Economy 7 help

charlie2000

Hi, we currently rent a 2 bed terraced house in Surrey, and have done so for over 10 years, they have economy 7 heaters, but they dont appear to be working during the cheapest hours, since i have had a smart meter, i have noticed that they are still on after 8am everyday, and at over 46p and hour that soon adds up. I was wondering if we switched to halogen/oil/low wattage panel heating, we could go on to a normal electricity tarriff, and if it would actually be worth it. There is no gas in the property, but we are paying a standing fee for the privelage of having it attached to the property! We have one 2000w storage heater in the lounge and another in the hall, a 1250w electric heater in each bedroom, and a heated towel rail in the bathroom, no idea on the wattage is on that. We were paying £129 a month with Green Network Energy, and looking to pay over £150 a month with EDF. I know the prices are soaring, but i still think we were being charged a lot before that. We also have a emersion tank in the airing cupboard, that heats up around 4am for an hour i think. Any help would be greatly apprecaited, as I have no idea what to do.

Swipe

It sounds like the Smart Meter installer put in a 4 port meter instead of a 5 port that supports a separate off peak storage heater circuit. Get back on to your supplier and explain your issue and get them to come out and fit a 5 port smart meter instead or make the 4 port one work somehow with your storage heater circuit.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

can you stick up a photie of your meter setup please?

They could still be on cheaper rate at 8am.

MWT

Swipe said:

It sounds like the Smart Meter installer put in a 4 port meter instead of a 5 port that supports a separate off peak storage heater circuit. Get back on to your supplier and explain your issue and get them to come out and fit a 5 port smart meter instead or make the 4 port one work somehow with your storage heater circuit.

The 4 port meters just need an external contactor, they all have a control signal wire output that can be used to switch it.

5 port meters just have it all built in.

A photo of the meter and any adjacent devices would be a great help...

Torry_Quine

My economy 7 rate switches after 10am so 8am doesn't necessarily mean much.

Ectophile

There is no gas in the property, but we are paying a standing fee for the privelage of having it attached to the property!

If there isn't actually a gas supply, because it's capped off, then you shouldn't be paying for it.

MWT

Ectophile said:

There is no gas in the property, but we are paying a standing fee for the privelage of having it attached to the property!

If there isn't actually a gas supply, because it's capped off, then you shouldn't be paying for it.

Since it is a rental, I imagine it has not been capped off with the meter removed, it just isn't actually connected to any appliances but is still connected to the property.

Landlord probably wants to keep the option open as it does have some impact on property value, and of course it doesn't cost them anything to leave it like that as the tenant picks up the standing charge...