Shell Energy - usage vs last year not making sense.

B0bbyEwing

I was having a look at some bills last night as I've been on S.E's variable rates ever since the whole hoo-ha started with energy prices & the advice was to stick as you are. I was wondering if that advice has maybe now changed so was going to look out my annual usage & see if it's worth switching anywhere to anything.

While looking at some recent bills, there's a section on there that compares your usage to "this time last year" and I was surprised to see electricity usage is up & in some parts seemingly a bit.

This makes no real sense to me as this time last year I wasn't working. I was at home 7 days per week for quite a chunk of time.

So "this time last year" I was using electricity for the TV, the computer which was on quite a bit (ok I know from plugging in a meter that this doesn't use a lot per day but even still, it's more than what's being used this year), the grill every day for dinner (lunch to you posh lot), kettle's for coffee, more hoovering through the day/week than is done now, more use of pressure washers. Just general electrical usage - I was off work so I was using it. Now I'm at work so nobody is there to use it.

The one and only difference (aside from not being there so unable to use) that I can think of is showers. Last year I barely showered at home. Once, maybe twice at the very most per week. The other 5-6 days were at the gym and that was pretty consistent week after week.
This year it can some weeks still be that, but other times it could be anything from 3-5 times I'm showering at home. 

But I thought our shower was gas, not electric?!

Anyone else with Shell & experiencing similar results not making sense, or just anyone who could think why this possibly may be - aside from saying "you're using more" ... because for 10-11 hours per day, it's impossible to (in comparison to last year) since there's nobody home this year compared to last.

debitcardmayhem

You could use the bright app or loop to get granularity data , it often checks 3 times a day 

[Deleted User]

Hi,

is it based on actual or estimated readings?

Are they comparing usage or cost, prices have gone up since this time last year.

Confirm shower gas or electric, if electric take shorter showers.

Best to keep your own records, take readings at least once a month, why not set up a  wee spreadsheet to keep an eye on usage and cost.

PeterGr

Are you submitting meter readings?  I do, and Shell are doing some number crunching to arrive at usage this period (month) and the same period last year.  End of tariff period seems to have significant effect on their calculations, but its only a few kWh.

I put my readings into a spreadsheet, and that is what I use to track and compare consumption.

B0bbyEwing

Ok in order...

* Never heard of bright or loop but thanks for the suggestion. What are they (other than apps) and how do they work? I could be off the mark here but I should probably point out now that I'm not on a smart meter ... although I am getting bombarded by their flipping phone calls which I've hopefully now put a stop to.

* It'll end up being based on both, unfortunately. It seems Shell want their readings given on the 20th of the month & no other date will do for them, otherwise they'll estimate. They say before something like the 24th (my reminder comes on the 20th) but I've submitted on the 23rd-24th before & they just then estimate, which is annoying. So for a short while now I've set a reminder on my phone to take readings ON the 20th & submit them so that there's no more estimating.

* The comparison is on usage, as in kwh in both instances. Not cost.

* Stupid question incoming .... how to determine whether it's a gas or electric shower? I know for sure my mothers is electric & we always had to flick a switch outside the bathroom to turn the shower on, otherwise it wouldn't work. In my house you don't do that, you just turn the shower on at the shower - the 'tap/dial' thing. You can hear the boiler going then. I took from this that it was gas.

* Spreadsheet - I did set up a sort of one but haven't maintained since November 2022 (I know, I know). Easy enough to bring up to date. 
The spreadsheet wont be as good as you guys. I don't know the formulas & such. It's basically just a tally of what the meter is reading. For electric this should be no issue as it's all in kwh and this is what everyone seems to want but for gas, it's straight off the meter also, which is in m3. I can pull the kwh from my bill but you guys probably have some kind of formula set up in yours so it tells you your kwh instantly as soon as you input your meter reading.

* Yes i submit meter readings. On the 20th each month I have a reminder on my phone, I go & photo the meters & submit these in to the Shell Energy app.


Hope this helps. Any further info/questions, fire away... 

[Deleted User]

Hi,

here's a wee GADGET might help with your calculations.

PeterGr

I've been with Shell for a few years and have been able to submit my meter readings over 4 or 5 days without them estimating.  I submit mine through Chrome browser rather than the app. and they are at the end of the month.

As you submit on the 20th, they will have to make estimates for when the tariff changes on the 1st of the month.

They don't explain what the period they use for the comparison of this year and last year is.  My June bill shows 118 kWh last year and 133 kWh this year, but my calculation from the same readings is 130 kWh last year and 125 kWh this year.  Shown on a bar chart on the bill this gives the wrong impression, but its only a few kWh either way.   The trend of your annual consumption is more significant.

Nellymoser

I'm with Shell too and also find their comparison usage quotes "to this time last year" do not make any sense. I don't have a smart meter submit monthly readings. My gas usage was down a lot from last year but Shell showed it was dramatically up "compared to this time last year". Never got round to ask them why.

pnam

Ditto. On most bills so far this year Shell have shown me that my usage this year has been greater than last. Simply not true. I have the actual meter readings and my usage is quite a bit lower over every billing period so far this year. The charges on the bill are correct however, so I really can't be bothered trying to figure out their comparison errors.