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Original poster

Has someone fiddled with my gas meter?

48 replies

DiaDeLluvia · 10/12/2022 18:19

Hi all,

I live in a draughty old Victorian house which hasn’t had a lot of love in the last 40 years. It’s an insulation nightmare. Single glazed when we moved in a year ago. Damp. Wood floors. Draughty original doors.

it’s a big house. 3 floors, 2500sq feet.

we aren’t using our heating much differently than we usually would. It’s on a timer for 6 hours per day.

its not a combi boiler - we have a boiler plus hot water tank/immersion heater which I believe runs on electric, so in theory we’re using gas for heating plus the gas hob but not for hot water. I might be wrong there though.

So I’d expect our gas bill to be pretty huge, but we’re using about 250kwh per MONTH.

that’s incredibly low right?! We’re spending about £20-30 a month even at todays prices.

has someone fiddled with our meter (ie previous owners)? Or is it possible that our heating actually uses electricity not gas? We do pay a lot for electricity but I initially thought that was because it heats the hot water which is apparently ££££.

I know I sound clueless here. I really am.

thank you!!

OP posts:
cakeorwine · 10/12/2022 18:24

250 KWH per month is very very very low.

How do you send readings?
Smart Meter or your own readings.

What is your electricity usage (in kWh)

Original poster
DiaDeLluvia · 10/12/2022 18:42

My own readings. There’s been a bit of a long road to getting our first bill because when we first moved in we couldn’t set up an account with our provider because there was no meter registered to this address… despite there being a meter here. I have no idea why that would be the case but it sounds fishy… were they charging the gas consumption from this house to another address??

got that sorted then noticed that our gas consumption was low. Didn’t think that much of it because by then it was summer.

but now I’m really suspicious.

elec consumption has been vvv high. At its worst 1000kwh a month. Now down to 450ish a month by using immersion heater less. Didn’t realise how bad leaving it on all the time was before…

OP posts:
ceeveebee · 10/12/2022 18:45

Does your meter show KWH or units? As our meter shows units which then convert to KWH at about a rate of 11 to 1.

Original poster
DiaDeLluvia · 10/12/2022 18:48

I did think it must be units for a while but the fact that it’s few units and also little money makes me think It shows kWh.

OP posts:
MushMonster · 10/12/2022 18:52

I would get someone to check how my heating works. I have the feeling it is electric. Now...electric central heating will cost you a fortune!

GetThatHelmetOn · 10/12/2022 18:53

I think that my smart meter is crazy. We have a combi boiler, 2 in the house, short showers, we warm by room with electric heaters rather than warming the whole house. Yesterday the gas was £24 for the day, I used the central heating for 2 hours.

Irridescantshimmmer · 10/12/2022 18:54

To make sure you are not paying for some elses's consumption, make a note of the meter serial number and check it with your bill/account and if the two meter numbers differ get in touch with your utility company because they would be billing you to soneone elses' metre.

When you first moved into the property you should have taken a metre reading from all metres (opening reading) so just check your opening reading shows on your bill or account.

ceeveebee · 10/12/2022 18:58

Maybe it shows units but the gas company thinks it shows KWH…

Bigbadmama · 10/12/2022 19:03

I live in a draughty Edwardian house with single glazing and high ceilings. My November to December bill was for 1370 Units (KW/Hours) for heating and hot water. Charge was £167.34

Heating on for 2 hours in the morning and one hour in the evening. I daren't have it on during the daytime.

titchy · 10/12/2022 19:05

Meters tend to measure cubic meters, so you're probably using over 2500 kwh not 250!

Freddiefan · 10/12/2022 19:08

Many years ago when we bought a house, the lady who was selling it muttered something about the meter. I can't remember what happened but I checked the meter one day when nothing was on and it was slowly going backwards!
I got in touch with the supplier and the meter was changed.

Wherediditallgo · 10/12/2022 19:09

Is it possible that some of your radiators are being heated buy someone else’s boiler??

Fleurdaisy · 10/12/2022 19:10

As well as doing what pp have suggested is it worth getting a gas engineer out to service the boiler and check all the pipe work and meter ? They’d be able to tell you if anything had been radically altered.

NewBootsAndRanty · 10/12/2022 19:10

Wherediditallgo · 10/12/2022 19:09

Is it possible that some of your radiators are being heated buy someone else’s boiler??

With their time and temperature settings matching the OP's?

loislovesstewie · 10/12/2022 19:25

Are you sure that the boiler shouldn't also be heating the water? It's quite unusual to have a gas boiler that doesn't do heating and water.

lenalemonade · 10/12/2022 20:04

I have a theory regarding meters .Bear with me I know it sounds crazy ,but .....
Some of these meters were installed decades ago and I question the accuracy /reliability of them .
I think that the technology then was basic to say the least and the individual bills were a guesstimate based on the consumption in an area .
(Think dial up AOL and Blockbuster Video for context of cutting edge technology ) that arrived 25/30 years after meters were installed .
This is why they are so desperate to get us on to smart meters so they can actually monitor what is being used .

Getting my safety helmet out of the car for protection from the flames 🔥 !!Smile

cakeorwine · 10/12/2022 20:05

titchy · 10/12/2022 19:05

Meters tend to measure cubic meters, so you're probably using over 2500 kwh not 250!

I would hope the bill would show what her meters are reading - and then do the conversion.

A bill of £25 is about 250 kWH. Which is incredibly low.

I would look at your meters, supply and try and figure out where the pipes and cables go.

NewBootsAndRanty · 10/12/2022 20:05

lenalemonade · 10/12/2022 20:04

I have a theory regarding meters .Bear with me I know it sounds crazy ,but .....
Some of these meters were installed decades ago and I question the accuracy /reliability of them .
I think that the technology then was basic to say the least and the individual bills were a guesstimate based on the consumption in an area .
(Think dial up AOL and Blockbuster Video for context of cutting edge technology ) that arrived 25/30 years after meters were installed .
This is why they are so desperate to get us on to smart meters so they can actually monitor what is being used .

Getting my safety helmet out of the car for protection from the flames 🔥 !!Smile

Um...

cakeorwine · 10/12/2022 20:09

DiaDeLluvia · 10/12/2022 18:48

I did think it must be units for a while but the fact that it’s few units and also little money makes me think It shows kWh.

It's your bill that matters.

It will show you how much you are using and what you are paying.

It should be in cubic metres or cubic feet.
Then you submit the reading.

They work out the volume you have used. Then convert it into kWH and charge you for that.

If you are using 250 kWH, then £25 is the correct amount at about 10 p per kWH.

Only your bill will tell you what they have done. Can you post an image?

pinneddownbytabbies · 10/12/2022 20:10

Call a plumber in, one who is gas safe registered, and ask them to come round andhave a look to see what's going on.

By the way, if you have a boiler and a hot water tank, it would normally be cheaper to use the gas boiler for heating and hot water, not the immersion heater.

TimeForMeToF1y · 10/12/2022 20:15

Wherediditallgo · 10/12/2022 19:09

Is it possible that some of your radiators are being heated buy someone else’s boiler??

Eh? Some of them? That couldn't possibly happen could it? Two separate sets of pipework one of which goes to a random other house?

Original poster
DiaDeLluvia · 10/12/2022 20:28

Yes £25 a month is exactly what I’m being charged! It’s so suspicious.

to the PP who asked about whether or not the boiler heats the hot water. Yes it does, but not very well. With just the boiler heating the water it’s far too cool to shower in, so we use the immersion heater to boost it.

I know - the whole thing sounds very patchwork and it is. If the plumbing is even half as dodgy as the electrics then they are dire in this house. Previous owners clearly did everything themselves without the knowledge to do so responsibly.

Were having the whole system replaced next summer but I don’t want to be benefiting from artificially low bills all that time and then have the utility company realise and land me with a massive bill.

I think I’ll try (again) to get through to the utility company and ask them to investigate. I read online that they’re responsible for the accuracy of the meters - not me.

OP posts:
cakeorwine · 10/12/2022 20:32

250 kWh is about 20 -22 m3 .

I would take some meter readings - and see how they change.

How much heating have you had on?

Fufumcgoo · 10/12/2022 20:34

I do this for a living. I would be concerned that my meter had been set up incorrectly in your suppliers system for billing.

Who are you with OP?

Redglitter · 10/12/2022 20:37

For comparison my Nov gas usage was 240kwh. I stay in a one bed house which is incredibly well insulated. I dont feel the cold and my heating is on for no more than a couple of hours a few times a week just to take the chill off

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