To think wtf is using all this electricity?!?

[Porthia]

Just got our monthly energy bill. It was £958!
Of that £737 was electricity.

I have been making a real effort recently to switch lights and appliances off, reduce energy usage, turn down the heating etc.

But what the actual fuck?

We came off our fixed rate in November, our supplier went under and then the last bill was £600 which made me fall over so I have been making a conscious effort to reduce things.

I am actually in tears. How is it this much? It’s going to go up again in April. How can we pay £1000 for energy each month?

We don’t have any crazy appliances that I can think would be eating this much energy, in fact our washing machine has been broken so I haven’t even been using that the last month.

We have a tv, computer, oven, lights - and I try to switch off as much as possible. What the hell could be drinking that much juice???

And yes it’s based on actual readings

I hate this because I feel like this money is just being sucked out without anything I can do about it!

Hmmm. I live alone but use 17-28kwh a day in winter (business from home, here most of the time, lots of tech and most of it is old so probably not very efficient, too many printers, dishwasher daily etc, work late so lights and heating on through to about 3am plus constant oil filled radiator in my otherwise unheated office, electric fountain to persuade diva cats to drink enough, and Alexa in every room, although no TV). For a month your bill is mad, for nearly two with what you've said you have that's probably about right? My bill is £121/month of which £90ish is electricity, going up to £186/month when my fix ends in March.

I suspect it's your opening read for December that's wrong because the Jan-Feb charges look more realistic but that estimate has resulted in a huge usage for Dec-Jan.

@Porthia

Re the estimated reading.

Our previous supplier went out of business in October and we started with this new one. Had one bill with them (I def did a reading at the start) and it was £600 which put the fear of god into me and I made a massive effort to reduce usage. BUT I think I only received that bill in early January. Obviously I missed the estimated meter read in December but the previous one would have been correct so I would have had to pay it in this bill or the last one.

Anyway it was only January when I started to really make an effort so I guess most of this bill predates that.

Have you double checked what reading they used for your start reading. If it's right then I would work out your average monthly cost based off the bills, it may not be so bad for 5 months (though £1600 ish over 5 months is £300 which could be a little on the high side depending on what you think)

@Aposterhasnoname

£958! For a month!!!! Do you live in Buckingham palace, have your meter connected to Blackpool illuminations? That can’t be right.

Seriously, I pay the electric bills for the company I work for and it’s less than that.

This. ^

Of course it's not right. As IF anyone would accrue a bloody THOUSAND POUND BILL for a MONTH in an ordinary domestic family property.

@Porthia whereon your bill does it say this amount is for a MONTH?

Surely this is for a quarter?

Ok so I will double check the usage / reading when we changed supplier and will also enquire after a smart meter.

Thank you all for your advice!

I mean a thousand pounds for just the electric. Just wouldn't happen.

Why not read your meter every morning at say 9am for the next 10 days and work out your daily cost using the unit charge / day rate you quoted above.

That will help you understand your underlying usage and see if there are any days when it spikes.

@Curlewcall that’s a good idea! Will do that!

Sadly we don’t live in Buckingham palace. Or anything like.

WHUT!!!! Sounds like you need to change your supplier. I live in a 3 bed house, double glazed, mid terraced leave all the lights on, use the washing machine, no dishwasher or tumble dryer. Washing machine on 2 times a week normally. I have a smart meter and it goes into the red zone if I have more than one appliance going at the same time such as the microwave and the washing machine or kettle.

And I meant to say my bill is £50 a month. I have gas central heating and cooker.

@Porthia

Ok so I will double check the usage / reading when we changed supplier and will also enquire after a smart meter.

Thank you all for your advice!

Yes, I'd go as far as checking (if you can) that your final reading with your previous supplier was in line with the previous readings.

Based on your 9 days usage you seem in line to use around 670 units this month - so around £140.

Not sure how much access I will have to previous usage since it was all paperless bills and the supplier went out of business but I will do some detective work!

@Porthia I can't see on that bill you posted, that this is for a MONTH. Where does it say that?

Good to hear that current usage isn’t quite so insane though, I was starting to think I was going to have to find £12,000+ down the back of the sofa to keep the lights on each year!

Had someone said check the in Mersin heater is off

Immersion

I recently found we used 28kwh a day with one electric floor on, and 7kwh a day with it off. It's electric (dry) and in a conservatory. I've since got better at understanding how to set the heating timer etc but it's still far too expensive.

@BearOfEasttown it says it was for 57 days from 18 Dec to 14 Feb.

I hadn’t clocked that at first in my panic. Just knew that I’d had a bill in January so assumed this was the next month and totally lost it!

Still feeling stressed but not quite so terrified.

@Porthia

Good to hear that current usage isn’t quite so insane though, I was starting to think I was going to have to find £12,000+ down the back of the sofa to keep the lights on each year!

I've just seen that your rate is quoted without VAT so add 5% to that £140. You've got your gas charges on top of that as well of course.

Immersion is off!

I have a smart meter and yes, I was also surprised most electricity was taken up by "entertainment" appliances, so I count wifi, computers, Alexa etc. definitely switching all off now when away on trips

I got taken over by British Gas a couple of years ago when my company went bust. I gave them exact meter readings. Old energy supplier based my final bill on those readings and I paid them. I gave British Gas those same readings (luckily I took photos of meters). British Gas started my readings on their own estimates, lower numbers than I have gave them, meaning I paid for a chunk of gas/electric twice! Think they just did it to make more money as I clearly gave them the exact readings twice, and they had old supplier readings too. British Gas are just rip off merchants.

So, check your initial readings with the new company actually match the final readings with your old company. My difference was over £200!

[quote Porthia]@BearOfEasttown it says it was for 57 days from 18 Dec to 14 Feb.

I hadn’t clocked that at first in my panic. Just knew that I’d had a bill in January so assumed this was the next month and totally lost it!

Still feeling stressed but not quite so terrified.[/quote]
57 days isn't a month. It's virtually 2 months. Still a lot for 2 months though!