Average Electricity Costs Poll

Kylie

I have tried the comparisons but it looks like I would only save by getting off the prepaid meter, and I don't think the LL would want me to change that.

mum26

Hi everyone, please could you give me your opinions on whether our meter is correct?

We live in a 3 storey, 3 bedroom mid terraced house. It was a brand new build when we moved in sept 2003. Our central heating / hot water and hob are all gas powered and those bills have been fine.

Our electricity meter, obviously newly installed when we moved in, currently reads approx 59700.00, which gives us an annual usage of just under 10000 kwh?

Our next door neighbours meter is about 2/3rds "lower".

All our lightbulbs are energy saving, we have modern appliances, my washing machine, fridge and dishwasher are A rated and upwards, I have a chest freezer (kept well stocked), an electric fan oven which I try be economical with, a tumble drier which is only used during the coldest and wettest months.

I've got one of those little electricity monitor things on the way but whenever we query the usage with the electricity provider they say it is average, but from looking at various sites it would appear approx 6000 kwh is about average for a 3/ 4 bed family home?

Also when I put our details into moneysupermarket utility comparison form it flagged up the kwh amount as being much higher than average and told me to check our figures!

gcalpacket

Hello People,

Me too in a similar situation like Kylie.

I moved into a very small 1 bed room flat.Got usual things in kitchen & 1 pc laptop & shower ,no dryer.No gas ,its all electric.

Always away in morning.Our house is very very cold during nights.So we use heater for few hours during night time.I am on a prepaid meter and I have already topped up 165£ a month during sep & oct.

1)I want to know if this is average or i am spending a lot?
2)How do I find out which supplier I am with.?
3)I got old style dimplex heaters,they take a long time to heat and not very powerful.It takes about 90 minutes to heat our room.Can some one suggest good economical heater/radiator?

CarineG

gcalpacket wrote: »

Hello People,

Me too in a similar situation like Kylie.

I moved into a very small 1 bed room flat.Got usual things in kitchen & 1 pc laptop & shower ,no dryer.No gas ,its all electric.

Always away in morning.Our house is very very cold during nights.So we use heater for few hours during night time.I am on a prepaid meter and I have already topped up 165£ a month during sep & oct.

1)I want to know if this is average or i am spending a lot?
2)How do I find out which supplier I am with.?
3)I got old style dimplex heaters,they take a long time to heat and not very powerful.It takes about 90 minutes to heat our room.Can some one suggest good economical heater/radiator?

This seems like a lot of money. If you are renting your place, the landlord should be able to tell you who is your electricity provider. It would be a good idea to contact your energy supplier to find out how you can reduce your bill as they are obliged to give you this advice.

As for the radiators you are using, the oil filled ones are more economical to use comparing to fan heaters. It's worth checking online what sort of heaters are the most economical.

If you cannot manage to reduce your energy spending, maybe it is worth considering moving, if it is a small flat and you spend a forture on heating then maybe consider a place with better insulation.

lee.claire

We have a 3 bed semi, and its rented and we are on prepay electric and gas, we use £80 to £100 electric per month, and between £40 and £50 on our gas. We have nothing on stand by, and have all energy saving bulbs through out the house. Our heating is on for 2hrs per day, low.. we even went away for a 9.99 holiday weekend and with knowone here and a single small goldfish pump on and a fridge we still used £3.50 in 3days..
We have tried everything to lower the costs but it just does not seem to be working...

Swipe

3 bed detached bungalow here, with two air source heat pumps and a multifuel stove. At the moment using I'm only using about £20 a month electric. Stove lit late afternoon on the weekends and air con used for about 4 hours to heat sitting room in the evenings and 30 min to warm the bedroom before bed.

dadsarmy

Hi

Two of us live in a 2008 mid terrace 3 storey house on the North Devon Coast. The house faces east/west and we get some afternoon sun. We have no solar heating or heat pumps.

All our lightbulbs are energy saving plus a couple of neon types. We have a fridge/freezer, washing machine, a microwave, a electric oven and gas hobs but not a tumble drier. We have a Ariston gas combi boiler.

We have swapped a downstairs lounge for a bedroom as have a little view from the 1st floor and it is also 2 to 3 C warmer on 1st floor. We have slightly draughty wood d/g sash windows.

From July 2008 to November 2009 (here all the time, never eat out and no holidays)

we have used 105 cubic metres of gas

we have used 1429 units of electricity

Our last bill from Ebico for 3 months true readings

gas 2 cubic meters £0.80

electricity 254 units £34.69

OK - perhaps we do smell just a bit

I expect the next 3 months useage will result in higher bills

CarineG

Maybe with the money you are saving you can treat yourself to a nice restaurant, a holiday even...;)

Synonymous

Hi everyone, I know this is a kind of a 'how long is a piece of string' question, but I'm looking to buy my own house soon and want some ball park figures for budgetting for bills, in my current rent the bills are included so I honestly have no idea what its costing!

How much would people guess I should allow for monthly gas and electricity in a 3 bed mid terrace, over three floors, inhabited by 2 adults. I would expect gas fired central heating and gas hob, but elec oven and shower and I usually have showers not baths!

Thanks guys

keicar

I have been keeping records for a year now and our 10 year old three bed semi with just two of us (and a dog!) with gas central heating (standard boiler) and hob have averaged out as follows for a 52 week period ending this week......

Electric Average 47 Units per week
Gas Average 110 Units per week.

We pay £45 p/m on a Southern Electric online tariff and at the last reading were £119 in credit.

We have installed 0.9w LED bulbs in each room and for kitchen worktops which are on during darkness for ambient lighting, to find our way around the house at night and whilst watching TV. We have kept standard bulbs for good light whilst eating and reading etc. Ok the LED's are a little expensive (got ours cheap at Lidl) and not excessively bright but for general lighting during the long winter nights they are very cheap to run for long periods of time (45 days continual running costs approx 15p per bulb)