Energy bills are so high and always coming through! British Gas

GloriaShaw85

We’re with British Gas for gas and electricity. I’m just so in shock with the bills. I live in a semi detached home, and we don’t know how to cook and during winter had issues with the heating /boiler whereby we had intermittent heating (it would reach 22 degrees and switch off and never come back on so whilst asleep we were cold as well, or coming back home etc) so were using jumpers, extra blankies to keep warm etc until it got fixed. 

Apparently from Oct-Jan our bill was £1800 and we paid that in April and now another bill just came through for £1100 and it says from Jan-April. How is it so much money. They installed a smart meter (in July 2022 I think). 

This is really panicking me. What do I do? I’ve spoken to them and they’ve insisted their meters are correct and they can’t do anything. 

Is there a better provider?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

ignore smart meter readings for now, read actual meters, not the IHD, and compare to what your bill says.

dunstonh

Is there a better provider?

A change of supplier will not change your use.   you pay for what you use.   Unless you are on economy 7 or other multi-rate tariff, the majority have the same price.

Give us some dates and actual meter readings so we can look at your use.     Not estimates (unless that is all BG have).  Actual use figures.

Gerry1

Don't use electricity for any form of heating.  Switch off the immersion heater(s), don't use an electric shower, fan heater, oil-filled radiator etc.  Electric blankets are OK, electric kettles are OK-ish.

Make sure the meter readings are shown on the bill as Smart, not Estimated.

Check the serial numbers of the meters on the wall are the same as those on the bill.

macman

You are paying approx 6% more simply by refusing monthly DD and using quarterly billing. That alone is costing you at least an extra £150pa, and you don't get the smoothing out effect of a fixed monthly DD.
Basics: what is your annual kWh usage for both gas and electricity? Quoting us £££ bills does not tell us anything useful.
You may have smart meters, but check your bills to make sure they are based on actual reads, not estimates.
How is the property heated and hot watered?
If you were billed in Jan and only paid in April, you may have been charged a late payment fee on top?
Are you allowing for the £400 EBSS support that you received up until March?

Robin9

Can you give us the meter readings  for these bills please - make sure you include the letters A C E S or our read / your read

Can you read your meters todays as well please.




GloriaShaw85 said:

Apparently from Oct-Jan our bill was £1800 and we paid that in April and now another bill just came through for £1100 and it says from Jan-April. How is it so much money. They installed a smart meter (in July 2022 I think). 

This is really panicking me. What do I do? I’ve spoken to them and they’ve insisted their meters are correct and they can’t do anything. 

EDIt -  can you find the bill that included the July 2022 (was this just the Electric) and check that all of the information for the new meter has been set up - serial number, opening reading of the new meter, closing reading of the old one 

Robin9

@GloriaShaw85 A couple of points from your other threads 

Do you have to keep your house very warm - 22 (as per this thread)  Trying to keep this temp 24/7 will be expensive

Do you qualify for the additional Gov payments of £900

GloriaShaw85

Good morning everyone. I’ve attached the bills to this post. 

We’ve tried to reduce our usage eg I bathe my baby and myself once a week instead of everyday, aside feom a fried egg, boiled veggies and a bit of pasta for baby, we don’t really cook (mainly because we don’t know how to). Heating is most often off (we wore layers and socks etc), and during winter the boiler didn’t work and I had to keep releasing gas from it as it went into the low pressure everyday; try to ensure lights are off after leaving a room. 

We don’t pay DD so that we know when money is due, how much is due and to query anything that’s concerning, as if it’s just taken out of our account, and to be “prepared” for the amount. 

markin

I think you may be leaking gas, The last 2 bills for 21-22 show an annual of 13k -15K kwh, And now its doubled that in just 6 months.

summer_daze009

Why are you sending in meter readings when you have a smart meter and where are you getting the readings from? On your 6 Oct 22 - 4 jan 23 bill it looks like they have billed you based on YOUR meter readings rather than the smart meter readings. Your meter readings are way higher than the smart meter readings.

markin

summer_daze009 said:

Why are you sending in meter readings when you have a smart meter and where are you getting the readings from? On your 6 Oct 22 - 4 jan 23 bill it looks like they have billed you based on YOUR meter readings rather than the smart meter readings. Your meter readings are way higher than the smart meter readings.

Looks like the 2 reading on each bill are 4 months apart.