High Gas Usage

HannahN888

Hello!

I have just moved into a new flat at the beginning of January and our monthly gas usage is higher than expected especially the estimated yearly usage.

The flat is a top floor flat in a renovated old house with single glaze windows and brick walls. It is a 3 bedroom flat with currently 2 occupants and a combi boiler.

The consumption for the first month is 4253 kWh and Estimated annual usage is 27716.43 kWh. This feels very high to me as the flat is relatively small in size and the rough average for home is around half the amount, although as this is an old house i understand it might be higher than average.

I checked the EPC rating and the estimated average consumption for the flat is 14351 which sounds more understandable.

We have double checked meter readings and everything is correct and we have also only been putting the heating on for certain times throughout the day and the house still runs cold. 

The only things i have identified which cold be causing loss in heat are cracks in some of the window pains, a couple of vents in the house & experiencing drops in hot water pressure throughout the day.

As we are renting we are unable to modify anything, so i am not sure how to get to the bottom of what is causing such a high usage. 

Any advise or suggestions on why this may be would be really appreciated, thank you!

[Deleted User]

Hi,

have you checked if you have a metric (m3) meter or imperial (cubic feet)?

Have you been supplying meter readings or accepting estimates?

Sea_Shell

Do you have a smart meter and in IHD (in home display)?

You need to keep a close eye on it and see how much gas you're using and when.

If no IHD, it's still doable but less convenient.

I'd be doing daily readings, whilst also noting how long heating has been on for, along with noting how much hot water you're using.

Robin9

@HannahN888   Have a close look at your bill and the meter readings  - what are the letters - A, C, E (or customer read or similar)

Read your meter today - how does that compare with whats on your bill ?

Ignore the supplies Annual Consumption - keep your own records and by next January you will know an exact figure.

PS I assume you gave a meter read when you moved in .

HannahN888

Thank you for all your replies!! 

 [Deleted User] said:

Hi,

have you checked if you have a metric (m3) meter or imperial (cubic feet)?

Have you been supplying meter readings or accepting estimates?

Our meter readings are in cubic feet (ft3), on british gas there is only a place to put the number but not to select cubic feet, could this be something we need to do? We have been providing meter readings from our move in date to the day of the bill so they are accurate 

Sea_Shell said:

Do you have a smart meter and in IHD (in home display)?

You need to keep a close eye on it and see how much gas you're using and when.

If no IHD, it's still doable but less convenient.

I'd be doing daily readings, whilst also noting how long heating has been on for, along with noting how much hot water you're using.

Unfortunately we do not have a smart meter, thank you for the advice I will try to keep a daily track on it to help pinpoint the height of usage

Robin9 said:

@HannahN888   Have a close look at your bill and the meter readings  - what are the letters - A, C, E (or customer read or similar)

Read your meter today - how does that compare with whats on your bill ?

Ignore the supplies Annual Consumption - keep your own records and by next January you will know an exact figure.

PS I assume you gave a meter read when you moved in .

I cant see the letters A, C, E, would you explain be able to explain what they mean? if it is referring to the readings next to the readings it says "you gave us your meter reading"

For our gas readings moving in (8th jan) 3023, (14th feb) 3159, (today 16th feb) 3166

For the suppliers Annual Consumption they are currently using this to calculate our monthly direct debit at £109 (just gas on price cap tarrif). Should we query this if we think its too high?

Robin9

A = Actual, C = Consumer - ie you : E = Estimated  - ie a guess by the supplier

3166 - 3023  = 143 m3 = approx 1600 m3 @ 6p = approx £100

Don't forget this is winter, summer will be much less

Ectophile

Our meter readings are in cubic feet (ft3), on british gas there is only a place to put the number but not to select cubic feet, could this be something we need to do?

Look on your bills.  British Gas should be applying a conversion from cubic feet to cubic metres, before then converting that to kilowatt-hours.  They are supposed to know what kind of meter you have; there's no way for you to enter it.

HannahN888

Robin9 said:

A = Actual, C = Consumer - ie you : E = Estimated  - ie a guess by the supplier

3166 - 3023  = 143 m3 = approx 1600 m3 @ 6p = approx £100

Don't forget this is winter, summer will be much less

Thank you for explaining! I just noticed that you used m3 where our readings are in ft3, Do you think that this could be what is effecting our usage if they think we are using m3?

Robin9

Yes this is a m3 ft3 mix up

Send BG the serial numbers off the meter and the ones on the bill

Sea_Shell

HannahN888 said:

Robin9 said:

A = Actual, C = Consumer - ie you : E = Estimated  - ie a guess by the supplier

3166 - 3023  = 143 m3 = approx 1600 m3 @ 6p = approx £100

Don't forget this is winter, summer will be much less

Thank you for explaining! I just noticed that you used m3 where our readings are in ft3, Do you think that this could be what is effecting our usage if they think we are using m3?

Definitely!!

Can you post up the calculation they are using on your bill to get your usage into kWhs

HannahN888

This sounds really hopeful! I will try and get in touch with british gas to sort it out

the calculation on the bill is 132 gas units at 38.7 calorific value