Gas and electric bills seem far too high.

dekaspace1

Been here 14 months and they only just sorted out the billing, kept making errors like I had direct debits set up but they never sent them, and sending bills in both my name and a former tenants name.

Got the bill for 14 months gas, bearing in mind I have had heating on 3 days in 14 months and that was set at 18 degrees and with it turned off it was 13 degrees so not as if it was like 3 or 4 degrees and set to 20.

Bill was £184 I gave multiple meter readings.

Electric bill works out at £28 per WEEK, I am a single guy who spends 3-5 minutes in shower most days, uses washing machine for a small load once a week on a mid heat setting and its a modern eco model, most cooking is using a microwave, rarely uses kettle, uses a work laptop 2 and a half days a week, a desktop for about 10-12 hours a day and a monitor, tv on more often recently but at one point in a 4 month period it was on maybe 6 hours maximum. I run modern led bulbs and maybe 2 are on maximum when its dark.

The electric meter is complicated though its a old analog type and dual as up until a few years ago had storage heaters in.

Around £32 a week bills seems excessive considering in my previous flat I was using around £10 a week and that was for a large 2 bedroom flat and I had relatives staying 1-2 nights a month.

Netexporter

My electricity usage is similar to yours except I have an EV to charge, on top. I paid 13p/kWh on average, in the past month. I'm on Agile Octopus tariff. (you need a smart meter,obviously, to be able to save money.

Are they still charging you at E7 rate, even though you don't have storage heaters? That's very expensive on peak rate.

molerat

The SC for 14 months gas would be around £122 so £62 for gas use which would equate to something around 2 kWh per day averaged over the 14 months.  Have they used readings you supplied ?

Again for the electric have they used your meter readings ?

What are the start and finish meter readings for both meters ?

Being in a flat are you certain the meters being billed are the ones that supply your flat ?

dekaspace1

The electric ones I have the readings written down but also every so often had meter readers at my door (likely as bill wasnt paid) one did mention he was surprised I had dual meters and marked details of both down.

I live in a flat but its one with direct door to outdoors not with a communal area.

The gas bill is extra confusing as when I finally got it sorted I asked what my updated bill was and was told £28 and assumed that was for the 14 months which was lower than I thought but at same time thought that would be understandable if it was 3 days heating and some standing charge.

Then got 2 bills for gas alone today one with the £184 figure and one saying "thank you for setting up a direct debit, this will be £28 per month" I am happy to pay off any bill that is correct but £28 a month ongoing seems extortionate for me washing a plate or two a day

Netexporter

It costs a lot of money to have hot water on tap, outside the heating season, even with a foam lagged cylinder the losses are quite considerable. Depends on the rest of your plumbing electric arrangements, though. Is your shower directly electrically heated, or does it draw hot water from the house system?

dekaspace1

Shower is electrically heated though I am not sure if it makes a difference I have a wetroom so has a pump to get rid of the water.

I am sure I have a preheat option for my water but I disabled it.

Robin9

Lots of meter readings please and redacted copies of the bills showing the meter readings.

Chris_b2z

Sorry for the obvious question but did you take a meter reading on the day you moved in and have you confirmed that they match the readings shown on the bill?

QrizB

dekaspace1 said:

Around £32 a week bills seems excessive considering in my previous flat I was using around £10 a week and that was for a large 2 bedroom flat and I had relatives staying 1-2 nights a month.

We've just had the most expensive 14 months of energy in UK history. You should expect your bills to have at least doubled.

As others have said, give us your moving-in readings and today's readings and we can help you work out what's reasonable and what isn't.

Oh, and did you get the £400 Government EBSS payments credited to your bill?

ArbitraryRandom

QrizB said:

dekaspace1 said:

Around £32 a week bills seems excessive considering in my previous flat I was using around £10 a week and that was for a large 2 bedroom flat and I had relatives staying 1-2 nights a month.

We've just had the most expensive 14 months of energy in UK history. You should expect your bills to have at least doubled.

As others have said, give us your moving-in readings and today's readings and we can help you work out what's reasonable and what isn't.

Oh, and did you get the £400 Government EBSS payments credited to your bill?

And can you confirm if your gas reading is in cubic ft or m (it should say on the meters) and if this matches what it says on your bill (there will be a formula somewhere converting it into kWh)? 

RedFraggle

How does your gas boiler heat your water? Is there a hot water tank?
If your gas boiler is a combi, is it set to prewarm giving more instant hot water?