Just read my meters & I'm crying in the bathroom

[medianewbie]

In Nov, my combi boiler broke (& I had no heat or hot water for a week). Local plumber eventually fixed but must have left it turned up higher (test?) settings than usual settings (kicking myself I didn't check after). I just inputted my monthly meter readings. I'm with Scottish Gas & they are awful for comms but this is all the info I can get from my account. My house is F rated for energy efficiency but not Chatsworth. We hardly have the heating on, only shower twice a week, no tumbledryer etc but my combined bill this month was £598.36 !!! I can't pay it. I'm disabled so they can't cut me off but they can install a prepay meter. I don't know what to do. This isn't a begging thread, or even a sympathy thread really but I have 2 asd teenagers & I don't want to worry in front of them so I needed to 'say' it somewhere.

So sorry to hear you are struggling. Prices gone up so much here also Ireland and same usage now over 3 times the price as before. Do you have St. Vincent de Paul charity there as they get large donations from some of the Electricity companies here in Ireland and help those who need it with bills. Not sure if they have the same thing there but St. Vincent de Paul should be able to help you so please go onto their website and send them a message as they may be able to help you through this difficult winter. Shocking that things are gone so expensive and food prices also and just so stressful for everyone.

@medianewbie I'm wondering if your electricity supply is being shared with another user? Are you in a flat in an old building with other flats/occupants?

I would see if you can get another person (tall) or ideally an electrician out to turn off all the fuses in your flat and see if your meter is still recording usage. If you use an electrician they can perhaps investigate to some extent and do a report for the electricity company.

Please don't get upset, if you phone your energy supplier and ask them to fit you a payg meter, they can take what you owe (in instalments) when you top up, they will ask you how much you can afford, so won't expect more than you can pay. I did this myself, and that was before the prices went up ridiculously high. Good luck, and please don't worry.

This is an option but pre pay has higher rates than dd. It does look like the OP is already on higher rates in one of the pictures they have attached earlier, assuming because they pay on receipt of the bill, although monthly. If I was the OP I would ask to be put on dd for the lower rates and also to spread what they owe over the year.

I would try to get to the bottom of the high electricity usage at the same time. The gas could potentially be explained by the EPC rating as it looks pretty average.