Energy Bills

Taff2121

hello, just after some advice.

me, my partner and our 2.5 year old moved into a 2 bed bungalow in August 2024. our energy supplier is British Gas and direct debits were set up separately for both Electric and Gas. We had our boiler replaced in Oct 2024. 

I have just received an updated statement for my gas and it’s saying we owe an extra £720. I spoke to British Gas who said this covers from 1st Sept to now and they have been receiving meter readings regularly. i did question why has it taken so long to send me a bill when im clearly underpaying and I also said that i felt this was a huge amount in gas considering we are in a bungalow, just us and both work full time.. she has agreed to send an engineer out to check for a possible leak but does this amount so right? works out to be about £150 a month on gas then extra for electric? 

any advice would be greatly received. 

Mark_d

That looks correct

wrf12345

JUst check your meter readings for the period and multiple by whatever unit rates BG are currently applying and add s/c's times number of days - it should be a little bit higher than what you have been charged as the rates would have been lower in the previous quarter. Assumes you have access to the meters readings when you moved in, or just use the reading on the first bill from BG.

BG are notorious for using very high estimated readings so check that the final reading in the last bill is an actual one, if not get them to correct it. £5 a day for gas during winter is not that high, BTW, but easy to get much lower next winter by turning heating down or off.

Taff2121

okay thanks, sounds as if it might be correct then, hoping they will be a little flexible with paying this huge bill! im currently on a debt relief order so don’t have much ‘spare’ money at all. 

QrizB

Taff2121 said:

okay thanks, sounds as if it might be correct then,

Not so fast!

Have you checked the bill? Are the opening meter readings the same as the ones you provided to BG when you moved in? And are the billing meter readings consistent with the readings on your meters today?

Has your gas bill, in particular, been calculated as cubic metres or as hundreds of cubic feet?

Taff2121

i have absolutely no idea, really don’t understand all of this.. il try insert what’s on the bill that might help? as for my actual meter reads il go check it in a min 

QrizB

Ok, you've got two actual readings on the bill.

62.3 on 30/09/24 - is this what your gas meter read when you moved in?

1310.6 on 27/02/25 - if you read your meter today, does it say this (or slightly more)?

And they've calculated your energy use correctly for a metric meter, which yours almost certainly is.

Taff2121

62.3 was when we moved in

still need to get round to checking it - so if it’s reading 1310.6 or a little more would you say the bill is correct? 

Gerry1

You've used more than the typical amount for a whole year.  But that's because it's a bungalow.

Turn down the thermostat, fit TRVs, take shorter showers.  Above all: masses of insulation.

QrizB

Taff2121 said:

62.3 was when we moved in
still need to get round to checking it - so if it’s reading 1310.6 or a little more would you say the bill is correct? 

Yes, if your meter now reads 13xx then it looks like the bill is correct.

Is the meter itself fairly new? There should be a label or sticker nearby that says when it was fitted. Or is your bungalow a new-build?

As Gerry1 says, you seem to have used as much gasbas they average house does in a full year. But it's not an absurdly large amount, and you seem to have a relatively cheap tariff.

Gerry1

Did you take the opening reading yourself?