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

PeterGr

markin said:

The annual estimates on the bills go from 15,700 in Oct to 27K in Jan and the last bill is 32K

Get the data from one of the apps and see if usage drops after the boiler was fixed.

The estimate of 15,700 was when there hadn't been 12 months data, and the most recent bill is 27,000.  If you adjust consumption for Dec-22 to Dec-23 and Jul-22 to Apr-23 the annual estimates are 24,200 and 26,800 kWh gas, and 7,000 and 7,700 kWh electricity.   Reducing consumption seems to be what has to happen.

If the boiler was locking out on low pressure there would be a bit more consumption after it was fixed, especially if run for many hours / day with a high thermostat setting.

GloriaShaw85

Spoonie_Turtle said:

People are saying the gas is high but for a gas-heated home that's a lot of electricity too.  Time for an energy audit?

I think the same too ! 

How do I do an audit?

Wellsy777

I'd be wary of British Gas. They misread my gas and electricity for six months, leaving me with a massive bill to pay. I managed to reclaim some of that via the complaint process (at the time one of their customer service reps called them "crooks" on the phone!) 

I'd do an audit, pay your bit, and then change companies. It's what I'm looking to do now. 

Krakkkers

You need to take readings every day maybe even every hour or 2 until you understand what is using the energy.
Both your gas and electricity are extremely high, mostly that has to be a form of heating that is using that energy.
How do you heat hot water, leccy or gas? and for how long each day? Do you use fan heaters or oil filled radiators as well as gas CH? You appear to be using around 3 times average gas and electricity.

PeterGr

Your smart meter, in home display and your online account should be able to give you all that data.  You want to be looking at kWh consumption rather than £.  Try and relate the kWh shown with the things being used, and ask yourselves if you can reduce / avoid it.

What is there that is likely to lead to high consumption.  ie. Electric vehicle charging, aquarium, immersion heater(s), fan heaters and convectors, washing machine and tumble dryer etc.?

What are the controls that you have such as timers, thermostats, radiator valves, and do you understand how to adjust them.  Have all heating switched off for the summer as soon as possible, and see that this is reflected in your daily / weekly/monthly consumption.

Robin9

 A couple of practical checks for you

Go to your gas meter and make a note of the serial number; read the meter - make sure that the numbers you are looking at have the word kWh M3 (edit - corrected) following them ; look for the words m3   Compare this info with what's on your bill.


Go to your electric meter and make a note of the serial number; read the meter - make sure the numbers you are looking at have the letters kWh following them. Compare this info with whats on your bill.


By audit - start with a room by room list of all the appliances , including lighting. Don't forget the shed, pond, garage and attic

Gerry1

Robin9 said:

Go to your gas meter and make a note of the serial number; read the meter - make sure that the numbers you are looking at have the word kWh following them ; look for the words m3   Compare this info with what's on you bill.

That doesn't sound right.  Did you mean to say

Go to your gas meter and make a note of the serial number; read the meter - make sure that the numbers you are looking at DO NOT have the word kWh following them; look for m3 instead. Make sure the serial number and same m3 reading show on your bill.

Robin9

@Gerry1 - you are correct.

markin

What is the EPC and annual usage on it https://find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/find-a-certificate/search-by-postcode?lang=en&property_type=domestic


Here's the bright App.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.hildebrand.brightionic&hl=en_GB

Novice_investor101

It looks like (from the pics of your bills) that you use the British Gas app? If so, log in to your account on a laptop or via the web & set your smart meters to send readings every 30mins. 

You’ll then be able to see an hourly breakdown of usage on the app for all dates going forward. Even currently you should be able to see your daily usage in kwh & £’s on the app, does that daily cost correlate to the previous bills? 

Your online account should also have a history of all the smart meter readings, not just the ones used to bill.