Meter check or smart meter?
My electric consumption has gone up considerably from last year. I contacted my provider, I was asked to do 7 days of readings taken at same time of day. They say my consumption is normal as I changed energy providers in March they have no record of my normal usage. Although I have told them what they were. My consumption what I use now over a month is what I used in 3 months last winter. After many emails and not getting answers I opened up a complaint. My options are to have a meter check but if not faulty I incur £257 costs or smart meters can be fitted free. I'm not that sure about smart meters and how reliable they are but at first I said I'd have smart meters. I've had a message today to say they can fit one next month. Now I'm having second thoughts as if meter isn't faulty why has my consumption increased so much? I'm confused as what to do for the best. I'd be very grateful if anyone has got any advice and what would you do in this situation?
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is your lifestyle different to last year, have you been working from home, have you bought any new electrical devices? Do you have gas heating or all electric?
Can we have some figures please for the last 2/3 years ?
I have continued to do daily readings since energy company requested 77 days worth. I have reduced it a bit by switching off dvd player, CD player and bathroom extractor fan.
I don't have an emersion heater so that's not it.
This is actual readings not estimates and it's the kwh that's increased. I don't have 2-3 years of figures as I tend to do online accounts and don't print bills off. I have managed to download bills from my previous supplier so from
28/3/20 - 2/3/21 I used 1709kwh
3/3/21 - 7/7/21 I've used 2016kwh
I've used more kwh in 4 months this year than 11 months with previous supplier.
I have checked around the house and can't find the reason why. It's a fairly modern house (14 years old) I live on my own so no teenagers with lots of gadgets.
I'm just totally baffled at the moment
2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 2.5kw inverter. 28MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
The average usage over the last week has been 11 kwh per day
Is it an old type with clock dials that go in different directions ? Speedometer type ? Digital where its difficult to see the decimal point ?
2016 kWh in 4 months is a lot
What is your heating ?
I have gas heating, my shower is heated via gas boiler and I don't have a tumble dryer or hot tub.
My overnight readings last night from 10.30pm - 8.30am was 4 kwh. I obviously used lights to get upstairs, I had bedside light on till just before midnight. This morning radio alarm on for about half an hour. I think that's a lot as I've looked again at my bill from last year and between
28/3/20-12/7/20 I used 487kwh which I've worked out to be 4.55 daily.
My current energy company at one point did admit my readings had risen "rather rapidly" but said its difficult to determine without further information. They asked me about new appliances, underfloor heating and hot tub. My answer was no to all.
The 7 day total readings I sent them was 152 kwh which works out to 21.7kwh daily. Compare that to last years readings its over 4 times more.
They told me that 21kwh daily falls into high end of normal range and it might be for a family of4-5.
I've lived here for nearly 7 years and in this time I've never had a problem till now.