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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU or is the Electricity Company?

39 replies

Fenchel · 14/02/2011 20:21

Right! Got a bill which made me Hmm.
Maybe I'm being naive as this is my first go with all this but I found the bill/usage unbelievable. Please advise!

Here are the details:

-bill from 2 Nov - 8 Feb: £358.
-electricity only, no gas
-off peak tariff
-only use 2 storage heaters (charged offpeak) and 1 other radiator (stand heater) but have been modest in use
-3 people in small flat (with about 3 weeks when no one was here and everything switched off)
-no powershowers, tumble dryers, etc, very little oven use and no baths
-dishwasher and washer used on off-peak, in total 5 times a week for both
-water heats off-peak

According to our bill we've used 4,095 units!! We're so careful!

Is this normal or is the bill unreasonable?

OP posts:
PaisleyLeaf · 14/02/2011 20:27

I do know people who complain that storage heaters are expensive.

It's difficult to say....It doesn't look like you use much at all - no hairdryer? Iron? hoover etc?
And we did have all that snow and cold weather.

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 20:27

Dang, this is what I get for posting on Valentine's night when everyone is 'otherwise engaged'... Grin

OP posts:
PaisleyLeaf · 14/02/2011 20:28

hehe - keeping warm for free, you mean.

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 20:28

Oh, I should say we live in central London. So our snow lasted a maximum of 3 days when we were here. Hairdryer yes, but not that much. No iron. Hoover once a week.

OP posts:
Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 20:29

I guess that would save us money on heating! Ha... If only...

OP posts:
bizzieb33 · 14/02/2011 20:29

Was it an estimated bill?

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 20:31

Nope, meter read by us... Here's the thing though: before I moved in, my flatmate said that the meter was completely broken. They fixed it before our last bill. I'm wondering if it's still not right (over registering?)

We checked it after a 5 day period and it had gone up by about 100 units I think.

OP posts:
Loshad · 14/02/2011 20:32

it does seem a lot - we pay £200/month - but live in large detached - with several rooms without heating so use oil filled radiators, plus lots of baths and showers, and all the washing that goes with a family of 6 all involved in sport.

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 20:34

Blimey! If I felt like we were being uncareful it would make sense. I had the heater in my room off one night and I was wrapped in a duvet working with my nose freezing. How can anyone afford this?

OP posts:
londonmackem · 14/02/2011 20:39

Are they charging you day tariff for night use? I had a bit todo with powergen as they wouldn't accept I used most of my electricity at night (was economy 7-doh!) and I was at work in the day!

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 20:55

We've had most of our units listed as nighttime (also economy 7) so I don't think it's that. This is so frustrating!

OP posts:
mysteryfairy · 14/02/2011 20:57

If you had the heaters on overnight for three months £358 doesn't sound a lot to me

KenDoddsDadsDog · 14/02/2011 20:58

That seems to be a lot. What supplier are you with/ what's the unit rate?

FabbyChic · 14/02/2011 20:59

Check the estimated against the actual. What is it?

Have you actually done a proper meter reading to see if they are right.

£358 when you use storage heaters for three months is fairly reasonable to be honest that only equates to £29 a week.

I use half that a week and am home all day, but have gas central heating and gas for my water.

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 21:02

Fabby -

We read the meters, so it's correct as far as it can be unless the meter is still broken.

Storage heaters are used overnight and I was lead to believe that charging them off peak was the cheap option. They are switched off all day but emit heat.

Mystery:

Unit rate on peak: approx 13p. off peak approx 6p.

Supplier is Southern Electric.

OP posts:
Jellykat · 14/02/2011 21:03

With some companies the Economy 7 units are cheaper, but the normal daytime ones can be higher than average.

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 21:04

And, only 2 storage heaters have been on when we've been here (3 or 4 week break in total of no use) and the other radiator is on at other points (not my room so not sure).

Otherwise we use no other heating. Sad Hope it's not just this bad. It's crippling for us!

OP posts:
Beamur · 14/02/2011 21:04

Storage heaters eat money.
My Mum moved last year to a house with central heating, she can't believe how much smaller her bills are.

FabbyChic · 14/02/2011 21:05

My gas is £15 a week so my gas and electric come to £30 a week.

Your bill is right, you only have electric it is not unreasonable a bill.

chrisrobin · 14/02/2011 21:06

Sounds about right to me, sorry. We have storage heaters and they are very expensive to run (you also have to know you are going to be cold 3 days in advance to let them warm up enough!). Also our hot water boiler doesn't have a timer so its always on during off-peak time- thats quite costly too.

fivegomadindorset · 14/02/2011 21:07

Southern Electric are notoriously expensive, I managed to save £100 a month when I switched from then to Eon.

Original poster
Fenchel · 14/02/2011 21:14

No! How frustrating. Is it feasible to move from a supplier at any time or would we have to wait? Maybe I can persuade my flatmate to switch. Why she chose them is anyone's guess.

But this is a shame, we couldn't be using less energy. We'd freeze in this place! How do people manage these rates?!

OP posts:
KenDoddsDadsDog · 14/02/2011 21:14

The bill is not that huge for a winter bill.
Couple of things to check:
See what your avg daily usage was when you were all there and also when you weren't. This may give you a clue to a faulty meter.
Check your storage heaters are definitely working at night and the daytime heat is not because they are using leccy. I know they are turned off in the day but worth checking.
Are you with your local electricity provider? If so they will be more expensive.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 14/02/2011 21:16

You can move supplier at any time. 28 days rolling contract. USwitch are good. All suppliers are currently on a level playing field having finished the latest round of price increases. Look for a fixed rate deal if you can.

PaisleyLeaf · 14/02/2011 21:19

Are you in a student house? (It was the fact you've got no idea about the radiator in the other room - not the no baths that makes me think that, and the 3 weeks empty).

For 3 independent adults, rather than a family of 3, I'm not sure that's so bad....not much over £100 each for a winter of fuel.

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