EDF direct debit to double, but can I challenge the increase?

Benny2020

5741 kwh of electricity usage when you have gas central heating is enormous, do you know how this is being used?

shawry_99

Benny2020 said:

5741 kwh of electricity usage when you have gas central heating is enormous, do you know how this is being used?

I really need to look at one mine is then, as my elec is over 9000 kwh

luckily managed to move to EDF on a 2 year fixed on prices that are about the cap, as Scottish Power were essentially wanting £560 a month, and didnt want to stay on cap due to the likely increase in October.

MattMattMattUK

shawry_99 said:

Benny2020 said:

5741 kwh of electricity usage when you have gas central heating is enormous, do you know how this is being used?

I really need to look at one mine is then, as my elec is over 9000 kwh

luckily managed to move to EDF on a 2 year fixed on prices that are about the cap, as Scottish Power were essentially wanting £560 a month, and didnt want to stay on cap due to the likely increase in October.

I think you really need to look at your electricity usage, that is around twice what I use and I live in an electric only flat, admittedly one I need little heating in as it is very well insulated, but still that covers water heating, working from home a lot etc. 

Gerry1

anxiousnow said:

QrizB said:

What is your annual consumption of gas and electricity, in kWh? You'll see EDF's estimated annual consumption figures on your latest bill.

If you tell us those numbers, we can calculate your monthly payment on the April cap and then you'll know whether £260/month is correct or not.

Thanks. Estimates on my bill are 5,741 kWh for energy, and 14,028 kWh for gas.

Forget estimates, you need to work with actual meter readings.

You're using about twice the average for electricity so something doesn't look right.

The likely culprits include an electric shower (use hot water heated by gas), immersion heaters left on together with electric fires, fan heaters, oil filled radiators, electric towel rails, electric underfloor heating, old freezer, freezer with leaky seals, old fishtank, blocked pond pump etc.

Gerry1

You could change to 'Direct Debit Whole Amount (Monthly)' as a short term fix. This would result in lower payments this summer but the sting in the tail is that there would be a massive increase from October, with rates likely to be much higher together with higher winter consumption.

anxiousnow

Gerry1 said:

anxiousnow said:

QrizB said:

What is your annual consumption of gas and electricity, in kWh? You'll see EDF's estimated annual consumption figures on your latest bill.

If you tell us those numbers, we can calculate your monthly payment on the April cap and then you'll know whether £260/month is correct or not.

Thanks. Estimates on my bill are 5,741 kWh for energy, and 14,028 kWh for gas.

Forget estimates, you need to work with actual meter readings.

You're using about twice the average for electricity so something doesn't look right.

The likely culprits include an electric shower (use hot water heated by gas), immersion heaters left on together with electric fires, fan heaters, oil filled radiators, electric towel rails, electric underfloor heating, old freezer, freezer with leaky seals, old fishtank, blocked pond pump etc.

I think I need to nag the husband. We don't have any of the culprits in the list above, or any mod cons really, but I believe his garage project is probably responsible for a lot.
We have a 4 bed house and a young family so lots of washing to do... 

Not sure I am missing a trick but the annual consumption figures on my bill only seem to be estimates. 

QrizB

anxiousnow said:

Not sure I am missing a trick but the annual consumption figures on my bill only seem to be estimates. 

They're estimates of your *future* consumption.

To work out your historical consumption, find a recent actual meter reading and another from a year ago.

Gerry1

anxiousnow said:

Gerry1 said:

anxiousnow said:

QrizB said:

What is your annual consumption of gas and electricity, in kWh? You'll see EDF's estimated annual consumption figures on your latest bill.

If you tell us those numbers, we can calculate your monthly payment on the April cap and then you'll know whether £260/month is correct or not.

Thanks. Estimates on my bill are 5,741 kWh for energy, and 14,028 kWh for gas.

Forget estimates, you need to work with actual meter readings.

You're using about twice the average for electricity so something doesn't look right.

The likely culprits include an electric shower (use hot water heated by gas), immersion heaters left on together with electric fires, fan heaters, oil filled radiators, electric towel rails, electric underfloor heating, old freezer, freezer with leaky seals, old fishtank, blocked pond pump etc.

I believe his garage project is probably responsible for a lot.

Hope he's not growing something ! 

anxiousnow said:

Gerry1 said:

anxiousnow said:

QrizB said:

What is your annual consumption of gas and electricity, in kWh? You'll see EDF's estimated annual consumption figures on your latest bill.

If you tell us those numbers, we can calculate your monthly payment on the April cap and then you'll know whether £260/month is correct or not.

Thanks. Estimates on my bill are 5,741 kWh for energy, and 14,028 kWh for gas.

Forget estimates, you need to work with actual meter readings.

You're using about twice the average for electricity so something doesn't look right.

The likely culprits include an electric shower (use hot water heated by gas), immersion heaters left on together with electric fires, fan heaters, oil filled radiators, electric towel rails, electric underfloor heating, old freezer, freezer with leaky seals, old fishtank, blocked pond pump etc.

Not sure I am missing a trick but the annual consumption figures on my bill only seem to be estimates. 

Send meter readings today, and again on 31 March so that you don't pay for any March usage at the higher April rates.  Then keep sending them monthly and make sure they show up on the bills as Actual or Customer readings.

Sebi_895

Totally with Gerry1 on that one - start taking actual readings! Get into the habit of taking weekly readings, note them in your phone and then check them with the statement that turns up.
Re can you challenge the DD payment - yes you can. My supplier all of a sudden asked for £80 extra on my monthly payment I called and challenged them and said they have totally missed the point of spreading my payments over the course of the year, in winter of course I will be using more but in summer it will balance out - I felt it was a ploy by the supplier to be in mass credit on my account so they can pay less for the fuel now as opposed to be paying more in 6 months. Anyhow, we came to a happy medium and I'm only paying an extra £40 on the monthly payment.