Just trying to get my head around electicity usage

CurlySue2017

Gerry1 said:

Unfortunately it couldn't get any worse.

• All electric

• No storage heaters

• E7 tariff, not single rate

• Pre-payment meter

• Expensive tariff

That's adds up to a QUINTUPLE Whammy !  If you've taken those rates from the bill you have to add VAT.  They become Standing Charge 28.161p/day, Day 21.0735p/kWh,  Night - 9.14655p/kWh.

You're paying £1173.43 per year.  In my area that usage would cost £909.80 - £937.24 on the cheapest single rate credit tariffs, so you could probably save up to £260 by switching.  You'd also have heating during the day rather than wasting it overnight.

The harsh reality is that you need to move to a property with GCH.  In the meantime, switch to a credit meter (with your landlord's permission) on a competitive tariff.  Start comparing with Citizens Advice and 'Which? Switch' and ignore all projections and savings claims, just compare annual costs.

Thankyou....I think!!

Unfortunateluy there is zero chance of us moving anytime soon - OH has been made redundant due to his company closing and is now severely depressed (which is being dealt with) so we have just my income with no spare money, we are just surviving at the moment.  We also have a large dog so finding somewhere new to rent is just not possible.  We've been here a good few years already and we love it - great landlord, great neighbours, great flat etc.......but with our new cisrcumstances, things are getting pretty tight and this is one of our biggest costs.

Will definitely be looking at switching to a credit meter, so I will give our LL a call later.

Gerry1

CurlySue2017 said:

Gerry1 said:

Unfortunately it couldn't get any worse.

• All electric

• No storage heaters

• E7 tariff, not single rate

• Pre-payment meter

• Expensive tariff

That's adds up to a QUINTUPLE Whammy !  If you've taken those rates from the bill you have to add VAT.  They become Standing Charge 28.161p/day, Day 21.0735p/kWh,  Night - 9.14655p/kWh.

You're paying £1173.43 per year.  In my area that usage would cost £909.80 - £937.24 on the cheapest single rate credit tariffs, so you could probably save up to £260 by switching.  You'd also have heating during the day rather than wasting it overnight.

The harsh reality is that you need to move to a property with GCH.  In the meantime, switch to a credit meter (with your landlord's permission) on a competitive tariff.  Start comparing with Citizens Advice and 'Which? Switch' and ignore all projections and savings claims, just compare annual costs.

so we have just my income with no spare money, we are just surviving at the moment.

Have you checked out all the benefits that may be available?

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/coronavirus-check-what-benefits-you-can-get/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-help-paying-your-bills/grants-and-benefits-to-help-you-pay-your-energy-bills/

Night storage heaters would be the answer.  Might be worth asking the landlord to install them?  Grants might be available, or perhaps a slightly higher rent would be offset by the savings you would make on an Economy 7 credit tariff.

CurlySue2017

Yeah I have checked and unfortunately my employment takes us just over the threshold for UC so we don't qualify.  I can't see the LL being willing to change the heating system because all the neighbours are the same (and also all complain about the cost!) so it would mean changing all the flats not just ours, which I suspect would be very expensive.

MWT

CurlySue2017 said:

Will definitely be looking at switching to a credit meter, so I will give our LL a call later.

Be prepared to be firm when you talk to your landlord, it is your right to have the meter changed and it is not his property as he does not own the meter.

It is a courtesy to let him know, but he cannot prevent you changing to a credit meter.

Who is your electricity supplier?

Some make it easier than others to change so you may have to switch to make it happen...

mrsmsebastian

CurlySue2017 said:

Thanks all, that does help and it seems we are "above average" use but I don't know how.  The key was newly issued to us yes and bills are in my name so we are not paying off any debt.  Looking at the bills again, I've got this from the 12 month summary:

Day - 4143kwh / Night - 2160kwh.  That usage is over a 12 month period and is based on meter readings, not estimates.

The standing charge says 26.82p and the rates are Day - 20.07 / Night - 8.711 (I assume that's pence per unit??)

The immersion is only on overnight and there is no heating on at all during the day - wfh at the moment and it is freezing!!!  I wrap my legs up in blankets when sat at my desk   we run one heater overnight just to get at least some heat in, but because they are panel heaters and not storage ones, they go cold as soon as they are switched off.  The shower is not electric but the cooker is being used  lot at the moment for hot meals. 

My property was an all electric since the day we bought it and up until last December and I was paying around £100-£120 in the months of October to December. We only used one portable heater if we can't bear the coldness of the house as I could not make the storage heaters work and I did not persevere as I am scared of using it. We did have immersion heater which was only on overnight so for me your bill is sounds about right as your standing charges and rates is nearly the same as mine when I was with EDF, my charges were not estimated and it was always based on meter readings.

CurlySue2017

mrsmsebastian said:

CurlySue2017 said:

Thanks all, that does help and it seems we are "above average" use but I don't know how.  The key was newly issued to us yes and bills are in my name so we are not paying off any debt.  Looking at the bills again, I've got this from the 12 month summary:

Day - 4143kwh / Night - 2160kwh.  That usage is over a 12 month period and is based on meter readings, not estimates.

The standing charge says 26.82p and the rates are Day - 20.07 / Night - 8.711 (I assume that's pence per unit??)

The immersion is only on overnight and there is no heating on at all during the day - wfh at the moment and it is freezing!!!  I wrap my legs up in blankets when sat at my desk   we run one heater overnight just to get at least some heat in, but because they are panel heaters and not storage ones, they go cold as soon as they are switched off.  The shower is not electric but the cooker is being used  lot at the moment for hot meals. 

My property was an all electric since the day we bought it and up until last December and I was paying around £100-£120 in the months of October to December. We only used one portable heater if we can't bear the coldness of the house as I could not make the storage heaters work and I did not persevere as I am scared of using it. We did have immersion heater which was only on overnight so for me your bill is sounds about right as your standing charges and rates is nearly the same as mine when I was with EDF, my charges were not estimated and it was always based on meter readings.

This is exactly what I was trying to find out thankyou!  I know of course that everyone runs their homes differently but an idea of other people's spend really helps.
Our supplier is SP (someone asked in a previous post)