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.

@sashh the issue is with an incorrect meter reading, not with the OP using too much electricity. She has posted an image of her meter which shows the actual usage to be about 2000 kWh less than Octopus have stated on her most recent bill.

2100 KWh annually is a little high but basically OK - they say 1800 is average for low use, 1-2 people in a small 1 bed flat.

The only things I would say to check - if your fridge is A rated, is that old system or new system? The old system was outdated and everything was A, A+, A++, A+++ which was confusing. An A grade on the old system is equivalent to about an F on the new one. If it's a new system A that is OK.

This explains more:
https://markselectrical.co.uk/connect/energy-rating-labels-have-changed

And the Xbox - is this in standby mode all the time? Those use a lot of electricity, we were using a console (can't remember which) to stream youtube and other videos to the TV. When we replaced this with a Google Chrome stick thing it cut our energy usage by a good amount.

But I do think as others have said, it's probably because you've been having estimated readings which were too low so it's suddenly jumped to take into account your actual usage.

Oh sorry I think I misread - well a refund would be welcome, I'm sure!!

I know this thread has moved on but the reason I said meter man is because it says Data Collector reading at the end of October. If that's not a meterman then what is it?

*goes back to reading thread

New A rating.

Xbox is turned on when I want to use it and turned off (including at the plug) when I'm not using it.

I'm not in UK, but am following with interest. I have a smart meter where I am and I do not have to take readings at all, it is all done remotely. Is that not the case here? I suppose it depends on the system/meter type.

Anyway I live on my own in a three bed house and my electricity bill is around €50 per month. That includes a whole day on either Saturday or Sunday (I choose which one at the start) FREE electricity from 8am to 11pm, so guess when I do all the heavy duty stuff and use the electric inset fire, and so on! Obviously the day to day rate is slightly higher to get the free day, but as my usage is minimal during the week, it works really well for me.

Running a dishwasher daily is excessive? I have a slimline. I eat every day so it’s full every day. Why would anyone wash up manually if they have a dishwasher?

It really would! 😁

I use the same type of equipment and as frequently as you and mine was about £72 this month. My kWh were about 240 for the month. Have you got something switched on you don’t know about or are you paying for the communal parts of the building?? I would start off by talking to Octopus and then maybe get an electrician in to see what your meter is connected to. Maybe try switching the power off at night and see whether the communal lights go out

Please, when you contact Octopus again, ask them who or what submitted the 'accurate' reading. It can come from either their own appointed company, via the smets2 gateway (DCC) or via the previous energy company. Most likely its from the previous company and even more likely it's British Gas. If its with BG then ask Octopus why it can't be adopted by the DCC. I know that sounds a lot of waffle, but it may be that if they can move it to DCC it will provide meter readings every half hour.

@QuestionableMouse I had this issue in a flat I used to live in. Check the meter number matches the meter number on your statement.

It had turned out that when they had installed the meters they had incorrectly matched the meters to the flats and I was paying for someones else's usage.

It took ages to sort out but I had a hefty refund and they had a hefty bill.

I wish people would RTFT, it's not even a long thread, but the OP does not need to check her electricity usage, the issue is an incorrect meter reading and previous estimates that were also too high. The OP has a meter reading on her bill labelled "data collector" which is too high by more than 2000 kWh. That's the problem.

Yes.

But also it may not be that she gets a maxi e refund? If it was wrong when she moved in then the movement between those 2 dates may be about right

Op -had the meter ever been read? Is there a set start point that you can provide to octopus?

As @SilenceInside says people need to read the whole thread.

It looks as though the Data Collector reading last week is way out.

Check whether the meter number on your bill matches the actual meter in your flat. If it doesn't tell Octopus.

If the meter matches it definitely looks as though the Data Collector reading is off beam. Tell Octopus that sending them your actual reading and ask them to put it right.

If it's relatively easy for you to use your phone to check your meter do it every day for a couple of weeks. If you do that are there any spikes?

Nothing you mention, with the possible exception of a heated clothes airer (did I read that right?) is going to use lots.

Ask about energy advice in your area. Round here Citizens Advice have funding for this stuff. If they do not in your area they, or the Council, will probably know who does.

As everyone said, it's obviously wrong. Please start submitting readings yourself online.

But also, you're on the Octopus Flexible tariff, so look at switching to a fixed tariff. Their Loyal Octopus Oct 24 has a standing charge for electricity of 39.5p. That would cut the standing charge element by 40%, down to about £145 a year. You can compare all market tariffs with Money Saving Expert's Cheap Energy Club - but ideally you need to have a rough idea of your actual usage!

Best thing to do is to take your own readings daily / weekly.

I live in a flat - no dishwasher but gas heating

Item that uses most energy is the electric shower - it's gone down since DS has gone to Uni but that would be the main culprit. It's high power and on for a long time.

Since January, we've used 882 kWh of electricity.

Just a heated airer but tbh I don't use it very often! I actually can't remember the last time it was plugged in.

Will check the numbers match when I get home.

It has to be incorrect meter readings.

I am all electric and have solar panels so I'm very used to what uses what.

My three bed terrace runs at around 0.3kwh during normal use i.e fridge, freezer, TV essentially background.

You will get people telling you to turn off chargers and things on standby and while it makes a small difference, it's not 24kwh a day of difference.

That's massive. For context, I struggle to get to that amount per day even if charging my solar battery overnight, running a storage heater, having electric water heating and an electric shower.

Your dishwasher will be 2kwh at most. If you have an electric shower that can account for a fair bit but you'd be pushed to get past 3kwh in a day for one person unless you stay in more than half an hour.

I'd estimate the use you described comes to about 5kwh a day. Yet your readings suggest more than four times that amount.

If you are in doubt about the accuracy, get a notepad and start writing them down at multiple points per day e.g first thing in the morning, as soon as you get in from work and then before bed.

It is best to be armed with additional information and it will help you understand your own use better.

The tariffs available do depend on where you live. Some areas pay more in standing charges than others. Same applies to the rate per kWh.

It's worth the OP seeing what is available but I'd love to be paying that level. I'm with octopus too but that's not available in my area. We are expensive as Highlands infrastructure is presumably also expensive.

Thank you.

Shower runs off the combi boiler.

I'm going to check it again when I get in.

I guess I’m under the impression that it uses a lot more water and electricity than washing up by hand. I also have a slimline and use it for plates/glasses/cutlery but if I put in pots and pans I’d have to run it every day, which would take longer to do one day’s washing than me doing it by hand. Also I find unloading a chore but that’s probably just me being lazy.

Edit: This is to @cardibach, sorry forgot to quote

Apologies for not reading the whole thread. But I once had a friend in an apartment. Like you, she couldn't figure out how her electricity bill was so high. It eventually turned out what she thought was her meter was wired to the wrong apartment.

@SilenceInside I did read the f thread first and my post was related as to why the readings could be so vastly incorrect.

Your readi is before we're estimates so likely incorrect

I wasn't referring to your post. I hadn't even seen your post when I posted.