Help needed on extremely high electricity bill

[Deleted User]

Gentlegiant said:

jack_pott said:

Gentlegiant said:

Gerry1 said:

You've only shown one set of readings.  You need to Press the Cycle Display button to show Rate 1.

And why are you on Economy 7 when you have gas?

If the 16.956p figure has come from the bill, you'll have to add 5% VAT to get the true figure that you're paying.

Here is the only reading for rate one on the meter. Regarding Economy 7 I have no idea what that even mean. Also, using rate 1 and 2 how can I calculate my usage from when I moved in till date? 

Economy 7 is a tariff that charges a different price for electricity depending on the time of day, and it's used for all-electric properties which are heated using storage radiators. The way it works is that the storage heaters are warmed up during the night using off-peak electricity that is supplied at a special cheaper rate, then during the day the heaters release the stored heat. The problem for you is that you don't need E7 because you have gas to heat with, and the daytime rate on E7 is higher than on an ordinary tariff. If you're metering 7500 kWh PA that's a lot, an average property would be less than half that, and a small one nearer a third if the heating is by gas. I'm alone in a 3 bed semi with gas CH, and my usage is around 2500kWh PA even with an electric shower and cooker. To calculate your total usage you need both rate 1 and rate 2 readings for both now and when you moved in, your bill should be showing you separate unit prices for each rate.

Thanks for taking time to explain.. Unfortunately I dont have the readings for  rate 1 when I moved in. If I call BG will they have this? Also, judging by the usuage in the rate 2 at 14000kwh from when I moved in, is it safe to assume the Rate 1 usage at around 10000kwh as well as a guide to calculate? I am so confused i dont even know what to do.
Since I have gas separately and I use the heater on gas, does this have any effect on the bill? 

Presumably the previous occupant will have read the meter when they left, even if you didn't, but I don't know how BG systems work, do they treat different customers at the same address so separately that they can't cross reference from one to another? If you start asking about someone else's meter readings you might get a load of waffle about confidentiality and data protection. Was there a long unoccupied period between owners, if the meter's faulty, and racking up cost with no electricity used, you wouldn't want to end up paying for a year when the house was unoccupied, for example. Regarding inferring rate 1 from rate 2, only you know when you use your electrical appliances, can you really judge what proportion of your electricity is used between midnight and 7am compared to 7am and midnight? I doubt it. I suppose you could assume it's in the ratio of 26:77, since that's the ratio of the current readings, in which case rate 1 usage would be about 3500kWh.

As I said above, the sum metered is about 2-3 times normal, or even more taking into account rate 1 as well, so you need to be thinking about why. Unless you can find something that you have abnormally heavy usage for, you need to consider the possibility of a faulty meter. You can ask for it to be checked, but they'll charge if it's found to be ok. Alternatively you can get a rough idea yourself by switching everything off except for one appliance with a known consumption. (I've highlighted everything and known here because you need to take them seriously and literally.)

I'm curious about your bill, does it say anything about an E7 tariff? If not, how did you end up with non-E7 billing on an E7 meter without anyone noticing? If you chose a non-E7 tariff with non-E7 prices when you signed up, how did they decide to apply E7 pricing without querying it? You also need to look at all your bills for the whole two years you've been in the property, and see what you've been charged for in total, and what the meter readings were. Even if you haven't been reading them there will be figures quoted on the bills that are either from their own reader or estimates. Last but not least, you need to get rid of the E7 metering for the future, you don't need it.

[Deleted User]

Gentlegiant said:

MWT said:

[Deleted User] said:

Your photies show rate 2 readings which is normally night rate, and should be at a cheaper rate, but how come you use so much at night when you have gas central heating?

Rate 2 has always been the day rate for me on E7...

It is easy to confirm though, even if the meter doesn't make it clear, just take two readings after say 10am about 30 mins apart and your should see a change in rate two but rate one should not have moved.

Also check Rate one again tomorrow and that should have gone up if the meter is switching between the rates.

What we really need to see now is the first bill from BG and the most recent one to see if they have always been billing for both rates on an E7 tariff, or if the meter reader has just added the two together and is billing for both as one on a single rate tariff...?

Okay as soon as I get back from work, I will check the rate one and compare it from yesterday. Also is it possible that my bills is calculated using only one rate? 

That won't work, in any 24 hour period both readings are likely to increment, you need two consecutive readings taken during a period that lies wholly within one rate or the other like MWT says, so that you see that one rate has incremented and the other hasn't. They can't calculate your bill using only one rate, or they'd be giving you free electricity during the night (or day).

[Deleted User]

Gentlegiant said:

MWT said:

Gentlegiant said:

Okay as soon as I get back from work, I will check the rate one and compare it from yesterday. Also is it possible that my bills is calculated using only one rate? I have the BG app but I can only see bills history for the last 6months. I will try to dig up the first bill. And post my findings. 

Even just the most recent bill would help as that will show if they are using two rates and an E7 tariff or not and will also confirm the meter reading or readings they have used for that bill.

It is possible that you have a 2-rate meter but are being billed on a single rate tariff, but that would usually require you to report both readings, or at least the total of the two readings.

If I recall correctly Gerry has his electricity billed that way so he will probably add his experience shortly.

I have learned a lot in this short space if time. 

The moral of the tale is that you need to keep all your bills, check all the readings against your meter, and watch for any unusual changes in consumption (gas & water too).
There are quite a few coming on here querying outlandish bills, and I've noticed that almost all of them have electronic smart meters. It leaves me deeply sceptical that they are as reliable as the old electromechanical ones, which is the main reason I have resisted changing thus far.

coffeehound

jack_pott said:
... and I've noticed that almost all of them have electronic smart meters. It leaves me deeply sceptical that they are as reliable as the old electromechanical ones, which is the main reason I have resisted changing thus far.

The government propaganda campaign tells people that a smart meter is somehow going to save them money, and that it is somehow saving the polar bears, too.  I suspect it has been the exact opposite on both counts.

Gerry1

coffeehound said:

jack_pott said:
... and I've noticed that almost all of them have electronic smart meters. It leaves me deeply sceptical that they are as reliable as the old electromechanical ones, which is the main reason I have resisted changing thus far.

The government propaganda campaign tells people that a smart meter is somehow going to save them money, and that it is somehow saving the polar bears, too.  I suspect it has been the exact opposite on both counts.

£475 for the smart meter installation (allegedly free but in reality paid for via more expensive bills), and with luck it may save a whopping £11 per year if you use the shiny toy religiously to find out that you've left all the lights on... 

Back on topic, you need to play detective by switching everything off and checking that the '1000 Impulses/kWh' red light stops flashing completely.  Then switch on one circuit at a time and find the one(s) that make the light flash crazily.  Anything involving heating is a prime suspect.  It's easy to work out the consumption at any moment, e.g. if only a kettle is plugged in and there are 50 flashes per minute then there will be 3000 flashes in an hour so it's a 3kW kettle.

What is your annual gas usage in kWh - presumably you have a gas boiler with wet radiators?  The average gas usage is 12,000kWh, so if you're using significantly less then it might suggest something weird such as there being an electric underfloor heating system of which you were unaware.  Rip out any instantaneous electric showers, no point in paying more than 16p per kWh when gas is available at under 3p/kWh.

Gerry1

jack_pott said:

Last but not least, you need to get rid of the E7 metering for the future, you don't need it.

You probably need to get rid of the E7 tariff but there's no need to change the meter, that would just muddy the waters even further.  Only one person standing in the boat at any time ! 

Gentlegiant

Gerry1 said:

coffeehound said:

jack_pott said:
... and I've noticed that almost all of them have electronic smart meters. It leaves me deeply sceptical that they are as reliable as the old electromechanical ones, which is the main reason I have resisted changing thus far.

The government propaganda campaign tells people that a smart meter is somehow going to save them money, and that it is somehow saving the polar bears, too.  I suspect it has been the exact opposite on both counts.

£475 for the smart meter installation (allegedly free but in reality paid for via more expensive bills), and with luck it may save a whopping £11 per year if you use the shiny toy religiously to find out that you've left all the lights on... 

Back on topic, you need to play detective by switching everything off and checking that the '1000 Impulses/kWh' red light stops flashing completely.  Then switch on one circuit at a time and find the one(s) that make the light flash crazily.  Anything involving heating is a prime suspect.  It's easy to work out the consumption at any moment, e.g. if only a kettle is plugged in and there are 50 flashes per minute then there will be 3000 flashes in an hour so it's a 3kW kettle.

What is your annual gas usage in kWh - presumably you have a gas boiler with wet radiators?  The average gas usage is 12,000kWh, so if you're using significantly less then it might suggest something weird such as there being an electric underfloor heating system of which you were unaware.  Rip out any instantaneous electric showers, no point in paying more than 16p per kWh when gas is available at under 3p/kWh.

Here is the most recent bill. I am not sure if it shows both rate being used but you can see i have been judged to have u more than 13000kwh between May-Dec which seems ridiculous. 

Gentlegiant

jack_pott said:

Gentlegiant said:

MWT said:

Gentlegiant said:

Okay as soon as I get back from work, I will check the rate one and compare it from yesterday. Also is it possible that my bills is calculated using only one rate? I have the BG app but I can only see bills history for the last 6months. I will try to dig up the first bill. And post my findings. 

Even just the most recent bill would help as that will show if they are using two rates and an E7 tariff or not and will also confirm the meter reading or readings they have used for that bill.

It is possible that you have a 2-rate meter but are being billed on a single rate tariff, but that would usually require you to report both readings, or at least the total of the two readings.

If I recall correctly Gerry has his electricity billed that way so he will probably add his experience shortly.

I have learned a lot in this short space if time. 

The moral of the tale is that you need to keep all your bills, check all the readings against your meter, and watch for any unusual changes in consumption (gas & water too).
There are quite a few coming on here querying outlandish bills, and I've noticed that almost all of them have electronic smart meters. It leaves me deeply sceptical that they are as reliable as the old electromechanical ones, which is the main reason I have resisted changing thus far.

At the moment I have decided to switch off everything and use only my gas for cooking and heating which has always been the case anyway. The electricity is only for bulbs, tv and and very very basic things

comeandgo

Gentlegiant said:

jack_pott said:

Gentlegiant said:

MWT said:

Gentlegiant said:

Okay as soon as I get back from work, I will check the rate one and compare it from yesterday. Also is it possible that my bills is calculated using only one rate? I have the BG app but I can only see bills history for the last 6months. I will try to dig up the first bill. And post my findings. 

Even just the most recent bill would help as that will show if they are using two rates and an E7 tariff or not and will also confirm the meter reading or readings they have used for that bill.

It is possible that you have a 2-rate meter but are being billed on a single rate tariff, but that would usually require you to report both readings, or at least the total of the two readings.

If I recall correctly Gerry has his electricity billed that way so he will probably add his experience shortly.

I have learned a lot in this short space if time. 

The moral of the tale is that you need to keep all your bills, check all the readings against your meter, and watch for any unusual changes in consumption (gas & water too).
There are quite a few coming on here querying outlandish bills, and I've noticed that almost all of them have electronic smart meters. It leaves me deeply sceptical that they are as reliable as the old electromechanical ones, which is the main reason I have resisted changing thus far.

At the moment I have decided to switch off everything and use only my gas for cooking and heating which has always been the case anyway. The electricity is only for bulbs, tv and and very very basic things

Do you have fridge, freezers, kettle, toaster, hair dryer, washing machine that heats the water, tumble dryer, spot lights, radio, laptop.  You may find you have lots of things using electricity.

Gerry1

The good news is that you're paying single rate with your E7 meter.

The very, very bad news is that after adding 5% VAT, you're paying 17.80065p/kWh and a daily charge of 23.7783p which are both crazy beyond belief. 

You need to switch today to the cheapest BG tariff you can find, which won't be shown on the BG website.  Start using a few comparison sites starting with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?'.

You haven't told us what your gas consumption is, nor what the EDF rates are.  Are you relying on estimated gas bills as well?  If so, another unpleasant surprise may be coming down the tracks.