usual.

Just looking to get ideas. I am planning to do daily readings for the next seven days and I am going to test turning all appliances off tomorrow to see if the boiler is indeed the culperate.

Any tips would be great.

p.s. I have checked the unit measurements are correct.

Cardew

Assuming you haven't got an old dial meter, do you have a 4 digit meter reading?


How long between meter readings?


Could you have got the 0468 reading wrong?

dogshome

The 0468 Switch reading is most likely correct, because if it was wildly wrong the losing supplier would have challenged it.


However, with a 4 figure display it is an 'Imperial' meter and a read of 0468 from zero, delivers only 14,742 Kwh - About enough to feed a family home for 15 months.


As there is no mention by the OP of a meter change, chances are that this meter has gone 'Round the Clock' and actually delivered over 3million KWh of Gas, and is well past it's Use-by date

Robin9

Can you give us a make and model number for the meter please .

It can be very difficult to read some modern meters - mine is a simple press a button and the reading I want is the only one displayed - my MIL's needs number 9 on a key pad to get the reading (even then its under the stairs and not easy to read)

bri160356

OP,
My home is a detached property and occupied just about all the time day/night. C/H is never switched off in winter. Cook with gas and all water for bathing water is heated with gas.

Last Feb/March when we were in the grip of the ‘beast from the east’ our gas usage peaked at 2912Kwh per month.

I’m certainly no expert on gas meters but it appears(??) that you’ve consumed 399 cu.mtrs of gas since your last reading.

399 cu.mtrs of gas equates to approximately 4475Kwh; (that would cost me approx £125)

If that’s only one month 4475Kwh is an astronomic figure!,... given that you’ve only used gas for cooking and bathing. My own gas usage drops to approx 100Kwh/month in summer.

Several possibilities:

• Your readings are incorrect.
• My calculations/assumptions are incorrect;...a distinct possibility! :doh:
• Your gas meter has gone faulty,...rather unlikely but possible.
• You’ve sprung a gas leak. It can happen;...expensive and more importantly DANGEROUS!,...any leak needs URGENT attention.
• Perhaps ‘Travellers’ have tapped in to your gas supply;...have you noticed any unfamiliar caravans in the close vicinity recently.
• Tell your ‘new’ flatmate to stop having so many baths;...nobody can be that minging. Or maybe he/she is running a dog washing/grooming business on the side, whilst you are out at work.:D

[Deleted User]

The meter could be a digital gas meter measuring in metric units. The number 4 on these digital displays is frequently read incorrectly if the reader is not dead level with the display. Its mostly read as a 9 but possibly other numbers get mixed up, so maybe the start reading is incorrect.
Start readings from new occupiers are frequently ignored, because they can t be trusted , and suppliers use their own.
Another possibility is that if the OP has an outside gas box there is a leak venting outside where it may not be easily noticed.

HampshireH

Could your new flat mate be heating a tank of water and leaving the water on all day so it regularly needs reheating?