Elderly Parents getting Ripped Off

xlnc99

Good point JJ Egan - I will have a look at those stuff once i have sorted this out.

I have all the information requested. The reason this brought to my attention is because they are now out of contract so are looking to change supplier. It was pure chance i enquired about this. I really should have done paid more attention to this a long time ago.

Two very old people living alone in a detached house. It has been converted (10 or so years ago) to a 4 bedroom house. It has 5 bathrooms and around 18 radiators in the household. One only bathroom has a shower - (never been used). The recently had a new boiler installed from British Gas as their old boiler had broken (was 25 years old). The new boiler was installed in October and they were told they would save energy costs. It is a worcester 30ri boiler, conventional.

The heating schedule (timer) in the winter for the boiler was 4am - 7am, followed by 11am - 1pm. Then 4pm - 6pm and finally 8pm to 10pm everyday. However i will add that they often used to switch it off during the day when it got to hot. It was always on max. Currently they do not use the heating due to the weather.

The hot water schedule which has remained the same since British Gas have installed the boiler is 4am - 6am, 9am - 11am and 5pm to 9pm everyday.

Is there anything wrong with the schedules?

Rather then bombarding this thread with information - i will now write the information about costs etc on a seperate post so its easy on the eye. 

To be continued shortly.....

kazwookie

Get copies of their bills

Who is their supplier?

Are they estimated reading they are paying or actual?

How do they know they are out of contract?

RelievedSheff

It sounds like they are heating their water far too much. Should only really need an hour a day if the tank is well insulated.

It also sounds like we are talking about a pretty substantial property here so the bills are going to be higher than average. 

matelodave

Is there anything wrong with the schedules? - IMO yes especially if it's all going full blast during the on times. You should not need to turn it off because it's getting too hot - that's what thermostats are for. (my MIL would have the stat turned up to 30 and open the window and back door if she got too hot. She'd also have a two bar electric fire cooking gently as well). It sounds like they dont have it set correctly and they are just wasting loads of energy because the system isn't really under proper control.

I reckon that they should have a programmable thermostat that's set to control the temperature to suit their requirements during the day rather than giving it a blast every couple of hours.Generally you don't need to start heating the house at 4am, especially if you dont get up till much later and hour before rising should be ok. If they get too hot then turn the stat down or set a programmable stat to initially heat the place when they get up, reduce the temperature a bit during the day and increase it the evening.
Likewise with the hot water - most people can get away with heating it for an hour or so in the morning and another hour or so later in the day. keeping the tank boiling hot all day just wastes energy both in lost heat and by the boiler continually stating and stopping.

Try reducing the tenmps a bit and reducing the on-times until they are comfortable

Are they heating all the rooms, do they need to heat all the rooms - if not turn the rad valves down in those rooms that aren't in use - hopefully they've got TRVs so you dont need to shut them right off just reduce the temperatures..

xlnc99

My parents are with Scottish Power for Gas and Electricity. They have been since last July. They read the meters and give it to them every month. The bills are based on actual readings and not estimates.
Tariff - Super Saver August 2020 b3 - Dual Fuel.

Last 12 months
Electricity - 8622wh  = £1132.24

August 2019                                £82.58                601kwh
September 2019                           £68                     516kwh
October 2019                              £58.34               446kwh
November 2019                           £53.22                407kwh
December 2019                          £56.44                431kwh
January 2020                              £465.47              3559kwh
February 2020                            £137.68              1053kwh
March 2020                                £54.43                 416kwh
April 2020                                   £47.59                364kwh
May 2020                                   £88.60                677kwh
June 2020                                  £17.44               133kwh

Gas - 28390kwh = £854.13

August 2019                                 £27.52               855kwh
September 2019                           £23.84               785kwh
October 2019                              £67.59               2252kwh
November 2019                           £115.83             3860kwh
December 2019                           £165.94             5530kwh
January 2020                                £94.90              3162kwh
February 2020                               £107.54           3583kwh
March 2020                                  £106.97             3564kwh
April 2020                                     £64.73              2157kwh
May 2020                                     £43.48              1449kwh
June 2020                                    £29.95               998kwh

Billing - All done by Direct Debit which Scottish Power Take Monthly
Energy Billing

Date                                             Energy Bill                        Payment Made

June 2019                                     £204.32                             £284.00
July 2019                                      £165.28                              £252.00     
August 2019                                   £119.82                              £252.00
September 2019                           £131.90                             £252.00
October 2019                                £115.41                               £252.00
November 2019                             £142.43                               £252.00
December 2019                            £177.55                              £252.00
January 2020                                  £289.36                              £252.00
February 2020                                  £658.38                               £252.00
March 2020                                     £175.36                             £252.00
April                                               £197.59                                £315.00
May 2020                                       £107.32                                  £315.00
June 2020                                      £149.46                                £315.00
July 2020                                       £21.57 & £41.72                  £315.00

Account Balance £473.05


Does this at all seem right to you? Is this at at all normal?

bsms1147

"December 2019                          £56.44                431kwh
January 2020                              £465.47              3559kwh

This stands out to me; 14 units a day in December and 115 units a day in January? 100 units more per day or more than 8 times more per day. Are all those readings 'Actual' readings?

Gerry1

The gas usage is relatively high but but quite possible for a larger property.  But the electricity usage is absolutely phenomenal, especially as they use so much gas.  Are they using lots of fan heaters, oil filled radiators, electric fires, immersion heaters, electric showers, etc?  If you have gas they are all No-Nos !

The cost per kWh for electricity is probably OK (you haven't quoted any rates) but the gas is way too expensive.  Do comparisons starting with Citizens Advice and Switch with 'Which?' RIGHT NOW.  I suspect Robin Hood Energy or Ebico would be the answer, their new Summer Saver 12m Fixed tariff is very cheap but is likely to be withdrawn within hours if it hasn't already gone.  It should bring the gas bill down below £700.

Robin9

The gas is very high - have you had chance to check the serial numbers.  It suggests a meter records error.

The boiler must be working like the clappers to circulate the water around 5 bathrooms.

MalMonroe

Talldave said:

roddydogs said:

And of course the size of house, £300 pm is at least 3 times too much for a small house, even detached.

Under £140 a month here for a 5 bed detached eating through 43,000kWh gas and 4800kWh electricity a year.

OP urgently needs to review the bills!

Hello! Who is your energy company please? I ask because my energy company says I should pay £150 per month for a two bed ground floor flat and I think it's a little high. . .  they started me off on £50 per month when I switched. Many thanks, in advance.

elle_may

I would switch from SP as i have done because their tariffs have gone up to much.Been with them for 4yrs as they did good internal switches for me. And harassing me for smart meters,  They don't have a good record for installing them from other customers.