Gas Bill!!!!!

ilovebanks

Hi There,

My gas is provided by Southern Electric, and I have just had the gas bill though-I nearly fainted!!

I live in a small 2 bed flat, at the top of a converted house.

The central heating is powered by an old boiler, and the thermostat is set at 20 degrees.

The central heating is timed to come on for 2 hours in the morning, and 6 hours from 6pm-Midnight.

There are 6 radiators in total in my flat, and I also have a shower.

I also have a gas cooker, cooking for myself

The bill for 1st Feb-30th April is for £202.08. Surely this can't be right? I read the metre and it's accurate.

Just seems absolutely astonishing for such a small place.

Does anyone know if I can get the metre checked/bolier replaced for something more economical. My landlord is always unhelpful, and never takes these things seriously.

I can't afford to have it replaced personally.

What would any kind soul suggest?

Thanks
ILB

mute_posting

It may be accurate now - but was it accurate at the previous "reading"? (i.e are you currently paying for some "unbilled" usage from your last bill?)

£200 for a winter quarter, isn't "outrageous" per se.

I don't "think" the LL is obliged to provide you with an economical boiler - only a safe one - so if you want to change that you may have to negotiate a "contribution" to the cost.

HTH

MP

m.colak

mute_posting wrote: »

It may be accurate now - but was it accurate at the previous "reading"? (i.e are you currently paying for some "unbilled" usage from your last bill?)

£200 for a winter quarter, isn't "outrageous" per se.

I don't "think" the LL is obliged to provide you with an economical boiler - only a safe one - so if you want to change that you may have to negotiate a "contribution" to the cost.

HTH

MP

Hi not 100% sure of this but don't all boilers have a maximum shelf life of 15-20 years. So first i would check how old it is as you might have recourse for making the LL change the boiler anyway.

Little_Chicken

Mine came in at a similar price yesterday. I live in a 2 bedroom too and was just as shocked!!!!

mute_posting

m.colak wrote: »

Hi not 100% sure of this but don't all boilers have a maximum shelf life of 15-20 years. So first i would check how old it is as you might have recourse for making the LL change the boiler anyway.

I'm not aware of any regulation that says the boiler (in rented accom) must be changed every x years (happy to accept proof to the contrary), the only requirement I'm aware of is that the boiler /system must pass the safety checks required.

I think you'd only need to go back about 10-12 years to be in the age of 60 -65% efficiency boilers.

MP

ilovebanks

thanks for your replies.

my last bill was accurate too, as i read it myself.

the boiler is a Modena 80 E (9912L80549),not too sure how old it is, but there is a number next to the instructions on the boiler that says '3543062/0-08/97, so i'm guessing Aug 1997......

Are gas companies obliged to come and check metres to make sure they are working correctly?

bumpysu

did you give your gas providers a metre reading? if so make sure both the first and last readings on the bill are not estmates. this happened to me too, got a massive bill from british gas with estmates although i had given them my metre readings.

mute_posting

ilovebanks wrote: »

Are gas companies obliged to come and check metres to make sure they are working correctly?

I don't think they're obliged to.

They will arrange for your meter to be tested if you ask, but will charge you if it turns out to be accurate (I think the acceptable accuracy is +/- 2% - there was a thread the other night about this)

Would help if you stated how many units or Kwh you have used on past bill(s).

MP

ilovebanks

the bill states the following....For the period 1st Feb 2008-30th Apr 2008

Gas Unrestricted kWh-Reading Last Time 9309
Gas Unrestricted kWh-Reading this time-9565

Units-256

Correction Factor-1.02264
Calorific Value-38.9

Total Metric units used-740.88 cu mtrs
Units converted to kilowatt hours-8005.62 kWh

Both readings were done by myself, so they are actual readings.

Can anyone advise?

SwanJon

Youve used 8000 kWh in 3 coldish months. The 'average' for a year is 20500 kWh, so your not far from normal.
How long have you lived here? What were previous bills like?
It is very unlikely that the meter is faulty - check a few other things first.
The L/l should be getting all the gas appliances checked every year to make sure they are safe. Have you seen proof of these checks - they also tend to keep the boilers more efficient.
Take a reading each day at the same time, and also make a note of which appliances you are using, which rooms you are heating, how hot you are heating etc. Remember that it is warmer now than in Feb, but this will give you an idea of how much you are using each day.

withabix

I agree, the bill seems about right to me.

The best way to offset high winter energy bills is to go onto fixed monthly direct debit, so that your payments are equal throughout the year.

If set at the correct level, you will never have any surprises. You may even end up in credit at the end of April - this being the end of 'winter' and hence the best point in the year to ask for a refund.

You are in a converted flat at the top of a house. Most heat escapes through the roof - is the loft insulated? Sufficiently?