High meter readings

Donmack

Hello. My question relates to a potential metering issue that my aunt is having at the moment.

She is an oap living alone in a 2 bed mid terrace all electric with storage heaters. Her bill with Scottish power refers to Meter type :Comfort plus white meter. However she does not have 2 meters , she has one which I understand is dual tariff. When you press the button on the meter you get 3 readings. One for day, one for night and one that says total. If the total is supposed to be the day and night combined then it currently shows a reading that is 10,500 units higher than the day and night figures added together. On her bill these figures appear as seperate day rate and night rate tariffs and what the meter shows as total is called control rate on the bill.  So we have 3 seperate rates and she is charged the combination of 3 tariffs. Can anyone make sense of this? The result of this is they are now charging her £250 a month. The back of her bill has a comparison chart showing average low, medium and high consumers and what they pay daily. A high consumer is 19.4kwh at £6.16 . They show her home as 30.5kwh at £9.35 daily. You would think that would be a red flag that something is not right here. She has not used the storage heaters for weeks due to the mild weather and as she lives alone has been using an air fryer for about 9 months now, but even if she hadn't made those changes the figures seem unbelievably high.

Thanks for any advice.

[Deleted User]

Does this help:

Robin9

Are the bills based on estimated readings ? 

Is your aunt on the Priority Register |?   

SAC2334

When one  or both the Eco 7 day/night rates go round the clock adding the night and day together  does not add up to the total .

[Deleted User]

The Control Register is explained here:

Comfort Plus White Meter Single meter 3 Day/Night/Control Comfort Plus Meters have a day rate (peak) 08.00-23.30 and night rate (off- peak) 23.30-08.00 but also have a control rate which makes up the 3 'registers'. Control rate is for storage heating is energised for 8.5hrs in every 24hr period.

Scot_39

There are 2 variants of Scottish Power comfort plus white meter CPWM - that according to SP are both three rates as above summary description not 2. 

The difference is radio or preset switching of comfort circuit timing.

And one called comfort plus control CPC  that is only 2 rate according to descriptions at 

https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/pdf/tariffs/2017/Supply_Area.pdf

So check metering and bills again.

Scot_39

As to usage - well that is very user and home dependent.
My summer usage varies 5-8 kWh.
My winter probably 15-20kWh normally - but in a cold snap can peak over 25 - maybe 30kWh in extremes if windy and cold (I use -3 or -4 as a guide) as boost upstairs a bit to to protect pipes in attic having had them freeze in beast from east several years back.
BUT I run a pretty cold most of time but modernish house (small 2 bed mid terrace double glazed c2000 build etc) - but ave just c16-17 LR, 14-15 elsewhere - but as age - still under 60 - have found need to layer up to tolerate that - and soon will probably need to increase LR.  So for me 30kWh annual average would be horrific. 
But that's just me. My annual bills are about 60% of my neighbour according to a "how do your bills compare" site.  Which uses real meter data.

Heat often the single biggest factor.

Utilita - an energy supplier updated their energy savings guide a few months ago - it's estimate 1 deg C - can now add  £227 per year.  But doesn't give a energy mix breakdown just that based on Apr 23 EPG rates.

If was based on mains gas (as c75% homes have gch in 2021 census) that's way over 2000kWh a year - or 5.5 kWh per day - per degree C.

And an elderly person might well be rrunning20-21C plus and still not feel that warm, whereas a younger adult could be fine at 18 or even less.


Electric heating if your not used to it - is just a very expensive way to heat cf mains gas.
You say your aunt's usage 30.5kWh ave so over 11,000 kWh pa.

So Comparing to Ofgem all electric home averages

4200 kWh pa is their medium use TDCV only 11.5kWh per day.
7100 is their high use tdcv - 19kWh per day.

But the Ofgem duel fuel medium tdcv is 14900kWh total (2900 electric, 12000 gas ) - over 40kWh per day - but that's based on 2-3 bed, 2-3 occupants.

Electric homes tend to be smaller on average than duel fuels - so the two medium tdcvs will never compare.  Lots of 1-2 bed flats I guess were and are built with no gas - suspect that drags average sizes down notably.

The real questions are - are her bills accurate meter readings or estimates. So is that
a true usage ?
and
typical of recent / past annual energy usage ?
What does it cost per unit ?

And what can you or she do to reduce it ?
There may be paths via swapping to E7 with load switching that may or will still support her nsh at cheaper overall average rates etc.

If 30.5 kWh ave - that's getting on for c£300 per month at current Ofgem single rate allowing £200 for SC - so seems to be getting benefit from complex tariff already 

But given that Apr £227 per deg C - how hot does she keep house ?

Can she drop a bit - and still be comfortable - and if elderly disabled etc - safely for health ( the statistics on cold related illness and even deaths are still grim in a G7 nation).

Does she own house and have cash and plan to be their for few years , if so
More expensive energy savings - loft insulation, cavity insulation if suitable

as a high user - or at least high cost user -  shoild pay back more quickly.

Heating itself if old. More modern e.g. hhr nsh if she has old leaky heaters might stop her wasting heat early am ( or using peak rate plug ins in evenings if they run out of stored heat later to avoid overcharging at night) with minimal disruption.

ASHP -  even the small per room air con units - might be cheaper option than full wet or central air system given she wont have basic structures. 
But increasingly getting mixed press in Scotland as Greens try to turn screws on GCH due to secondary costs, running efficiency and even operational temperature ranges for many etc especially in colder parts.

And if not flush with cash, does she qualify for any heating upgrade or insulation grants to help with above ?  Many elderly [if she is] have in past - tennants or owners - and not claimed.

My mum qualified for loft and cavity insulation free - many years ago admittedly and in Scotland - she wasn't on means tested benefits etc. Just state pension(s).

And cheaper still, or if doesn't own, 
An electric blanket for bedroom, a normal or perhaps if elderly an electric throw for settee in  living room - decent branded ones £50-£100 - could save £100s by lowering room temp by 1-2c - health allowing etc.

Fairly cheap diy insulation upgrades may help - door bottom draft excluders, thermal door and window lined curtains,  tape draft proofing for doors and windows if drafty etc.

Alnat1

The winter monthly costs are likely to be much more than £250 a month, the summer less but averaged out over a year, as most DD payments are, £250 doesn't sound an unlikely amount.

QrizB

Donmack said:

Hello. My question relates to a potential metering issue that my aunt is having at the moment.

...

Thanks for any advice.

So, in summary:

Your aunt has a three rate tariff, not a two rate one.

The three readings on her meter are three separate registers, not two plus a total.

It is possible that she is being billed correctly.

£250 per month is not an unrealistic charge for an all-electric house in a cold part of the UK.

If you can share details of her tariff, of her annual energy consumption and of any current debit or credit balance on her account, we can help you understand the costs.

SAC2334

QrizB said:

Donmack said:

Hello. My question relates to a potential metering issue that my aunt is having at the moment.

...

Thanks for any advice.

So, in summary:

Your aunt has a three rate tariff, not a two rate one.

The three readings on her meter are three separate registers, not two plus a total.

It is possible that she is being billed correctly.

£250 per month is not an unrealistic charge for an all-electric house in a cold part of the UK.

If you can share details of her tariff, of her annual energy consumption and of any current debit or credit balance on her account, we can help you understand the costs.

Poster says, two readings and one which says "total ". On the meters I see its normally a "T " plus day and night 

CSI_Yorkshire

SAC2334 said:

QrizB said:

Donmack said:

Hello. My question relates to a potential metering issue that my aunt is having at the moment.

...

Thanks for any advice.

So, in summary:

Your aunt has a three rate tariff, not a two rate one.

The three readings on her meter are three separate registers, not two plus a total.

It is possible that she is being billed correctly.

£250 per month is not an unrealistic charge for an all-electric house in a cold part of the UK.

If you can share details of her tariff, of her annual energy consumption and of any current debit or credit balance on her account, we can help you understand the costs.

Poster says, two readings and one which says "total ". On the meters I see its normally a "T " plus day and night 

OP also says that the "total" isn't actually the total of the day & night readings.  So it could be a third register after all.