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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Electric meter... wtf?!

108 replies

Eifla · 19/01/2018 17:33

One person living alone in a one bed flat.

Pre-payment card meter, no gas at the property.

Work 8-5 Mon-Fri so not even home all that much! No tumble dryer, no bath, no dish washer, nothing left on stand-by but do run two oil filled radiators for a couple of hours in the evening.

Meter check and no fault, no debt on it.

Currently putting £45 week (about £180 / mth) in the meter and E-On tell me this is considered an average / reasonable amount.

AIBU to think that’s bullshit?! Can’t keep up with how hungry the bloody meter is!!!

OP posts:
JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam · 19/01/2018 19:16

Last time I lived in an all electric house was 6 years ago. But I was paying £90 a month for a 3 bed house back then.

Im on prepay in current house, it’s a 4 bed although we have GCH, and I put around £15 a week in the meter

Glumglowworm · 19/01/2018 19:18

I’m in a one bed flat, live alone, prepaid meter. I have storage heaters switched off at the wall because they gobbled electricity and I couldn’t figure out how to use them efficiently. I have one oil filled radiator and only heat one room at a time, but I have it on all day at weekends and on my day off. I also use the tumble dryer about once a week. I wouldn’t say I scrimp on electricity. In December, when I was home for two weeks over Christmas so using the heating more, I paid about £60 for electricity (no gas!).

Yours sounds way too high! Even my first winter here when I was still persevering with the storage heaters, I never spent over £90 a month. I know there’s two of you but that shouldn’t double your electricity bill!

Finderscrispy · 19/01/2018 19:18

I pay £46 per month gas and electric combined. Yours seems extortionate.

If you are renting and the meter turns out to be correct, I would definitely consider moving to somewhere with central heating and combi boiler. You could save £150 a month, or put it towards renting something better/ bigger ?

hungryhippo90 · 19/01/2018 19:22

I sympathise, we had this issue until we moved last year, we were paying £50+ for the oil radiators and washing machine to run....
now we’ve moved our house is warm, 3 floors 6x the size (it’s not huge but last place was TINY and damp!)
I kid you not, our electric and gas combined are £85 a month. We had times we spent this in a week. Sadly the daily payment charge alone is quite high then you pay more for the electric unit.

Really sorry you have to put up with this.

IceBearRocks · 19/01/2018 19:22

We pay £180 a month for 4 bed bungalow with UF heating and all electric !!!!!

TrinitySquirrel · 19/01/2018 19:24

Op my friend is a meter man, he said the most likely to have jimmied the meters or stealing on a hook-up are the older generations as they're the only ones who would know how to do it. So sounds like it could be that. Could also be the immersion is faulty too. So if you identify that as the thing stealing all your dosh, get it checked 👍

Leaspr · 19/01/2018 19:24

I do have gas but only for my central heating. Everything else, inc heating water, cooker etc are electricity. I have a 2 bed house and it’s myself and my daughter. She’s out the house Mon-Fri 8-3:30 and I work 30hrs. I have to put around £15pw on my EON Meter.

Original poster
Eifla · 19/01/2018 19:25

@Glumglowworm it’s just me too, not too of us!!

I think those who said I’m paying for the street lights too might have a point Smile

I had thought about asking to go on a billed meter rather than pre payment but wasn’t sure if they made much difference.

OP posts:
Leaspr · 19/01/2018 19:26

Oh and I do have the tumble dryer, washing machine and dishwasher on at least twice a week each and I have a bath 5-7 times a week

Original poster
Eifla · 19/01/2018 19:27

Ooh @TrinitySquirel thanks for asking your friend. Hmm really shitty to think that could be happening but I suppose I don’t really know, neighbours are pleasant but definitely not matey with them. Definitely something to look into properly.

OP posts:
Original poster
Eifla · 19/01/2018 19:32

@Finderscrispy I think about moving to somewhere with central heating all the time Sad I do rent but absolutely love it here, heating aside... it’s quiet, no problem neighbours (maybe just energy stealing ones lol!), great location, permits my dog etc.. so in reality would be sad to move over it, but it’s definitely something I think of as I can’t keep up with this.

OP posts:
BlackPeppercorn · 19/01/2018 19:33

4 bed house
2 electric showers
2 (yes, two) electric immersion heaters (heating water during night)
2 teens so lights on all over, 3 TVs on in evening
Many high consumption appliances - dishwasher, fan ovens, tumble dryer, big fridge/freezer
I'm home all day, electric kettle on virtually non-stop!

£204 a month,for electricity & Gas combined.

Somethin' ain't right.

BlackPeppercorn · 19/01/2018 19:35

Are you sure that storage heating isn't 'storing' during the night, but you're just not switching it on to let it out during the day? Isn't that how those systems are designed?

Original poster
Eifla · 19/01/2018 19:37

@BlackPeppercorn storage heaters are switched off at the fuse box as this was something a friend suggested to me a while ago too... made no difference Sad

OP posts:
Popsicle434544 · 19/01/2018 19:39

We have just moved into 6bed house, 5 kids constantly leaving lights on, dryer and washer each on 2/3 times a day, heat water through electric.
We hav a pre payment meter from last people that live here, through Eon we r paying £20 max a week, if the kids r away at there dads £15 tops

Glumglowworm · 19/01/2018 19:40

Sorry OP I misread your post Blush

Is it a converted house or purpose built flats? I’m fairly sure in my last flat I was paying water as if it was for the whole original house rather than just the smallest of five flats (I was paying more than double what I pay now and old flat was a tiny studio).

Magicme1 · 19/01/2018 19:40

Check what tarrif you're on , I know someome had similar problem and was on a tarrif to use storage heaters overninght, they'd just moved in and was unaware how much more expensive it was using heating etc in daytime.

Finderscrispy · 19/01/2018 19:48

Again if the meters correct and it's your property. Would you consider paying to get the central heating installed - if that's what's eating the electric. It would probably pay for itself ?
Disclaimer - I'm not plumber or central heating person, so don't know how much it would cost, or if its feasible in your property.
But I hope you get it sorted.

Twofurrycats · 19/01/2018 20:05

If there isn't a fault/debt on the meter I strongly suspect you are paying for someone else....

RosaRosaRose · 19/01/2018 20:13

Call e-on and get them to send you details of the tariff you are on. See if you are on an 01 (single tariff you pay the same kWh rate 24 hours) or an 02 (you have a daytime and night time rate left over from the days when your flat may have had storage heaters. The day rate is often elevated to balance the cheaper night rate) Eon may have given you a mixed rate to allow for the two.They do this. In your situation, I'd recommend a single (01) tariff. On prepayment metres, the govt. have introduced a cap and you may be able to get a much cheaper deal elsewhere. Switching is easy, all you do is search for a better kWh price and decent standing charge and then call the supplier of your choice. They will arrange the switch and send you a new key. At that point forward, you have nothing to do. First job tho is to call E-on and get your annual consumption in kWh for the last 12 months. They are obliged to keep this information and provide it to you. Regulations demand this. Use that figure to get comparative quotes. Bit of hassle in the first stages but it should benefit. Hope this helps.

RosaRosaRose · 19/01/2018 20:13

Call e-on and get them to send you details of the tariff you are on. See if you are on an 01 (single tariff you pay the same kWh rate 24 hours) or an 02 (you have a daytime and night time rate left over from the days when your flat may have had storage heaters. The day rate is often elevated to balance the cheaper night rate) Eon may have given you a mixed rate to allow for the two.They do this. In your situation, I'd recommend a single (01) tariff. On prepayment metres, the govt. have introduced a cap and you may be able to get a much cheaper deal elsewhere. Switching is easy, all you do is search for a better kWh price and decent standing charge and then call the supplier of your choice. They will arrange the switch and send you a new key. At that point forward, you have nothing to do. First job tho is to call E-on and get your annual consumption in kWh for the last 12 months. They are obliged to keep this information and provide it to you. Regulations demand this. Use that figure to get comparative quotes. Bit of hassle in the first stages but it should benefit. Hope this helps.

Original poster
Eifla · 19/01/2018 20:13

No worries @Glumglowworm! they’re purpose built flats.

@Finderscrispy I rent unfortunately.

My jobs for this weekend are definitely checking the tariff, turning everything off and keeping track, and calling bloody E-on.

Thanks again everyone, sorry I just needed to rant more than anything.

OP posts:
Original poster
Eifla · 19/01/2018 20:18

No worries @Glumglowworm! they’re purpose built flats.

@Finderscrispy I rent unfortunately.

My jobs for this weekend are definitely checking the tariff, turning everything off and keeping track, and calling bloody E-on.

Thanks again everyone, sorry I just needed to rant more than anything.

OP posts:
TefalTester123 · 19/01/2018 20:36

Could the outside lighting and the hall areas be on your bill?

RosaRosaRose · 19/01/2018 20:40

Sorry for the double post, phone went into spin mode Blush

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