Electricity help

steph_87

Hi, I live in a 3 bed flat on my own where the energy supply is electricity only.  My bills are coming in at £500 per month and the smart meter is recording daily usage at 60kwh per day. 

It had under electric heating and I have had this removed and replaced with modern economic panel heating.  I only use my bedroom, shower, kitchen and living room.  I dont understand why my usage is so high and why its so expensive.  I understand the prices have increased but I thought £500 per month was a bit excessive. 

I've had an electrician out and he can't find any faults and ensure all the under floor heating was disabled.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to bear bad news but "modern economic panel heating" is no more or less efficient than the underfloor heating you had before, or than a £20 Argos fan heater. It's one of the most expensive ways to heat a property.

60kWh/day for a 3-bed flat is about right. On the current Ofgem cap and including the standing charge, that should be costing you around £13 a day, £400 a month. (Next winter it is likely to cost £17/day).

Can you give the name of your electricity supplier and details of your tariff?

Gerry1

If you rent, move to a flat with gas central heating.

If you own, get gas if at all possible.  If not, install night storage heaters on E7 (or perhaps LPG, oil or a heatpump if realistic and you're planning to stay a long time).  Get rid of the electric shower.

Not good news but sadly that's the way it is.

steph_87

I'm with sse on a fixed rate, standing charge 23.54p and unit charge 19.34p per kwh.  

I bought the property in September last year. I was absolutely horrified by my bill. I'm usually out at work with some days working from home. Apart from the standard items that uses electricity etc I wouldnt say I use it excessively.  The two rooms are spare and don't have heaters in them.  I've only got three electric radiators in my property that come on for a few hours in the evening.

QrizB

steph_87 said:

I'm with sse on a fixed rate, standing charge 23.54p and unit charge 19.34p per kwh. 

How long is your fix for, and do those prices include VAT? It might be a bit cheaper than the current cap and it's a lot less than the coming one, and If it lasts through next winter you'll be grateful for it.

I've only got three electric radiators in my property that come on for a few hours in the evening.

Do you know what power the radiators are rated at, and exactly how many hours are they on for? Including at weekends?

steph_87

My fixed deal is until September.  My radiators are 2kwh which was cheaper that my inder floor heating and electric panels thst were here previously. They were 6/8kwh.  I have them on for 3 hours at night and at the weekends I have them on for longer about 6-8 hours 

QrizB

steph_87 said:

My fixed deal is until September.  My radiators are 2kwh which was cheaper that my inder floor heating and electric panels thst were here previously. They were 6/8kwh.  I have them on for 3 hours at night and at the weekends I have them on for longer about 6-8 hours 

OK, if they are only on for three hours a night they can't be using more than (3 heaters x 3 hours x 2kW) 18kWh/day between them, at least on week nights. The 60kWh/day must be going somewhere else.

Is your meter in your flat or is it in a central switchroom shared with other flats?

markin

Is the a water heater on a timer?  Electric Towel rad? bathroom underfloor heat?

Was you on E7 with storage heater?

steph_87

I know, that's why incantunderstand why my electricity  ills are so high or my usage.

It's a flat but I have my own meter inside my property. The water heater is on a timer but only on for an hour in the morning. I've looked at the manual and it seems to be on correctly. 

I dont habe storage heaters. There's no bathroom towel rail. Only an electric heater whixh is switched off.  I need to maullay put that on and don't use it. 

QrizB

steph_87 said:

I know, that's why incantunderstand why my electricity  ills are so high or my usage.
It's a flat but I have my own meter inside my property.

OK, can you carry out @Gerry1's Meter Sanity Test please?

And are you able to post a photo of the meter (you might be too new a forum member and it won't let you) or tell us the reading on your meter, plus the date it was installed (which should be on a sticker near it)?

Robin9

Could you read your meter (ether the meter itself or the IHD)  several times during the day please.  If say your IHD is showing say KWh at 0700 then that would indicated there is some load on during the night.