British Gas Estimation of my Energy Usage and my DD

PennineAcute

Until May of this year, I was living in a 1 bed ground floor flat, with a combi shower and my annual gas usage ranged between 5700 and 6000 kWh, and my elec around 2200 kWh.

In May, I moved into a 1 bed bungalow supplied by BG.  A couple of weeks ago, I tied into their Fixed July 23 v3 tariff for both gas and electricity.  They have me using 2900 kWh of elec and 12000 kWh of gas. 

Since moving in, I have been trying to get some leaway in their annual estimated usage so I can get a more realistic DD.  As things stand, my monthly gas is £90 and my monthly elec is £59.  I know my elec will not be covering my usage, but the £400 will compensate for my low DD.   My gas GG is stupid, though.  I want to reduce it to something more affordable, but the computer says no!

I know it is hard to gauge usage when just moving into a new property, but since I moved in 10 May, my daily gas uage has been 1kWh, and my elec has been 5 kWh a day (both of these taking the mean over a weekly period).  I have 7 years' worth of daily usage in my spreadsheet for my old home, and I cannot see my gas consumption increasing significantly.  In fact, there is a good chance of it reducing, when I look at my past gas usage, as I now no longer have a combi shower, so that is a saving of between 3 and 4 kWh of gas a day.  Taking the mean of this, around a 1200 kWh reduction in my gas usage.

My spreadsheet suggests I pay £56.55 a month for around 5300 kWh of gas.  I would even pay £65 a month - but £90 a month is stupid.

Two weeks ago, I had smart meters installed - but they have messed up with the gas and it gives no readings to neither BG or my IHD.  I last gave a reading on 1 July over the phone, as I cannot do it on line due to the system saying I have a smart meter.  Do you think giving montly readings will help get my DD reduced to something more managable?  They said I do not need to give another reading until 31 Dec.

QrizB

Have you considered switching to variable DD, paying your bill monthly in full?

Mstty

Hi there,

Not unusual to pay a little extra when moving into the next home as historically the energy supplier can look up energy use although the figures you have supplied them using of 12000 and 2900 are suspiciously exactly the same as the average use figures used by the energy industry for a 3 bedroom house with 2-3 people living there.

So plenty of options

1) move to Variable direct debit

2) have a word with BG

I would get this sorted before the big rise in October though as otherwise you will be billed on the new rates from October 1st for usage of 12000/2900

Not to scare you but even with usage of 5300 gas and 2200 come October you will be paying over £165 a month and that's if the price cap doesn't go up even further than current estimates.

[Deleted User]

PennineAcute said:

Two weeks ago, I had smart meters installed - but they have messed up with the gas and it gives no readings to neither BG or my IHD.  I last gave a reading on 1 July over the phone, as I cannot do it on line due to the system saying I have a smart meter.  Do you think giving montly readings will help get my DD reduced to something more managable?  They said I do not need to give another reading until 31 Dec.

Have you tried submitting reads via https://www.britishgas.co.uk/meterreads and particularly https://www.britishgas.co.uk/meter-reads-form.html

Mstty

Figures adjusted for 5400 gas

PennineAcute

Mstty said:

Hi there,

Not unusual to pay a little extra when moving into the next home as historically the energy supplier can look up energy use although the figures you have supplied them using of 12000 and 2900 are suspiciously exactly the same as the average use figures used by the energy industry for a 3 bedroom house with 2-3 people living there.

So plenty of options

1) move to Variable direct debit

2) have a word with BG

I would get this sorted before the big rise in October though as otherwise you will be billed on the new rates from October 1st for usage of 12000/2900

Not to scare you but even with usage of 5300 gas and 2200 come October you will be paying over £165 a month and that's if the price cap doesn't go up even further than current estimates.

I recently tied into their Fixed July 23 V3 tariff, as the threat of an 70% increase worried me.  This expires 31 July 23.

[Deleted User] said:

PennineAcute said:

Two weeks ago, I had smart meters installed - but they have messed up with the gas and it gives no readings to neither BG or my IHD.  I last gave a reading on 1 July over the phone, as I cannot do it on line due to the system saying I have a smart meter.  Do you think giving montly readings will help get my DD reduced to something more managable?  They said I do not need to give another reading until 31 Dec.

Have you tried submitting reads via https://www.britishgas.co.uk/meterreads and particularly https://www.britishgas.co.uk/meter-reads-form.html

Brilliant, thanks.  Did not know about this.  Just given a reading.  I will see if this updates on my account.

QrizB said:

Have you considered switching to variable DD, paying your bill monthly in full?

Being honest, that it too much of a gamble for me.  The only way I would do this is by paying non-direct debit, but that would increase my unit rates.  But, I could then make a lower monthly payment on my gas.

All your help has been appreciated.  Thank you

PennineAcute

Good news.  I have them a meter reading on Sunday and noticed it was showing on my account today.

Checking my tariff details, my gas and electricity estimate has now dropped to 9376 kWh and 1513 kWh respectively.

Hopefully, a couple of months of this and my gas will get reduced to something more realistic.

Again, thanks for your help and thanks for the smart meter reading link.