Could someone be stealing my electricity??

angielaalaa

Talldave said:

It might be worth getting an energy monitor that clips onto the cable near the meter. Then you can see a live consumption figure and go around turning things off. Is there an immersion heater on the hot water tank (if you have one) that's on?

Hi TallDave

No, I don't have an immersion heater, the house is too small to accommodate one!! Where would I look for one of those energy monitor things and is it obvious where you attach them? It would need to be childs play for me to comprehend it when it comes to things like this! I've been used to Spanish electrics for the last 12 years, so this set up is completely new to me.

angielaalaa

Kitchen_Sink said:

I feel sorry for you if you have been given a difficult time by the call handler, but for future reference, you can always submit meter readings online via the BG website if you have the appropriate account details (even for someone else); even easier if you have access to the online account.

What I suggest you do is go around and switch off each of the items you mention, not onto standby but off. Then check your meter.
If it's not recording any usage then no one else is using your electricity at this time.

If it is, then someone else may be using your electricity, but the higher probablility is that you have missed something.
So keep going around and see if you can find anything you have not switched off.
(check, for example, if you have a back up immersion heater switched on that is unneccessary)

If you still can't find anything, switch off the supply at the consumer unit, and check that stops the meter recording any consumption.  It should do.

Leave it for as long as possible (all daytime should be achieveable based on what you say, you can always pop it it back on for a couple of mins if you are desperate for a cuppa, or better still use your gas cooker lit by a match to heat some water) , and that may highlight what you have left on that you have missed.

Hi Kitchen_Sink

I have HAD to call their centre as despite numerous tries, Ive not been able to access anything on their website, including the link they sent me in an email.It just says something like the service is temporarily unavailable. I tried probably 10 or 12 times over a 10 day period. I also tried downloading the app, but when I tried accessing my account via the app it said it wasn't available to me at this time ( not verbatim, but words to that effect). So each time, I need to call their centre and go through the  rigmarole of getting through the first 10 mins of the call, inputting the amount number ( which again it says it doesn't recognise), then my date of birth ( again, the system doesn't "understand" it, regardless of whether I input using the keypad or speak it into the phone. I have never had such an experience trying to get through to anyone before. I thought Spanish call centres were bad... until I came up against British Gas! I'm now not able to contact them at all as they've requested that due to COVID-19, they are only contacted in an emergency. I will turn off my supply this afternoon, see what happens and report back on my findings! Thanks for replying..

Kitchen_Sink

angielaalaa posted Today at 1:13AM

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I hope that battery in your bedside light doesn't run out.
Or have you been sitting in the dark for almost 2 hours ?

I say this only to indicate that your OP may not be a 100% accurate assessment on what you really use.

MWT

angielaalaa said:

 There isnt a red light on the actual meter. There is a little box mounted next to the meter which has 3 lights vertically. The top and bottom are static green and the middle one flashes red constantly. That one says HAN next to it. Unfortunately I don't have anything high power I can plug in. I will, however, turn off everything tomorrow for an hour, check what happens and post my findings. 

That sounds like you have a smart meter, is the In Home Device (IHD) around somewhere in a drawer maybe?

If you can get that working you will be able to see the amount of power being used at any time and that would be a great help in tracking down where the power is going.

Also re the immersion heater question, do have a close look around the hot water tank (assuming you have one) to make sure it isn't fitted with one as leaving that on accidentally is one of the most common ways of accidentally using too much electricity...

... also you do have a high power device, the kettle, assuming it is electric...

Kitchen_Sink

angielaalaa said:

Kitchen_Sink said:

I feel sorry for you if you have been given a difficult time by the call handler, but for future reference, you can always submit meter readings online via the BG website if you have the appropriate account details (even for someone else); even easier if you have access to the online account.

What I suggest you do is go around and switch off each of the items you mention, not onto standby but off. Then check your meter.
If it's not recording any usage then no one else is using your electricity at this time.

If it is, then someone else may be using your electricity, but the higher probablility is that you have missed something.
So keep going around and see if you can find anything you have not switched off.
(check, for example, if you have a back up immersion heater switched on that is unneccessary)

If you still can't find anything, switch off the supply at the consumer unit, and check that stops the meter recording any consumption.  It should do.

Leave it for as long as possible (all daytime should be achieveable based on what you say, you can always pop it it back on for a couple of mins if you are desperate for a cuppa, or better still use your gas cooker lit by a match to heat some water) , and that may highlight what you have left on that you have missed.

Hi Kitchen_Sink

I have HAD to call their centre as despite numerous tries, Ive not been able to access anything on their website, including the link they sent me in an email.It just says something like the service is temporarily unavailable. I tried probably 10 or 12 times over a 10 day period. I also tried downloading the app, but when I tried accessing my account via the app it said it wasn't available to me at this time ( not verbatim, but words to that effect). So each time, I need to call their centre and go through the  rigmarole of getting through the first 10 mins of the call, inputting the amount number ( which again it says it doesn't recognise), then my date of birth ( again, the system doesn't "understand" it, regardless of whether I input using the keypad or speak it into the phone. I have never had such an experience trying to get through to anyone before. I thought Spanish call centres were bad... until I came up against British Gas! I'm now not able to contact them at all as they've requested that due to COVID-19, they are only contacted in an emergency. I will turn off my supply this afternoon, see what happens and report back on my findings! Thanks for replying..

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/help-and-support/meters/submitting-a-credit-meter-reading-online

Talldave

angielaalaa said:

Talldave said:

It might be worth getting an energy monitor that clips onto the cable near the meter. Then you can see a live consumption figure and go around turning things off. Is there an immersion heater on the hot water tank (if you have one) that's on?

Hi TallDave

No, I don't have an immersion heater, the house is too small to accommodate one!! Where would I look for one of those energy monitor things and is it obvious where you attach them? It would need to be childs play for me to comprehend it when it comes to things like this! I've been used to Spanish electrics for the last 12 years, so this set up is completely new to me.

I bought an Onzo electricity monitor off ebay, just over a tenner. However, as another poster has spotted you may have an In Home Display that would work with your meter to show consumption (although if the meter's faulty it'll be telling lies).

Gerry1

Read the Rogue Smart Meters thread, also the one from Matthaus73.  Does the display show a 'b' showing that the battery is low?

angielaalaa

Kitchen_Sink said:

angielaalaa posted Today at 1:13AM

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I hope that battery in your bedside light doesn't run out.
Or have you been sitting in the dark for almost 2 hours ?

I say this only to indicate that your OP may not be a 100% accurate assessment on what you really use.

I have re-read my OP and it really is what I use. Obviously some days are slightly different, while Ive been recovering from my operation, the TV has been on a lot of the day and night as well, but surely that can't be making the bill so high...

Regarding the sitting in the dark for 2 hrs, I don't really understand that. I really was sitting in the dark, typing the message on my laptop in the early hours of this morning . We have had a family bereavement this week and it's affecting my sleep.. it's also making me a bit thick-headed, so I apologise in advance but I didn't understand the bit about the battery light running out etc!
( I am honestly usually not this thick, I promise!)

angielaalaa

MWT said:

angielaalaa said:

 There isnt a red light on the actual meter. There is a little box mounted next to the meter which has 3 lights vertically. The top and bottom are static green and the middle one flashes red constantly. That one says HAN next to it. Unfortunately I don't have anything high power I can plug in. I will, however, turn off everything tomorrow for an hour, check what happens and post my findings. 

That sounds like you have a smart meter, is the In Home Device (IHD) around somewhere in a drawer maybe?

If you can get that working you will be able to see the amount of power being used at any time and that would be a great help in tracking down where the power is going.

Also re the immersion heater question, do have a close look around the hot water tank (assuming you have one) to make sure it isn't fitted with one as leaving that on accidentally is one of the most common ways of accidentally using too much electricity...

... also you do have a high power device, the kettle, assuming it is electric...

There is nothing in any drawers (frustratingly no drawers at all in the house!), and the house was unfurnished, so no IHD anywhere. I will message the landlady tomorrow and ask her if she is aware of one. 

I don't have a water tank so that can't be it.... 

And re the kettle, yes of course! Silly me!! I was thinking more of a heater or something like that!