Smart Meter

Nayousabi

Since I had my new smart meter installed, it has been a nightmare, I have to charge £10 weekly and it runs out even when I am not at home for months, and every electrical item fridge etc is turned off. I have complained several time to British gas, and they have not even sent someone to check it out

luci

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6656587/smart-meter

Have you been taking your own meter readings, both when you are there and after you return home?

debitcardmayhem

You will be charged circa 50p per day for standing charge whether you use electricity or not.

Rodders53

Standing Charge?

AI suggests that the BG SC for payg Electric is roughly 55p a day almost £4 a week with no energy consumed.

£16.50 each 30 day month or £200 a year (approx).

[Deleted User]

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6656587/smart-meter

How much was it costing you before the smart meter installation?

Depending on your supply region, the SC will account for up to about 50% of that amount.

SM can sometimes be more sensitive to recording very low consumption compared to older meters, but 3kWh per day seems more than low background usage.(Actually it's almost as much we use per day when we are at home, so identifying what is using this amount shouldn't be too difficult)

Next time you go away, don't bother going round switching everything off, just flick the main isolator off. When you return, you should only find the SC accumulation. If that occurs, then you know you probably have left something on somewhere. (or whoever is stealing your 3kWh per day is now using candles!)

Then you can start the process of tracking down the root cause of the consumption (if any).

Taking frequent meter readings as already suggested will also assist.

It is not the responsibility of your energy supplier to do this for you.

Edit: Welcome to the forum

Edit 2: Are you not leaving any heat on during the periods of unoccupancy? Have you advised your insurer (and possibly your landlord/mortgage provider, where applicable) that you are not living at the property for months?

Edit 3: If no one is living at the property for months, it may not be considered your main residence by the local council. Have you advised them that the property is unoccupied for months? If they do not consider it to be your main residence, £5 per week electricity consumption may be the least of your financial concerns.

WiserMiser

If the credit ran out while you were away there will now be accrued debt on the meter in respect of the unpaid standing charges. This will be clawed back by charging a bit extra every day.

If you tell us the make and model of the meter someone will be along to tell you how to find out the total debt and the extra amount charged daily.

Scot_39

Even empty just a typical efficient fridge freezer plus a few ancillaries - mains smoke detectors etc will use in region of 1kWh per day.

And over winter - what about any heating - even on frost mode it could be kWh on coldest days and nights.

Add a SC - maybe 80p per day - £5.60 per week and £24 per month.

Just how long did you think £10 credit would last ?

QrizB

To be honest it sounds as though it's working as it should.

What sort of meter did you have before? How much were you paying then?