To not understand how I'm "using" so much electricity?

[QuestionableMouse]

One bed flat. Gas heating. Live alone.

I wash clothing maybe twice a week. Have a small dishwasher that gets used once a day. Don't watch TV, do a couple of hours of Xbox or tablet time daily.

Only thing that runs constantly is my fridge and it's A rated.

I'm being charged more than my sister and she lives in a three bedroom house with two kids. I genuinely don't understand how it can be so high.

Thank you. It's in my kitchen so I'm pretty confident no one is stealing my electric. Thank you for the detailed explanation too.

I’d also query the reading they think has been taken by a meter reader as if it’s in your flat and you know that’s hasn’t happened your bill Isn’t accurate
have you got a friend who could take photos of the meter screen so you can submit them to octopus
until you get an actual reading you won’t know how much energy you’re using

Current reading!

Just showing an example of what our readings were like when we had this issue compared with a normal reading yesterday. I know exactly what you mean. We also have gas central heating and there was absolutely no way to account for this extra electricity usage or anything to account for it suddenly resolving.

I have also found octopus to generally be good but for this specific issue they were no help at all. Just said they couldn't explain it but agreed it looked odd.

So would love to know if and when you figure out what the problem is.

In my area this charity would come to your house free of charge and help you get to the bottom of this:
https://cafs.org.uk/cold-to-cosy-homes-cumbria/

Some organisations do the same but cover various areas

Like this one:
https://applyforleap.org.uk/

Or other specific areas this one in Lancashire
https://www.groundwork.org.uk/greendoctor/

These are legitimate organisations whose services are funded by The Energy Company Obligation.

Edited to add: the energy advisors can speak to your energy company if a conversation is needed and sometimes make more headway on problems because an energy advisor calling on behalf of a client they are in the home of (and client confirms) can sometimes get a different conversation going.

@QuestionableMouse
you said "I'm partially sighted and find the little screen really hard to read!"

Could you photograph the meter, then enlarge the image on your phone?

That also makes a record of your usage with dates they were taken.

I don't know your particular meter type but it looks like the total is 5563kwh and your "data collector" meter reading was 7714. So a huge discrepancy. If no one has actually read your meter then there's been a serious error from Octopus here.

Your photo shows you have not used as much as their estimated reading on the bill says you have. You need someone to do an official reading when you are there. Also check the meter number on the meter matches the one on your bill.

I reckon you're due a hefty refund.

Yes this!

You need to call them as the current reading is way less than the billed amount.

Worrying they are saying it has been read when it hasn’t.

I have a 2 bed flat with economy 7 heating and my units for the year are 1900, so less than yours but including heating (on November to March)

You should do a daily check for a few days if usage -mine is generally (summer) 7 in day and 3 at night (hot water).

Octopus are very bad for getting things completely wrong -keep switching around by day and night readings or even the day and night prices! I have to send photos of my meters 5 hours apart every few months to correct them. Then another price change happens and they screw it up again.

So I take regular readings and track it all via a spreadsheet.

@QuestionableMouse happy days looks like you’re owed by them. Submit the new reading, they may want the photo but then send them a reading manually monthly.

Google your EPC and see what your property is expected to use for heating and hot water. Then go from there.

That's a smart meter. You can already ask the company for your hourly usage. It may even be available for download from their website, or via an app. Once you have that you can staet investigating.

The other thing is that smart meters can go wrong (the old spinning-wheel ones were much more reliable). You can probably ask your supplier to check it. Citizens Advice may be able to help.

But the first thing to do is to look at how often the counter goes up by 1 during the day. It's probably once an hour but it might be twice. Something you can then do is unplug the fridge for a couple of hours (after running it at the coldest setting for a bit, to get everything nice and cold) and see if the meter stops going up. The fridge is probably the most plausible candidate, for example if it needs re-gassing.

Thank you. It's a massive difference isn't it? I really need to check the gas now too.

I've emailed their customer service and will see what they say.

Will submit a monthly reading from now on, can't believe I never thought about just taking a pic of it. (Though I do usually use my phone as a torch to see it because it's in an awkward spot!)

@FuzzyGoblin it’s down to estimated readings. OP has read the meter now and looks like they’re well in credit 🙂

I’d also query the reading they think has been taken by a meter reader as if it’s in your flat and you know that’s hasn’t happened your bill Isn’t accurate.

The Data Collection reading wasn't necessarily taken by a meter reader on site, it could have done remotely by an organisation appointed by the supplier.

Octopus say they will send a meter reader under certain circumstances.
https://octopus.energy/help-and-faqs/articles/do-you-send-meter-readers-around/

The fridge is less than a year old and is A rated for electricity usage.

Completely agree.
Your total electricity usage since that meter was installed is 5563... The electricity you are being charged for would have your consumption at close to 50% extra on top of that.

You would need to submit a meter reading that is accurate... Likely they won't accept one which is lower than a collected reading (they would if it was only estimated). But a complaint should involve them taking a re-read and correcting. Then refunding you the extra charges.

Make sure they know you are partially sighted.
If you aren't on the Priority Services Register of your local electricity network operator, make sure you are as that should also mean your energy supplier gives you more support and takes complaints seriously.

If you try that and the company aren't engaging or taking it seriously - check their complaints process, follow it... and finally, take it to the ombudsman if they don't stick to the standards their complaints process says they should give.

If all that seems daunting... Go to your local organisation like the ones I posted earlier as they can support that.

I've calculated you are owed £436 at your current rate (may be less if some was in the cheaper rate period)

I can’t really compare with you as we are a family of 6 and live in an all electric house with an economy 7 meter. I am with Octopus and moved to a fixed rate tariff from a flexible one a couple of months ago.
I use the Octopus App and am meticulous about submitting a meter reading to them every month.We pay a fixed amount every month by direct debit so that when the winter comes we have money to spare in the account to help meet the increased amount of electricity we use to heat the house
I did what Martin Lewis suggested and sent Octopus a reading on 1st October for the period from 23 September. My account for this shows that my total bill for the week was £26. 36 including the standing charge and vat.
£4.87 of this was taken up with my water heating up overnight and my use of the washing machine which I always set to finish just before my cheap (12.8p kWh) rate electrcity ends, and the rest was for the electrcity used during the day at 29.40p kWh

I think the first step is to submit regular meter readings. Is there someone who can help you?
Or you could even post a picture on this thread, someone here will help you out.

Thank you!

I like lists, so here's what I'd do.

• Once a month submit a meter reading, take pic on phone so you can zoom in, also gives you a record
• Check how you are paying, the pics look like you are in arrears, I'm guessing you are paying when the bill comes? Try a monthly direct debit for a set amount, which will help you budget
• Test how much electricity thinks are using. Switch everything off, take meter reading, wait for a bit and look at the meter again to make sure it is still the same basically checking that there's nothing that is still using electricity when you think everything is off. Switch on one thing, maybe the fridge, leave it an hour, see how much usage on the meter. Switch it off again and repeat for everything. Fridges are fine switched off for a couple of hours if you don't open the door.
• Gas heating still uses electricity. Electricity is the trigger for the boiler and runs your thermostat.
• The most expensive time to use electricity is between 4pm and 7pm. Do your washing and tumble drying overnight or in the morning
• Check that you are on the best tariff, the octopus flexible tariff might not be best for you, they have a tariff checker on the website, take a look at that, or look at uSwitch. Use the annual amount on your bill to see how much electricity they are saying you use
• Smart meters send a meter reading every half hour, if they are working correctly. Be your own smart meter and take a meter reading every half hour, then you'll get a better understanding of how it changing relative to what you are doing in the day.

I've just looked up the meter type and it is a smart meter which is a bit weird that octopus don't know that and aren't able to take the readings regularly from it. Not that it matters right now as the reading is very much lower than the one stated on your bill.

I would ask Octopus why, given that you have a smart meter, they are unable to get smart meter readings from it. But that is a separate issue to the billing issue.

Thank you!

Yes I'm on the priority service. Octopus do know I'm partially sighted. Will keep your advice in mind, thank you!