Massive increase on electric use

Harinat

Hi everyone. This is my first post and hope it's in the right place.

I received my electric statement yesterday and apparently we have had an increase of 599% in electric use compared to this year. For the life of me I don't understand why.

According to SSE there has been a considerable spike in the Last few months.

In the last few months the electric shower broke and we haven't replaced it and the washer dryer broke and replaced it with just a washer with the same rating of A++.

We have all the normal appliances, kettle, toaster hoover and microwave etc so noting that would zap electric.

I'm not sure where to go from here as it just doesn't sound plausible. The main difference in the last year is we have had a smart meter.. Before that I always rang in my meter readings, so it's not like they have been working with estimated bills.

Can anyone give me any ideas?

Thanks

Robin9

THe usual question - are your bills based on ESTIMATED or ACTUAL readings ?

Look at the readings do they have the letter A, E or C against them ?

Do you read your meter or just rely on the Smart ?

Give us the readings on your bill for the last 12 months if you can please

Harinat

Thanks for the quick reply.

I don't think I have that info.

I'm sent a statement every 6 months. All I have is the reading last time 631 units and reading this time as 1715 units bill period of 14th feb - 14 Aug.

The reading of 1715 units on this statement is the same as the meter.

I have always given actual meter readings, whether it was me doing it on the phone or someone reading the meters

There is no letters on the statement, but it does say we have used more electric this period compared to last year. A whole 599% more!

I think I need them to provide me with more info....i will call them again on Monday and try and get the last few years usage.

There advice was to check the smart meter at a certain time and then again an hour later. If I saw a large amount of electric used then something must be on causing it. During a normal day the TV may be on, I'll make a couple of cups of coffee and might have a phone or tablet on charge. If I'm feeling naughty I might run the hover around ��

My children are 8 and 4 I work 4 days a week and my partner 6 days a week...... Something just doesn't add up.

Talldave

Although you've not given an indication of property size or lighting type, you're averaging 6kWhr a day, which is not unreasonable. If this is a 600% increase then you were previously using 1kWhr a day, which seems amazingly low. Perhaps the old meter wasn't working properly and you've benefited from lots of free electricity in the past?!

Robin9

I'm reading this as 1084 units in a 6 month period (1715 - 631) which is very low. Any small variation in usage will be most noticeable.

When was your meter actually changed ?

Harinat

Thanks for the replies.

Meter was swapped over a year ago as we have had 2 6 monthly checks since then.

Our property is a 3 bed semi, nothing unusual about it, 3 beds 1 bath, and a garage

I absolutey see what you are saying and it is averaging as 6kwh a day according to the meter.

I will still ask for previous data as somewhere something was wrong. I was paying £76ish combined gas and electric a month and it's now £126. I'm able to pay it and wouldn't normally bat an eye over a DD increase, but this was considerable. I will also look at comparing suppliers. I have been to lazy in the past thinking it was to complicated

Thabks

Gerry1

Sound like you're making the most popular mistake in the book, thinking that an increase in DD means your energy usage has rocketed. It probably means that your DD was previously guesstimated to be too low so it's gone up a bit to claw back the arrears and gone up again to reflect your higher usage.

Robin9

OP - were you on a fixed tariff which has now run out and you are now on a standard (ie expensive) tariff.

If you have an online account all the info re units and tariffs is there for you.

Norman_Castle

According to SSE there has been a considerable spike in the Last few months.

In the last few months the electric shower broke and we haven't replaced it

Have you been using the bath instead? How is the water heated for that?

the washer dryer broke and replaced it with just a washer with the same rating of A++.

Check you heven't connected it to the hot feed.

Harinat

I always give my meter readings and was generally always in credit by a few pounds

Harinat

I'm on the cheapest Evergreen tariff....

We have a combi boiler for heating and hot water. And washing machine is plumed into the cold