Help Please - Massive Elec Bill!

Be_Happy

Samm0202 wrote: »

Thank you for the links @benight - I will definitely read through those links when the shock of having to pay our £1800 settles.

@Robin9 - I don't have any particular reason for 28 other than that's what the living/dining room feels comfortable to sit in after the heating being on 1600-1830. The heating is on 0430-0600 because my partner gets up at 0500 and leaves for work at 0600.

The bill only gives readings from 26 March 2019, all A:
Control 11006
Night 16679
Day 26947

I don't really understand your heating, but if you have 3 readings including one called control, it sounds as if you are on Scottish Power Comfortplus Control/White Meter, not E7. Although this would usually involve 2 meters unless SP have been asked to convert to one meter using standard rate only.

In a later post, you give total usage, can you give separate usage for each reading rate and the unit cost of each rate?

If there were originally storage heaters and they have been replaced by some other form of heating, not using the 'control' circuit, your bills will be very high. Hope you are not talking about an immersion heater (boiler?) and Fischer type heaters.

matelodave

You cant judge what is going on if you just look at your bills, especially if any of them are estimated.

You need to establish a regime of reading the meters regularly at least once a month and sending the readings into your supplier and CHECKING the bills to make sure that they are correct and not using estimated readings. If you get a bill with E against a reading, then send in an actual reading and insist that the bill is corrected.

In the meantime you should read the meter more frequently so you can establish what is being used and when - Do it daily for a couple of weeks and then weekly. When you know whats going on, you can adjust your timesr and thermostats (dont forget the hot water) and possibly try to use stuff like washing machines, dryers and dishwashers durng the off peak periods.

Turn stuff off that's not being used and consider changing conventional lightbulbs to LEDs, especially if you've got downlighters.

When you monitor it you know whats using it and can control it, it's too late when the bill comes in because you've already used it. Set up a spread sheet and record your readings. It may seem like a faff but its the only way to reduce your consumption

As others have said, turn your thermostat down to a more realistic level - start at 19 degrees and let the heating settle down for at least a day. If you are cold, then increase it by a degree the next day until you are comfortable

Make sure you sort the timers out to shut the heating off at least half to an hour before you go out. Heating the house at full blast is fine when you first get up and getting washed, but once you are dressed and active you don't need so much heat and the house will stay warm enough for at least half an hour after the heating has switched off so there's no point in keeping the heating (or hot water on) right up to the minute you walk out of the door. Same at bedtime, turn the heating down or off well before you go to bed.

Don't heat all the rooms if they arent in use - fit TRVs to reduce the temperature in those rooms. Consider getting a programmable thermostat so you can have different temperatures at different times of the day (and on different days of the week) so you can optimise when the heating comes on and off and you aren't wasting heat when no one is there.

Its all a bit of trial and error but you should be able to make significant savings

Paenymion

Samm0202 wrote: »

The bill only gives readings from 26 March 2019, all A:
Control 11006
Night 16679
Day 26947

It seems you have three readings, control, night and day. This suggests you have one of the more obscure/complex arrangements that are specific to Scotland, perhaps SHC or THTC.

You need to attempt to gain a full understanding of what appliance uses what meter and at what times. Perhaps get an electrician in to look at the whole thing and tell you how it all works.