Scottish Power - VERY Angry!!!

jeannieblue

Yo guys - I've just been on my knees with my head in the meter cupboard, not an attractive look....

It is a four digit meter with the fifth digit in red. It says that the meter was replaced in 1999. Does that help any???

I know I should've picked up on the misreading before now, but please be kind

Would it help to know what my monthly payments were over these periods? Its not like I wasn't paying! That is what I hate about all of this, the stigma and the 'debt' word. I work hard and so as not to get in this type of situation.

Cardew

Well it is an Imperial meter. That means it measures in cubic feet -1 unit is 100 cubic feet.
So each gas unit is approx 31kWh.(it varies slightly)

So you used 448 gas units between Oct and March(from meter reading 5695 to 6143)

448 units is approx 14,000 kWh. Now you say the prices is 2.62p/kWh so that is approx £367 plus a daily charge of 11.6p for 6 months? say £20.

It is not clear if those prices include VAT @ 5%.

So in round figures you have used £400 for gas.

Now earlier you said you use 700 units of gas and 10,000 units of electricity a year.

700 units of gas is around 22,000kWh(which is about the UK average) and that would cost approx £610 - (+ VAT??)

If you do really use 10,000 units(a unit is a kWh) of electricity - 3 times the UK average! - that will cost approx £940(plus VAT?)(that really is a lot of electricity!!)

So a total of £1550 would be in the region of £130 monthly.

Debt = debit balance. Mortgage = debt. Most of us have been in debt! It is just semantics.

jeannieblue

How can we possibly use 3 times the UK average? I've spent many hour querying my bills and readings. We logged it for some months - taking readings each day at the same time. Always assured it was correct....

Its a small two bed property housing two people who work full time........

Cardew

jeannieblue wrote: »

How can we possibly use 3 times the UK average? I've spent many hour querying my bills and readings. We logged it for some months - taking readings each day at the same time. Always assured it was correct....

Its a small two bed property housing two people who work full time........

The size of your property doesn't really matter as you are not heating it with electricty or for Hot water.(I hope)

This is what you wrote:

My average gas usage a year is 700 units and my electric is an average 10,000 units.

My guess is you are mistaken about using 10,000kWh pa. That would also account for the 'low' £108 that they say is your current(sorry) consumption.

However given your gas cost is approx £600pa and assuming the £108 is correct, that still makes your consumption of electricity about 7,000kWh pa - still twice the UK average.

jeannieblue

Am I reading the meter wrongly somehow then?

I'm a bit tired tonight, to say the least, but I will prob have to go thru it all again at the weekend. I have done a spreadsheet with all readings from day one, I've possibly mucked up somewhere.

By the way, I love a 'bad' pun

jeannieblue

Elec Dec 07 reading 50695 - Jan 08 reading 57461. So not 10,000. So this would still be too high? As in above average...

Edit extra:
We've started reading the meters daily again...
We have used exactly 15 units of electricity in the past 24 hours. The gas one is still on the same reading as it was at the same time last night......

Cardew

jeannieblue wrote: »

Elec Dec 07 reading 50695 - Jan 08 reading 57461. So not 10,000. So this would still be too high? As in above average...

Edit extra:
We've started reading the meters daily again...
We have used exactly 15 units of electricity in the past 24 hours. The gas one is still on the same reading as it was at the same time last night......

Please Please tell me that is Dec 06

6,766kWh in 13 months is still double the UK average of 3,300kWh but would make their £108 a month about right.

15 Units in 24 hours(if you are out work all day is still highish) 105 a week - 5,500 pa.

However if your gas meter hasn't moved what has heated your water? You do wash/shower?(please don't answer!!) Please don't tell me you are heating water with an immersion heater!

jeannieblue

Cardew wrote: »

Please Please tell me that is Dec 06

6,766kWh in 13 months is still double the UK average of 3,300kWh but would make their £108 a month about right.

15 Units in 24 hours(if you are out work all day is still highish) 105 a week - 5,500 pa.

However if your gas meter hasn't moved what has heated your water? You do wash/shower?(please don't answer!!) Please don't tell me you are heating water with an immersion heater!

Nope, Dec 07.

Gas has moved 1 in three days... Gas central heating, gas boiler for hot water, although shower is electric - but only used once a day, as I bath and that uses the gas.

From yesterday to today, the elec has gone up a further 24 units, but one of us was at home (not me) and did two machine washes and one tumble dry. Also a hoover too. (Actually its a dyson).

The joke in all of this is, what started this thread, was a c*ck up on the gas readings!!!!

John_3:16

If you want to help yourself try to stop using the tumble dryer.

jeannieblue

John_3:16 wrote: »

If you want to help yourself try to stop using the tumble dryer.

It goes on when we need dry clothes quickly. Most of the time the clothes dry on an airer or at weekends, the weather is fine, it goes on the line. Sometimes we may need to dry the bedlinen quickly, as we only have one set of linen for each bed. I am aware that it uses alot of electricity.

I'd say on average, the tumble dryer goes on once a fortnight or less dependent on the weather, working hours and shifts etc. It is there for drying in an emergency to be honest. I can't afford to waste money. Which is why I am on this site.

But thank you for the advice.