Need help to reduce bill urgently

[worriedabouthealth]

We are having massive issues with our electric bill. I’m stressed and upset as have tried to reduce it to no avail

It was too high but kept creeping up so we started to make changes and tbh we weren’t using tons anyway.
We accepted a smart meter to try and help
I thought the tumble dryer was a problem so we got a double washing line and 2 airers but still the bill went up

We made sure we turned off all lights etc.
Checked how energy efficient appliances were
Got different light bulbs to be better

Still the bill went up.

In desperation we decided last October to switch as found out we were on an expensive standard tariff and not allowed to switch so we decided to change suppliers.
We have been blocked at every turn it was meant to switch in early Dec but the company kept saying they weren’t aware we wanted to switch (they were as wrote to us ‘sorry you’re thinking of leaving us’??? )

The bills kept going up and the smart meter no matter what changes we made wasn’t showing less. Then it was showing more ???
We were living in darkness it was ridiculous

FINALLY after lying what we thought was the final bill we switched this week and having been carrying on our efforts so hopefully it will help BUT

We got another final bill for an astronomical amount from old supplier. The letter stated ‘tariff change in 4 Dec’ and they’d put us in an even more expensive one ???
It also said the bill was estimated ?

I called them and they denied both saying it’s not estimated (why does it say that ?) and they haven’t changed any tariff (again why does it say that ?)

I don’t know to do I’m worried we aren’t doing enough to save energy but I’m turning everything off at night and I’m the day I’m here and it’s dark and I’m not using anything I even use a flask and make one lot of tea in the morning so not boiling kettle a lot etc

I dont see how they could change the tariff to a more expensive one as we were switching they said I was mistaken it was just a price change

I’m so angry. They won’t accept there’s anything wrong I don’t know who can help
Plus I don’t know if there’s anything else I can do to reduce the electric usage and I’d really appreciate some help
Thankyou

Wow I agree with isolating the problem.. And I would take it further.. Maybe go to citizens advice and see who you complain to.

Were a 3 bed draughty semi. We pay for gas about 80 and electric 40 ish.. And ashamed to say we don't watch what we use. Ds is always leaving lights, TV etc on. Heating on 21 constant since Dec.

I'm in a 4 bed and paying 90 pm for gas and electric together

Before you do anything have you actually switched everything off to make sure it is only you using it?

That doesn't sound anywhere close to right and must be so frustrating /worrying. I know all homes are different but to give you an idea I live in a 4 bed terrace too, use electricity all day as work from home, occasional tumble dryer use, and my combined monthly gas and electricity from EDF is about £133 a month.

Look up info about the energy ombudsman. I think you can ask them to help when you've already complained to the supplier and haven't got a satisfactory response. The Citizens Advice Bureau, as well as Money Saving Expert, have more details about this.

My friend had this and turns out the neighbouring property had tapped into her supply

That is definitely too high. i am in a 3 bed house, I work from home all day, and our gas and electricity combined are just over £100 a month. We are also with Bulb, who are mostly amazing :) The only issue we've had was that the previous tenant submitted an incorrect meter reading when they moved out lol.

I second all of the advice given. Also, make note of the meter numbers and make sure those are the ones they have. If you're on good terms with the neighbours, check that they are being charged for electricity as I have heard before of meters being shared, especially if the properties used to be a single one and was then converted.

Ok I will try turning everything off and checking may have to do it one evening when dh is here and I have an extra pair of hands for the baby.

I just know we cannot possibly be using this much and the fact there’s no change after doing things to reduce usage something is wrong

How would I know of someone else was tapping the supply though would it be if everything was off would it show a high level still I assume then we would know it wasn’t us

Wow! That’s insanely high. I live in a 3 storey house with 3 bedrooms - admittedly the kitchen has no heating nor the study - but I use the tumble dryer a lot. My bill is £105 a month with OVO Energy. Contact The Guardian Ask The Experts department and see if they will look into it. Or try Which. www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/energy

£105 for gas AND electric too!

Our new supplier seems better but I’m just worried there’s something wrong with our supply
Either that or we were being cheated and we still have a massive outstanding bill which I’m not convinced about at all.
We only really cook once a day for dinner it’s an electric oven very occasionally may do some croissants for breakfast but we aren’t using it excessively and I am going mad trying to think what on Earth is using so much

I would contact the ombudsman and outline what you have said here. Let your supplier know that you are doing this. We did this when we switched from First Utility and got back nearly a years worth of payments as a goodwill gesture (they had no choice as they had overcharged us by a whopping amount).

We live in a four bed (one in arctic) house and pay £79/ month for gas and electric from OVO and we're actually in credit and get 3% interest back as a nice reward. The house is Victorian (1890) and we have the temp around 20 degrees and the usual number of appliances although no dishwasher or tumble drier - but lots of computers and printers.

As for switching, it's usually sorted by your new supplier and should be seamless. OVO actually contacted us regularly informing us of the progress as we switched from First Futility.

I know British Gas has a reputation for being expensive but your bills seem extensive and beyond reasonable.

They tried everything to stall and block our switch
It was a nightmare and they would write referring to it then I’d call and be told ‘we aren’t aware you want to switch supplier’

Good grief! I pay £400 a month, but that includes at least two dishwasher, 3-4 washing and 3-4 tumble drying loads and lots of lights per DAY, as I work from home. There’s no way you should be paying that amount for the little that you’re using!

Forgot to add, when next door had their power turned off for some lighting work, their lights still worked - we were paying for it and we suspected as much when our meters carried on registering use with everything turned off. It wasn't a deliberate act - just something inherited from decades ago when the houses where renovated / structurally a bit different.

Is there any independent service that can actually come and check the supply to a property and that it’s just for that one house ? I’m really sure this isn’t just us using the amount we are billed for

We did get new neighbours about 18 months ago who had a huge amount of work done and that would coincide with our bills suddenly increasing no matter what we did but would it be accidental or is that kind of thing always done knowingly ?

Do you speak to your neighbours OP? Would it be worth checking with them how much they pay if its a similar size house?

I feel your pain. Its so stressful knowing these electricity companies are the ones in the wrong and when they become un-supportive it's even worse

That sounds like an awful lot. It would be good if you can check if it's a usage problem or tariff problem.

Would you mind posting your kWh usage for the last year here? Ideally broken down per month.

And how much are you meant to be paying per kWh and what's your standing charge per day?

Sorry x posted there. Maybe check with the other neighbours rather than the new ones just in case

It was slow at first and I know there was only 1 person living there for a few months whilst work being carried out then the rest of the family moved in and that would fit with our bills constantly increasing
I’m probably going all conspiracy theorist now

I nearly dropped my tea, £230pm!! I’m £160 pm for gas@ electric for a 4 bed draughty house. Definitely get the meter checked asap, that’s awful.

I know this is stressful and upsetting but from what you have said, you can't be using this amount of electricity, you just can't, especially as your heating is gas. You don't have an immersion heater or old storage heater still running do you?

National average is around £1200 per year for both gas and electric, and I'd say you should be around that level, as a mid terrace would only have 2 outside walls. We have an extended 2 bed, are quite careless and we pay around £90 pm for both.

I'd say almost certainly that your meter is faulty, someone is doing the sums or recording meter numbers incorrectly or a neighbour is tapping into your supply.

I have read about some smart meters recording usage incorrectly, and hence leading to higher bills. Do you have numbers available where you can compare your usage from one year to the next to see if the usage matches? You don't have huge arrears do you?

I think the tariff is less of an issue (although needs resolving to make sure you're on a cheap one) as there isn't as much variation that would explain your huge bills. It sounds like your bill is about four or more times more than it should be but I think that the most expensive tariff is not even double the cheapest one, so it's not just that.

Also, if you don't get any satisfaction from your supplier, remember to complain to Ofgem.

I think I know what is happening.

The regulator as a requirement to not allow a debt to build up on a utility account. So, switching in Autumn is the worst time to do it.

You autumn/winter bills will be high anyway, but they will actually be requesting you over pay more than you have used to build up a buffer to cover higher bills.

Lets just say your bill is £1200 a year and you pay £100 a month.

You ACTUAL usage might be:

Jan 200
Feb 175
Mar 100
Apr 75
May 25
Jun 25
Jul 25
Aug 25
Sep 75
Oct 100
Nov 175
Dec 200

If you switch in spring, you paying £100 a month will overpay April-September building up a a balance on the account to cover the higher months in winter.

If you switch in October, you £100 a month won't cover Nov-Feb and you would be building up a debt, so they ask you to pay more than the £100 to prevent it. If you then building up a debt the next month, they increase the bill to that month plus extra again.

Its only when you hit spring that it starts going down again. Its an absolute pain but it comes from the regulator.

Email the ceo of British Gas, you can google their email address & tell them the problem.

Ours is about £40 a month and I’m not shy with the tumble dryer.