Fridge freezer costing £20 per day to run?

[Buttonsluna]

Hi there ,

We have just realised our standard size Liebherr fridge freezer is costing us over £7,000 a year to run . Obviously we’ve unplugged it and bought a new one (arriving today), but do you think I can get compensation from the company?

It took us a whole quarterly bill period to realise it‘s been using over 100 KWH per 24 hours. Our bills went up dramatically before that, but we put it down to both WFH.

Basically we now owe thousands of pounds we can’t afford (I feel sick and I’m having panic attack about how we’re going to pay).

As soon as we realised there was a problem when submitting our meter read, we bought a plug to check how much electricity each appliance is using. We were shocked that our Liebherr FF cost £23.50 over a 24 hour period!!!

We purchased it from John Lewis 10 years ago. Is there any recourse for compensation or do we have to suck it up? Is this just what happens when FF break down- is it normal? It seemed to be functioning ok, everything cold/ frozen and no frost or anything.

If you have any ideas please help. We acted as soon as we realised there is a problem so please don’t tell me I’m stupid for not noticing, I am busy working mum and struggle as it is to keep up with all life admin. Obviously I’m checking meter constantly now.

@Lifeissoexpensivenow

Thanks *@PigletJohn* for that helpful explanation. Sounds v scary!

We have one of these modern systems where gas boiler just does heating. Water on immersion 24:7 as told most efficient. Wouldn’t have chose it myself but previous owners installed it. Do I have options that don’t involve installing new boiler? Thanks

I once had a client who had that sort of system. It was monstrous expensive, she was putting £30+ per week on her prepayment meter, and just turning the immersion on once a day to heat water for the 3 of them to bath made a minimal difference.

They ended up bathing in the same water to save money.

Everyone on the same development found exactly the same, and the HA wouldn't do anything about it.

She was benefit capped too, because her "affordable" rent was high, so was really struggling.

@Tzimi

I seriously think you'd be better off getting a new super-efficient combi boiler. I got a new boiler a year abo, and the energy bills have gobe down a lot.

I agree that a modern condensing boiler is more efficient than a 30-year old iron one.

However it is a mistake to think that being a combi is what makes the difference. Combis are actually a bit more costly on gas than a modern cylinder, as they are inefficient on hot water.

Immersion heaters cost a fortune if left on 24 hours a day. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with your FF?

Is someone else / neighbour using your electricity illegally ?

Our water is heated by an immersion heater but we are on an economy 7 tarriff and it only heats up during the hours of cheaper electricity.
During these hours we can hear a faint buzzing in the bathroom airing cupboard where the tank is when it’s heating the water but once it’s reached the set thermostat temperature it switches itself off and doesn’t reheat unless the water temperature drops. We have a professionally installed timer linked to the economy 7 meter and once the cheap rate hours have passed the immersion heater doesn’t reheat unless we put the booster on.
In all the time we’ve had this particular tank and immersion heater I can’t recall more than a handful of times when we’ve needed to put tne boost on. It is incredibly well lagged.

The thing about leaving the immersion on all the time is a common myth. With a suitably insulated tank you would only need it on a couple of times a day for an hour or so each time. The water will stay plenty warm enough in between. www.cse.org.uk/advice/energy-saving-tips/energy-mythbuster

Also - I just looked at the ratings for t my fridge freezer (albeit a newer one) and even if it was running the compressor 24 hours a day there’s no way it could run up that kind of bill.

Something very literally doesn’t add up.

I’m an electrical engineer.

@RevolutionRadio

In these circumstances I'd turn off everything electrical wait for the meter to stop and turn on items 1 at a time for 1 hour to see how much KW/h is being registered. If you suspect the fridge of being faulty do that first.

I'd imagine the immersion heating is also contributing alot to the cost.

Exactly correct, process of elimination. Do you have certificates for the rewire? If so it should have the relevant body on it I.e NICEIC. If no cert then the electrician shouldn't have required it and you may want to have their work inspected.

@Buttonsluna

Photo of monitor showing fridge is drawing down over 100 watts

That's drawing less than .5 of an amp so shouldn't be costing that much

@Buttonsluna

Photo of monitor showing fridge is drawing down over 100 watts

Also for a rewire would have expected the sockets to be changed

We assumed because we have an immersion heating water 247 (we’ve been told by heating professionals we need to keep it on for efficiency reasons).

Wow... I left the immersion heater on by mistake for a month and it used so much electricity. It cost us a fortune. It’s not economical at all.
Are you absolutely sure it’s the fridge freezer? I would be looking at how much your immersion is costing you first 😕

Hi Op

I don't really understand about appliances and guarantees etc, but if money is tight there are lots of organisations that may help you budget and sort out debt like the citizen's advice bureau (They may be able to give advice for you on your consumer rights too), Christians against Poverty (they help if you are in debt) and Gingerbread if you are a single parent. There is also Turn2Us to help with working out any benefits you may be entitled too.

I know what it is like to feel sick with money worries, so I hope you can get all the help you need.

When fridge freezers go they do go out in style. I'm so sorry you're in this mess but it's unlikely the warranty is >10years. Samsung offer 10 year warranty but I doubt that includes costs associated with energy use. Talk to your utility supplier, they may be able to help if you will struggle to pay. Good luck x

My electricity bill is £160 every month, he has crept up over the years but I kind of just assume this was right because he is an actual reading rather than an estimate. What is everyone else playing for a three bed semi?

@PigletJohn Ok, a condensing combi may be a bit less efficient for heating water than an insulated cylinder, but the thing is, it only heats the water you need, rather than keeping around 40L of water hot all the time. The only thing we use hot water for is a few quick showers every day. The washing machine & dishwasher heat their own water.

‘ Our neighbour is an older dinner lady. Would be hilarious if she’s growing cannabis, like that film with Brenda Blythen ‘Saving Grace’!’

Stranger things have happened .

But do not rule out someone in a nearby dwelling doing this.

After reading all of your posts OP I’m so glad you got to the bottom of the issue. And despite usage still being on the high side, at least it’s not mental high 😬🙈 We used to have an immersion heater and it did cost a lot to run when just left on. It wasn’t insulated that well though so I don’t think that helped and initially when we moved in we were on a pre-payment meter until a credit meter was fitted. Instant cut in electricity costs once we shut it off as and when needed. If yours is well insulated it’ll probably be fine just left on all the time as mentioned plenty of times before 😆 What a relief you were able to cancel the FF delivery!

Get over it. A, 10 year old fridge freezer and you are going to try to bust John Lewis for the fact you didn't check it before now... The only people at fault are you... The electricity company will let you pay off your debt over time. Suck it up.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

A comment online suggest it costs 90p per hour to keep the immersion on. If you keep it on for 24 hours a day that's nearly 22 quid a day.

Swapping to 1hr am and 2hrs PM would bring it down to 3quid a day.

Have to agree with this ^

@Mirw

Get over it. A, 10 year old fridge freezer and you are going to try to bust John Lewis for the fact you didn't check it before now... The only people at fault are you... The electricity company will let you pay off your debt over time. Suck it up.

Maybe read the whole thread before being rude

@Tzimi "it only heats the water you need,"

Actually, every time your turn a tap on, it heats itself, its flue, its heat exchanger, and the water that stays inside after you have turned the tap off, as well as the hot water you actually use. All that heat then drains away from the uninsulated boiler, and next time you turn a tap on, it does all that again.

A modern hot cylinder stays hot enough for a bath for some days, if you don't use it, so it is not being constantly kept warm.

I'm surprised to hear you don't wash your hands from time to time, for example before handling food and after using the lavatory, or even rinse the teapot and swab down the kitchen worktop.

Haven't read whole thread, but we had issues recently and it took months to sort out.

We thought it was an old appliance (that's what bulb told us) but we thought the electricity meter was wrong (Bulb said almost impossible)

We fought for months and in the end, they sent someone round and the meter was running at twice the speed. Guy said it was the worst he'd ever seen.

Had we just had the new smart meter installed without checking the old one first (at our request) we wouldn't have been able to prove it was faulty and get the money back we were owed (over £1000).

@Gran71

Immersion heaters cost a fortune if left on 24 hours a day. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with your FF?

No they don't, because the thermostat turns them off once the cylinder reaches target temperature.

@Buttonsluna

Our neighbour is an older dinner lady. Would be hilarious if she’s growing cannabis, like that film with Brenda Blythen ‘Saving Grace’!

Haha! Don’t be so sure! Old ladies often have grown up children and Grandchildren... ‘Can you look after my plants Gran?’ 🪴

Whaaaaaat?! That's extortionate!

No way can be that be real,

Just read all of your updates! Glad you are getting to the bottom of this!