Help needed on extremely high electricity bill

Gerry1

OK, but a video showing significant consumption (several kWh and the red light flashing fast) is far more convincing.  You'll need very good evidence of irregular usage if you want to reclaim the cost of any energy that you've paid for but that hasn't been used in your flat.

Pulling teeth once again: is there a flat below yours?

theoretica

Gentlegiant said:

Starting reading -

Rate 1- 25898.69

Rate 2- 76744.12

Time taken for each reading - 20mins 

Even after switching everything off at the C-unit for 40min I noticed Rate 2 went from 76744.12 to 76744.16 and continues to read (not sure why that is) 

A problem - a mystery drain equivalent of a 60 W bulb so not a huge problem, but not quite right

laptop, fridge freezer, baby cot, console, Tv,

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2- 76744.32

480w - that seems high - but you might have just caught the fridge when it was running at maximum.  Worth investigating.

Smoke Alarm 

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2- 76744.35

90W - not sure what a smoke alarm usually is, but seems high as they are usually batter powered and that would take a lot of batteries.  Or is it only 30W because of the 60W mystery drain?

 All light bulbs turned on

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2-76744.40

150W - not all LEDs? Probably not the source of your main problem.

Water Heater 

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2 - 76744.47

210W feels on the high side especially if it is constant and you didn't just catch it at a maximum usage moment.

I will do the reading for the oven tomorrow when the missus cook with everything else off. Also, how can I test the kettle alone for 20mins? 

Gentlegiant

Gerry1 said:

OK, but a video showing significant consumption (several kWh and the red light flashing fast) is far more convincing.  You'll need very good evidence of irregular usage if you want to reclaim the cost of any energy that you've paid for but that hasn't been used in your flat.

Pulling teeth once again: is there a flat below yours?

Yes there is a flat below mine. But the occupants have been away for a while now 

jbuchanangb

To summarise the situation. @Gentlegiant moved into a flat in November 2018. He took one photo of the electricity meter displaying a Rate 2 Reading. He established an electricity account with British Gas and and agreed a monthly payment of £42 being a reasonable estimate of expected consumption in a property of this type.

Billing continued using estimates until a meter reader called in December 2020, obtained correct readings and a "catch-up" bill was generated. This revealed enormous electricity consumption.

It has been established that the opening readings in November 2018 were Rate 1 (Night) 20730 and Rate 2 (Day) 61547.

The December 2020 readings as per the bill were 25896 and 76736 respectively. This amount of electricity for 25 months including standing charges costs about £3700. About £1,050 (25 x 42) has been paid. Both Rate 1 & Rate 2 are charged at the same unit rate.

By a process of checks it has been established that nothing in his flat could be consuming this amount of electricity. There is no immersion heater, no underfloor heating, and even the heated cot wouldn't go anywhere near.

The flat is heated by gas, and equipped with a combi boiler for hot water. 

A photograph of the meter cupboard shows a 6-way switchbox fed by the meter with a pair of cables connected to the flat's consumer unit, and another pair routed down through the floor.

The OP has asked the landlord to send a technician to investigate the situation. Of particular interest is the pair of cables from the switch-box down through the floor. The suspicion is that this leads to one or more other self contained flats for which the OP has been unknowingly supplying electricity.

The next steps will depend on the outcome of the technician's visit.

Gentlegiant

theoretica said:

Gentlegiant said:

Starting reading -

Rate 1- 25898.69

Rate 2- 76744.12

Time taken for each reading - 20mins 

Even after switching everything off at the C-unit for 40min I noticed Rate 2 went from 76744.12 to 76744.16 and continues to read (not sure why that is) 

A problem - a mystery drain equivalent of a 60 W bulb so not a huge problem, but not quite right

laptop, fridge freezer, baby cot, console, Tv,

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2- 76744.32

480w - that seems high - but you might have just caught the fridge when it was running at maximum.  Worth investigating.

Smoke Alarm 

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2- 76744.35

90W - not sure what a smoke alarm usually is, but seems high as they are usually batter powered and that would take a lot of batteries.  Or is it only 30W because of the 60W mystery drain?

 All light bulbs turned on

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2-76744.40

150W - not all LEDs? Probably not the source of your main problem.

Water Heater 

Rate 1 - 25898.69

Rate 2 - 76744.47

210W feels on the high side especially if it is constant and you didn't just catch it at a maximum usage moment.

I will do the reading for the oven tomorrow when the missus cook with everything else off. Also, how can I test the kettle alone for 20mins? 

The funny thing is, considering some said I am averaging 65kwh per day; in the past 2days, i haven’t used even 30kwh. Its interesting but I will do the overnight meter test today and see 

matelodave

Please ignore the boiler - its a red herring. Concentrate on the leccy and those two cables. If you just turn off the big red switch on your consumer unit and the meter is still incrementing then something else is using it.

The fact that people are away downstairs doesn't mean that they've turned everything off.

My suspicion is that once upon a time there may have been storage heaters and that when the flats were converted/upgrade and rewired that the supplies from the meter were commoned to supply two flats whereas they should have installed a completely new supply to the other flat either directly or straight from the MEM box but not through your meter.

The lack of seals and labels on the MEM suggest that it was done by the landlords "technician" rather than the power company and is a bodge. Even the meter terminal cover is missing its seal.

IMO you need to get the two cables that go through the floor disconnected and then let the landlord or energy company sort out how they are going to get power to the downstairs flat.

TBH if it was me, I'd take the cover off the splitter box and very carefully using an insulated screwdriver remove the two cable than go into the floor and then see what happens (I dont suggest you do that unless you know what you are doing - electricity kills)

niktheguru

Also, considering you're renting a flat, when was the last EICR done on your property?

Gerry1

matelodave said:

IMO you need to get the two cables that go through the floor disconnected and then let the landlord or energy company sort out how they are going to get power to the downstairs flat.

TBH if it was me, I'd take the cover off the splitter box and very carefully using an insulated screwdriver remove the two cable than go into the floor and then see what happens (I dont suggest you do that unless you know what you are doing - electricity kills)

I was going to suggest that, but realised that attending the inquest might be a tad inconvenient. 

matelodave

I would tell the landlord/technician that you are changing suppliers and getting a smart meter fitted as you suspect that the supplies have been tampered with. demand that the two extra cables and splitter box is removed as you'll be requesting that from the new supplier and it might be better if he did it before too many questions get asked.

It doesn't actually solve the potential problem that you've probably been suppling the leccy to someone else, via your meter and paying for it.

Somehow you need to find out whether the suspect cables are feeding another meter which is also paying an electicity bill or giving someone free energy for some considerable time

Gerry1

Wonder whether the landlord owns the flat below?  If so and it's been getting free electricity then a few rent free months for the OP might be in order.