GETTING YOUR GAS SUPPLY CAPPED

TheBanker

I would advise against taking drastic action like having your gas supply capped.

I used to live in a home that only had electric. Heating was via electric heaters, hot water was via an immersion heater. 

Then I moved into a bigger house that had gas central heating and hot water. My combined gas/electricity bill in the new place was lower than the single gas bill in the old place. This despite the fact that the new place was bigger and I wasn't particularly careful about turning the heating down. This is because gas heating is significantly cheaper than electricity, even taking into account the gas standing charge.

The other thing is I think gas heat somehow feels warmer, and keeps the room warmer longer after being switched off than an electrical heater. I fully appreciate this may be nonsense without any scientific basis, but it's my experience. 

As others have said, if you supply your actual usage over the last 12 months, someone can do some calculations for you to show what's cheaper. Even leaving aside the cost of having the gas supply capped, I think it's unlikely you'll save money by switching to all electric. 

TheBanker

Then I moved into a bigger house that had gas central heating and hot water. My combined gas/electricity bill in the new place was lower than the single gas bill in the old place.

Sorry, typo, this should say

Then I moved into a bigger house that had gas central heating and hot water. My combined gas/electricity bill in the new place was lower than the single electric bill in the old place.

CAPDJPJFP757906

TheBanker said:

I would advise against taking drastic action like having your gas supply capped.

I used to live in a home that only had electric. Heating was via electric heaters, hot water was via an immersion heater. 

Then I moved into a bigger house that had gas central heating and hot water. My combined gas/electricity bill in the new place was lower than the single gas bill in the old place. This despite the fact that the new place was bigger and I wasn't particularly careful about turning the heating down. This is because gas heating is significantly cheaper than electricity, even taking into account the gas standing charge.

The other thing is I think gas heat somehow feels warmer, and keeps the room warmer longer after being switched off than an electrical heater. I fully appreciate this may be nonsense without any scientific basis, but it's my experience. 

As others have said, if you supply your actual usage over the last 12 months, someone can do some calculations for you to show what's cheaper. Even leaving aside the cost of having the gas supply capped, I think it's unlikely you'll save money by switching to all electric. 

Thank you for your advice, that sall I was looking at peoples thoughts, it always seems to be people have to prove others right, but appreciate your feedback thats why it was a question for peoples thoughts

TheBanker

CAPDJPJFP757906 said:

Thank you for your advice, that sall I was looking at peoples thoughts, it always seems to be people have to prove others right, but appreciate your feedback thats why it was a question for peoples thoughts

That's alright. At the end of the day it's your decision. But having lived in houses with and without gas, there's no way I'd consider disconnecting my gas supply. 

Some more anecdotal evidence - my mum had a boiler fault last year and had to use electric heaters and lots of boiling the kettle while she was waiting for it to be replaced. She said her electricity bill went through the roof for that period. Although to be fair she did keep leaving electric heaters on in rooms she wasn't using, so partly her fault I suppose. And as an retired person she does tend to keep her house quite warm all day.

[Deleted User]

CAPDJPJFP757906 said:

Hi,

I've been thinking since I've just come out of a fixed energy package, I managed to get another fixed about 6 weeks ago, my payment like others have treble it's went from £125 to £322 per month for both gas and electric, however been thinking majority of my house is run on electricity, I only use the gas for heating and hot water (dishes), so my question I think I will save at least £100 if I get my gas capped off by my supplier, as effectively I'm paying £161 per month for my gas, gas that I hardly use, meaning when the colder months come and I use heaters which can be turned on and off as and when, I'm sure I will still be saving from my gas charge of £161 per month, what's people's thoughts on this?

With respect, you were the one that was asking for advice on what has since been shown to be a false assumption on your part. The truth is that you are buying asked to pay £322 per month towards your ACTUAL electricity and gas usage costs. You have suggested, that £161 of the monthly payment goes towards your gas usage which you say is very small. 

When it worked out your monthly payment, the supplier would have based its calculation on how much gas and electricity you use each year in kWh. What are those figures: without them, nobody can offer any meaningful 'thoughts'.

stewie_griffin

In one of your posts you’ve mentioned your gas is only used for heating and hot water. This is the same as millions of homes in the uk. Some will also have gas hobs/ovens but many like mine won’t. Just because you have a lot more electrical appliances doesn’t mean only 10% of your energy costs will be for gas. When you recently switched to your new supplier you would have been asked for your annual consumption in kWh. What figures did you give to them? The amount of gas you’ve used over the last few weeks is irrelevant to your annual usage and this is what your Direct Debit payments will b based on.

[Deleted User]

Usual PSA required again here:

Your monthly fixed direct debit amount is not your energy bill.

Changing your monthly fixed direct debit amount is not changing your energy price.

doesntnotcompute

I've glanced through the comments and I didn't see anyone mention it, but utilita (I think still) do no standing charge tariffs - they're not accepting new customers right now though. If you get on one of those tariffs you can just shut the gas off yourself, never use it and pay nothing (or use it rarely and pay for what you use). I think this is still true?