Out of interest...Heating- are you in credit or debit? Have you got your heating on today?

[sunshineandkindle]

I've got -£250 on my electric ccount now which is pretty good as we managed to pay off all the winter debt of £2k over the year.
When's everyone putting there's on? Do you hold off as long as possible?

We are in credit, but don’t know by how much.

Just checked.
We are £400+ in credit, and no, no heating yet.

We are always in credit (currently about £500) and submit monthly readings so we know actual usage.
Heating not on yet as the house temperature has not dropped to a level where it is required, currently we still have windows open (although I need to close them as rain & strong winds are forecast later).

I’m about £1,500 in credit, but during summer my gas use is about £20-£30/month for hot water and cooking only. In winter that shoots WAY up. Heating was on today in the early morning.

I checked the thermostat just now and mine was 22°c in the coldest room. It’s currently 14°c and about to rain (apparently) in London. I suspect I’ll be in for a warm winter if this is the coldest room on a 14°c day 😁

I honestly can’t understand how people are turning theirs on now tbh. It beggars belief that in early September, people are doing so. I know in Latvia the district heating for the building comes on soon which is fun to pay for while we don’t live there but even that isn’t on until October, and even then, late October! Ridiculous to think people would rather turn on heating in the UK than wear a jumper or thicker socks.

It's 9° here, in the UK.

I mainly do it for the house, so we aren't spending a fortune on replastering or worse, dry rot.

But also, we're all disabled and don't thermoregulate well. I do wear wooly socks and an oodie and the couches are covered in wool blankets but it isn't just about that. Genuinely some houses need to not get too cold and damp.

Our electric in a freezing month is £600 whereas in the summer it's £120

They live in colder areas of the county, have health issues, disabilities, are less mobile, feel the cold more etc. poorer housing. There is a massive difference between a well insulted home and one with poor insulation.

Can’t remember the last time I wasn’t in credit despite BG sending me money back when I have not asked them to . I had a fan going all night so no heating here although I did think about jeans this morning instead of shorts but opted for the shorts .

£180 in credit.
I’ve lit the wood burner the last couple of days, it’s barely reached 14° here and today it’s 12°and raining (north Wiltshire).
We’re both retired, have health conditions and I’m damned if I’m going to sit and shiver. The house is well insulated and I don’t intend to put the heating on until October if possible.

Exactly. Not everyone is as fortunate as you @LondonPapa .
We’re already wearing warmer clothing, socks etc.

@Zippedydodah I have certainly started to wear warmer clothing and after going out this morning, I promptly put socks on when I got back. The feels like temperature is 12 degrees out there.

Slightly in debit but we got an electric car in May, so this is why, no doubt will go up over winter.

It's still warm here. Only just started wearing lightweight cardi's, woolly's not out yet. We usually do switch heating on towards the end of October. Winters seem wetter and warmer these days.

The bill gets paid when it comes so no credit/debit.

Our heating went on about 3 weeks ago, an hour in the morning and a few hours in the evening. By October it will be on almost constant though the day. It’s a 400 year old cottage and very cold without heating.

Some of these credit amounts are more than our entire energy costs for the year!

Our house is decently insulated and double glazed, and we are in the warmish dryish Thames Valley. We rarely need the heating on before November (oil, bought a tankful = 2 year's worth at 48.3p/litre which is a lot cheaper than 2014 peak prices). Sometimes it's nearly Christmas before we use it. We might light the log burner (free) for the lounge as that's the largest room. I am somewhat annoyed that Ovo insist on holding at least £90 AFTER the bill is paid each month, and will not let me adjust the monthly direct debit. I cannot understand why they cannot bill me and the exact amount taken from my bank account each month, just as other direct debits work (Vodafone, BT Broadband etc), why do they have to 'hold' extra funds? I know what to expect and I always have the ££ in the bills paying account.
I have upgraded from short sleeved tshirt to sleeved shirt as the outside temp has dipped and its windy and I'm in and out today, but no jumper needed indoors yet.

We have just reached a zero balance as we go in debit over winter then ‘pay it off” as we go through summer.

The energy company would prefer we did it the other way round, so go in credit over summer then ‘chip away’ at the credit during winter. But I decline their kind offer! 😁

I'm about £400 in credit but will be just me this winter so when Octopus told me they suggested I upped my monthly DD based on last year's figures I said no. Heating will go on when its too cold for shorts - last year that was 1st November! I'm also only putting the hot water on for an hour every 3-4 days which is a revelation in economy. It used to be for an hour a day but I just wasn't using it.

Thanks @neverstopthelaundry think it might be quite difficult with our loft arrangement but will try something

@Ariela what you are referring to is known as a variable direct debit. Not all suppliers offer this, but it’s worth asking.

As winter bills can be very high, spreading the cost throughout the year via DD works well for a lot of people and reduces the amount of people who get into debt.

I am £350 in credit and haven't had the heating on yet. I pay £95 a month dd.
The heating is set to come on at 16, the thermostat is saying it's 21.

I've got the living room window open and I'm wearing a tshirt. I'm in North Yorkshire.

I've never had a set month when I turn the heating on, I just use it when it's needed.

I'm west of scotland and our house is 16.2 according to thermostat ten minutes ago. i wouldn't normally put on the heating for that but have someone coming round for tea and cake so feel obliged to warm it up a bit...

Several hundred pounds in credit and need to be. Come winter elderly relative is home alone and needs heating all day.

That's interesting.
My living room thermostat is currently saying 18.5 and that's with two windows in the living room open on the crack and the door through to the kitchen open and the kitchen window open fairly wide. And the upstairs is much warmer feeling although there is no thermostat upstairs.

It looks as though the insulation work - which was mainly funded by a South Ayrshire Council grant with a contribution from me - may have been worthwhile.