Estimated Readings - Gas Meter Blank

Piewalker

Hi All

I have a set of circumstances that has left me a bit confused.

I bought my house at the end of May. Was told there was an issue with the gas meter being blank and it had been reported.

Having heard nothing for a week, I reported it myself as well, and sent a video as requested by Bulb showing that no matter which buttons I pressed, it was indeed blank.

A new meter was meant to be installed earlier in August but this was cancelled and moved back to October.

I've had estimated bills for Gas usage (electricity meter is still working fine). I called them to ask about this and was told they were estimated based on previous usage and typical usage for a house this size.

My concern is that the house (2bd Semi) had been empty for at least 9 mths when I moved in, I have no idea what the previous owners gas usage was.

I have replaced the gas oven with an electric one, and installed a Tado system with smart radiator valves so I can control each room temperature individually, and have no intention of using the gas fire.

Other than hot water for 1hr a day (and I didn't properly move in until the end of June, so didn't have the hot water on for most of it), I have only had the heating on for testing during boiler inspection, and to test the Tado system. The only other gas usage has been the occasional tin of beans on the gas hob.

I was hoping if the new meter was installed in August I would have been able to get some readings and use those to gauge whether the estimated readings were sensible. Now that the installation has been pushed back to October it is likely that I will have to turn the heating on and won't be able to do a direct comparison.

So I don't know if the estimated readings are reasonable, I don't know how much I have been using, and I don't know who I should contact.

Billed Usage 28 May - 31 May was 135.3 kWh

Billed Usage for June was 697.4 kWh

Billed Usage for July was 518.8 kWh

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

Ken

QrizB

That's quite a lot of billed usage for June and July.

I don't know how much hot water you use, but my 4-person household has been using less than 10kWh/day over the summer.

EssexHebridean

Can’t help on the hot water aspect, but we are gas for cooker only, do a fair bit of cooking, and use under 300kWh per year. That might help you to work out the cooker portion of “reasonable use” while others who have gas boilers used for water should be able to assist with narrowing down what might be reasonable for that aspect. 

BUFF

combi or hot water tank?
what do you use hw for each day?
shower or bath?
Only you in the flat?

135kWh for 3 days in May?!
Depending upon the answers to the first questions I would have thought that for June/July/August  your actual usage could be ~1/4 of what they have billed you for. You may not find out until next year though by comparing like for like periods.

JGB1955

Our bills (system boiler for central heating and hot water) have been less than 10kWh per day for June/July/August.

SAC2334

My daily gas kwh usage in June ,July , and August is 1.62 kwhs  a day  based on 56 days , but i am being fairly careful and have an electric powered shower and keep the oven use down and have had  no heating on at all .

They have billed you over 21 kwhs  a day  compared to my 1.62 kwhs but in the 4 days in late May it would be cold enough to have some heating on as was early June so it may be a fair estimate especially if you have a gas-powered shower 

. 
They would have used  historical usage for that property so it may be spot on for the last occupier.

The gas meter battery will have died .Typically a gas meter battery lasts approx. 10 ten years .

Is the gas meter a prepayment meter with a narrow slot on it to accept a card ?

BUFF

SAC2334 said:

 in the 4 days in late May it would be cold enough to have some heating on as was early June so it may be a fair estimate especially if you have a gas-powered shower 

. 

Really? I live in an Edwardian house in the frozen North (Scotland) & my heating hasn't been on since April. 

pramsay13

Sounds like they are completely ripping it. 
From 14th April to 25th July we used 101 units of gas in our old draughty 4 bedroom house with gas central heating, hot water tank, and gas hob. 

Do you have any stats from a previous house as that will show them what type of user you are?

Piewalker

BUFF said:

combi or hot water tank?
what do you use hw for each day?
shower or bath?
Only you in the flat?

135kWh for 3 days in May?!
Depending upon the answers to the first questions I would have thought that for June/July/August  your actual usage could be ~1/4 of what they have billed you for. You may not find out until next year though by comparing like for like periods.

It's a hot water tank. Boiler is less than 10 years old.

I use the hot water for showering (unpowered), handwashing, and dishwashing. Set to come on for 1 hour every morning.

It is indeed only me in the house.

No slot on the meter, just blankness...

Thanks for all the input.

QrizB

How big is your hot water tank? It might be marked with a volume in litres, with dimensions in mm or inches,  with a model number?

Piewalker

It's a McDonald Engineers Indirect Cylinder 900 x 400mm, 96 Litres, Grade 2 according to the label.