Empty house - meter reading discrepancy

bhughes1986

Hello,

Our tenants recently (2 months ago) vacated our property and meter readings were taken by the letting agent. Since the tenants left, the house has been empty (we live in a different part of the country).

The electricity reading has increased by 130 during that time (letting agent went back to check as we needed the readings for the energy company). Is this usual for an empty house? We have queried this with the letting agent, but they cannot account for the difference.

Any advice/info much appreciated.

Thanks

jonnygee2

Could be anything? Is there an oven or boiler that's plugged in? Something on standby like a TV?

If you mean £130 that's obviously a lot, so I think I'd be investigating (not necessarily because I wanted some to blame but because I would want to know what is using so much electricity).

If you mean 130KW, I'd just pay it and not worry.

If you want to investigate then obviously just go and turn off all the main switches on the fuse box, then start turning them on one by one until the electricity meter starts going up.

bhughes1986

jonnygee2 wrote: »

Could be anything? Is there an oven or boiler that's plugged in? Something on standby like a TV?

If you mean £130 that's obviously a lot, so I think I'd be investigating (not necessarily because I wanted some to blame but because I would want to know what is using so much electricity).

If you mean 130KW, I'd just pay it and not worry.

If you want to investigate then obviously just go and turn off all the main switches on the fuse box, then start turning them on one by one until the electricity meter starts going up.

Hi,

Yes its appears to be 130kW - I think we will suck it up as it shouldn't come to much.

Thanks

Slithery

Well is there anything still switched on?
Fridge, freezer, boiler etc.

davidmcn

130kWh over say 60 days is an average of about 90 Watts. So, something is clearly on. Is there a fridge? Could just be a light that's been left on. Hardly worth worrying about though, surely?

kazwookie

If the place is empty, turn the mains off.

markin

kazwookie wrote: »

If the place is empty, turn the mains off.

Apart from the Alarm, and if its empty that long most would want to have a lamp on a timer some where.

lookstraightahead

Who is it you think is using the electricity? Maybe heating etc has been left on to stop the place going damp and cold.

Albala

lookstraightahead wrote: »

Who is it you think is using the electricity? Maybe heating etc has been left on to stop the place going damp and cold.

Quite- even a gas/oil boiler uses a little power.

AlexMac

Not really an issue? British Gas (not that I still use 'em) never even used to worry about minor discrepancies between final and start up readings on my BTL, and if they do, 13p per KwH plus a few quid standing charge is (tax-allowable) peanuts

bhughes1986

Hi all, quick update on this. Our sale has finally completed (hurrah!) however the meter reading has increase yet again.

From move out on the 19th March to today, the meter has increased by 147kwh. At the rate we are on (17.313p/kwh) this works out at about £25.

Now I know that this is not a great deal of money in the grand scheme of things, but the house has been completely empty during this time. When I say empty, I mean zero appliances (nobody has lived there since the above date).

Am I right to feel slightly miffed or should I suck it up? We live hundreds of miles from the property and paid a letting agent to manage it for us. We assumed that they would ensure that everything was switched off when the tenants moved out.