Huge electric bill

Davidbn1

Hi I moved into my housing association flat mid July last year. My 1st bill was £117 and I thought ok but as it got colder I put the heating on. The flat is all electric with a NIBE air pump system which they say is more efficient. I was admitted to hospital on 18/10/2018 and not discharged until 05/02/2019. I got my latest bill dated 16/01/2019 and it was for £529! The flat was empty as I was in hospital and the only electric used was I left the heating and hot water on a timer to come on 6-10 in the morning and 4-10 at night. My hot water is set to the lowest option economy. I know there is definitely something wrong with the boiler because it seems the heating is on 24/7. I have reported this to my housing association and they have sent out 1 of their heating contractors on about 5 occasions now. Every time they tell me that they have changed some of the settings and so it should be ok now but despite a contractor coming out yesterday and last Wednesday but the heating is still on when it shouldn’t be. I got a smart metre installed very soon after I moved in and it’s on red most of the time and only occasionally on green or amber. I have also spoke to my energy provider who are insisting that there is nothing wrong with my meter but I’m not great with technology but I checked the different screens on it and it says I have used 45 kw of gas when this flat has no gas but I don’t think I have ever been billed for any gas but if you go into tutorial it says it’s updated every 10 seconds and on 1 day for example that said my daily charge was £1.19 but on the main screen it says I used £5.60! I’m disabled and can’t afford bills like that. Also I spoke to a neighbour and she said she leaves her system on 24/7 at 21 degrees and she only pays £45 a month and that covers her bills but she did say that she knows a few neighbours have had problems with these boilers and they have had them removed and another type of boiler installed. These flats were only built 5 years ago and are supposed to be to high energy standards and the energy performance certificate rated everything as a B and it said that I can expect to pay £1500 on energy bills over the next 3 years! Can anyone please offer me some advice?? Thanking anyone in advance if you reply.

molerat

Is the bill based on actual or estimated meter readings, many smart meters are not actually passing on the data ?



If accurate that usage is not actually too horrific considering the heating was on for 10 hours a day.


You need to post up some figures from your bill to get proper advice.



The sad fact is that many of these social housing "economical" heating systems are poorly specced and poorly installed using the cheapest one size fits all methodology and are in fact never going to be economical to run.

Robin9

I assume that when the Smart meter was installed shortly after you moved in the reading was 00000

What is it now ?

When you say "boiler" I assume is your hot water heated by an immersion heater. As your flat is only 5 years old this will be a modern tank and there is probably not a lot of extra cost in leaving it on 24/7.

Have a look back over your bills since the new meter was installed - are the readings shown as Estimated or Actual ?

You say your bill was £529 - was this for one month, 3 months or 6 months ?

Davidbn1

Hi I’m not sure how to post my own forum post so I’m putting it here to see if anyone can advise.

I moved into my current 2 bedroom ground floor flat in July 2018 and stayed with SSE but chose a different tariff. The flat is all electric with underfloor heating and a NIBE air source heat system which according to their DVD is supposed to be more economical than other forms of heating. My 1st quarterly bill was £117 then I contacted my housing association to send a contractor out as I couldn’t get the heating to work and someone came out and put it on and set the timer from 6-10 and 4-10 and my water is set to the lowest option economical. I was in hospital from 18/10/2018 until 05/02/2019 covering the whole period of my 2nd quarterly bill. When I was in hospital I left the heating on low to avoid burst pipes but when I got my bill it was £519 and that was an exact bill as I have a smart meter. When I signed the tenancy the lettings officer said that these flats were only built 4-5 years ago to high energy standards and gave me a copy of the energy performance certificate and everything was a B rating. It even stated that my energy bills for the next 3 years should be under £1500! I’ve spoken to a neighbour with the same system and she says she pays her energy company £45 per month and she leaves her heating and hot water on 24/7 at 21 degrees and she says that covers her bills and she said she could probably pay even less but is with a green energy company. SSE are insisting the meter is correct but have currently put an attachment onto my meter to check it. Can anyone offer me any advice as I’m disabled with many health conditions and unfortunately had to stop working 9 years ago and can’t afford bills like that. Help and advice please?

Dobbibill

Davidbn1 wrote: »

Hi I’m not sure how to post my own forum post so I’m putting it here to see if anyone can advise.

HI Davidbn1,

I have merged your post with your previously started thread to avoid confusion.

Thanks
Dobbi

Robin9

From your posts I gather your 1st quarter bill was £117 and your 2nd ws £529 (or £519) - the 2nd was a winter quarter. The spring quarter will be lower and the summer lower still - perhaps £1200 a year.

It's not a good idea to compare your bill with neighbours - she may have a DD of £45 but may be in for a shock with a catch up bill after several estimated bills

Madny

Hi all, i moved into a 2 bed flat with a housing association 6yrs ago and i was paying £72 a month then it started to go up and up over the years and now they reckon i am using £150 a month, i live here on my own and dont use the oven or dont watch TV or have a tumble dryer, its all electric no gas and its Nibe Heating system. Between £150 a month electric and £ 45 a month water i cant afford to live, i have been in contact with the housing association numerous times and they say theres nothing wrong with my heating��i am loseing the will to fight because i know these heating systems are not made for our climate and i am in debt with electric £5000. I have a mental illness and cant cope anymore.

Robin9

Madny - Have you an advocate who can help you?

They will be able to help reading meters and looking at the best supplier.

I presume the hot water comes from a boiler that supplies all the flats - the electric is just your flat.

grumpycrab

Madny . Nibe was bad news https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19511637
If your housing association isn't helping you, then either you or a trusted friend/helper needs to talk to Citizens Advice - preferably talk face-face with a local one.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/contact-us/

markin

NIBE boilers, BBC Rip Off Britain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlJLxMcF0V4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJr_oPXRYl0

Madny

The meters are by the flats entrance and nobody as access to them only the warden, the housing association are telling me that ttheres nothing wrong with my electric but i am going up to the office at 3pm to see an housing officer and he to is confused about it, i have had electritions out aswell and there was no problem with my meter, all the people in the flats have got high bills to. Thank you,