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Original poster

To be completely amazed at the gall of British Gas?

71 replies

ATouchOfStuffing · 02/04/2013 11:31

As we know it has been a long cold year. I have just (in Jan) paid over £530 for my gas and electric bills, despite giving them a new meter reading for a mis-read (by them) electricity meter. I have now apparently gone into debit by £450 since then! I look on line to try to figure out how (yet another estimated meter reading) and they tell me they estimate I have doubled my usage since last year! Oh they do, do they? Angry So now another meter reading done and typed in (just what I want to be doing in my 3hrs of freedom without DD) and decide to call them to ask how this has now happened twice and ensure it doesn't happen again. Call number on website "Please note, this number is not free from mobiles, please redial omitting the 0" FFS. So I redial and am told the wait time (for a call I am presumably paying astronomical amounts per min) "is up to...49 minutes... If you would rather not hold please look on line for further information"
Just GRRRRRR!

OP posts:
ilovepowerhoop · 02/04/2013 17:12

it is a myth that leaving your heating on all the time will save you money. You should also not leave your hot water on constantly either.

www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/energy-saving-myths

ilovepowerhoop · 02/04/2013 17:13

x-post!

MikeChoccyCoatedLitoris · 02/04/2013 17:22

How long have you been leaving the hot water on constant for?

If thats the way you have been doing it for years and this is your first big bill then it isnt that.

I would call them and ask them to tell you all the reads you have been billed too. It is more than possible that they have imputed the last reading wrong. A zero or decimal in the wrong place is ridiculously common.

FatimaLovesBread · 02/04/2013 17:27

How do you turn your hot water off to only have it on twice a day?
I'm sure my boiler just heats them both Confused I also have no idea where our hot water tank is.

Our bills are £86 a month and I've never turned the hot water off, heating is 18 during day and 15 at night with 21 at tea time and for an hour first thing

ilovepowerhoop · 02/04/2013 17:34

we have a control panel in the kitchen with 2 buttons (plus other controls) - one for hot water and one for the central heating. They can be on at the same time or different times. The heating is on 6-10am and 5-10pm and the hot water in on for a couple of hours in the morning and at night. The hot water tank is concealed in a cupboard upstairs and the boiler is in the converted garage. The thermostat for the heating is in the hall downstairs.

canuck43 · 02/04/2013 17:48

We do variable direct debit to British Gas. Read both the meters on the 15th of every month, send the readings on line and they e-mail the cost round about 22nd of the month, monies taken out of bank on 2nd of following month. Live in a 3 bed bungalow, heating on most of the day, combi boiler. We refuse to pay the huge amounts they want by direct debit.

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/04/2013 17:51

Fatima, some boilers don't need a hot water tank. They heat on demand.

Original poster
ATouchOfStuffing · 02/04/2013 20:20

I have had them both on constant for years. The only difference is having DD, but at 19mo she isn't exactly using more gas or electric! I am going to have to have a go at the timer and do the 6-10am & 4-8pm or something for the hot water at least. Had turned heating down to 14 and it's freezing so back to 16 now.

OP posts:
ilovepowerhoop · 02/04/2013 20:24

you dont need the hot water on for 8 hours a day though unless you are constantly running baths. My heating is set at 18/19 degrees but is on a timer so it is on for a few hours in the morning and evening. I also boost the heating if required (when I feel cold) during the day.

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/04/2013 20:27

Have they transposed the readings their end? N power did this to me once when we just moved in together and said we owed £900 for a quarter in a one bed flat I cried and wouldn't have it that the reading was wrong.

mrscumberbatch · 02/04/2013 20:31

My British Gas bill was phenomenally high. We never shopped around as they were the suppliers when we moved in so just kept them. Moved to edf and worked out I was paying £300 a month more.

Shocking. Complain and get them to explain themselves in detail, and move asap before you run up more excruciating costs!

Original poster
ATouchOfStuffing · 02/04/2013 20:33

Well they are coming out on Friday to check the meters.
I honestly thought keeping the hot water on a constant heat was cheaper than re-heating. Have a combi (Worcester Ri) boiler. Anyway, will just heat it twice a day - we only use it to share a shower in the morning and a bath for DDat night every other day. I was interested to see about the chargers being 'vampires' on that link though. Unplugged mine pronto, even though it is Samsung and not warm. I am on the computer from 7pm -12pm every night, watching iplayer/MN. but other than that we only have the TV on maybe an hour every other day or less. Could the slow cooker be the culprit?!? That is possibly the only thing I am using every other day that I wasn't before?

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 02/04/2013 20:44

Slow cookers cost 2-3p per hour. They are very cheap to run compared to 2-3kwh ovens.

Electric ovens cost more like 30p per hour.

UniqueAndAmazing · 02/04/2013 22:02

i thought a combi boiler just heated the water as you turned on the tap?
Confused
turn your thermostat to 18, have it set to come on for two hours when.you get up, 2 hours later 2 hours again then 2 hours in the evening.
your water does nit need tobe on fir long.
if it's not heated with the tap then.heat it for half an hour before you need it..

you can keep experimenting as to what works best.

UniqueAndAmazing · 02/04/2013 22:08

have alook for yourboiler here

LindyHemming · 02/04/2013 22:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

drjohnsonscat · 02/04/2013 23:05

Had the exact same try-on from EDF in December and again in March. They are all just trying to boost their cashflow at your expense. I told them to get stuffed and am now looking for another provider. It's not the price I mind so much as the bare-faced assumption that I am too stupid to notice that I am in credit with them and so should not be agreeing to a doubling of my DD.

Original poster
ATouchOfStuffing · 02/04/2013 23:08

Unique- it just says Greenstar Ri on the boiler - so imagine it is on of the ones further down the list? The heating thermostat is in the hall downstairs and I assumed it turns off when the temp is reached?
I am going to have a play with the water at least as am fairly sure the heating goes off when the temp gets to the right level.

OP posts:
Rattitude · 02/04/2013 23:28

I am just so glad I left British Gas a few years ago. I have since been with Atlantic for my gas and electricity and they are fab! I pay by direct debit but if I am ever in credit over a certain sum, they will automatically refund my account.

I have just submitted my meter readings online today. I have never had any issue whatsoever with their service and would heartily recommend them to anybody who is thinking of switching suppliers.

SnoogyWoo · 02/04/2013 23:47

One thing to think about is gas/elec has gone up 55% since 2008. Thats a massive hike and what would have been a £100 bill back then would be £155 now for the same thing! Give or take slight tariff differences etc.

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