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Original poster

Electricity gone from £18 to £70 - how??!

54 replies

Pengyquin · 26/12/2014 20:16

Moved into a new house in October.

First month, monitored gas/electric. Electric bill was £18. Quite happy with that!

Haven't done anything different this month, and just entered my meter readings and the bill is £70!!!

Racking my brains to think what has made the difference. We have had the Christmas lights on, DH installed an outside security light, possibly the dryer has been on a little bit more, we've probably had the kettle on more (visitors etc!) but will that make a difference of another £50?

Any ideas??!!

OP posts:
EnlightenedOwl · 26/12/2014 23:24

£65 gas £65 electric here. £18 is not right

bloodyteenagers · 26/12/2014 23:25

Thankyou Ladyknows. Been meaning to ask for quiet some time, just slipped my mind.

Op you should also get something from your supplier letting you know how much your tariif costs with competitors.
Makes switching slightly easier

ScrambledEggAndToast · 27/12/2014 08:01

The £18pcm must have been wrong, not sure about the £70 though. I pay £30pcm and it's 2 of us in a 2 bedroom flat.

ChristmasEva50 · 27/12/2014 09:11

We are a 4 bed detached and pay £180 per month for gas and electric but we have two teenagers young adults and an 8 year old and they are expensive! I would be delighted with £70.

KateMosley · 27/12/2014 09:16

£18 is ridulously low. I think there was a mistake somewhere.

Fluffy40 · 27/12/2014 09:26

Tumble dryers are very dear to run, probably nearly a pound each time you put it on. Lights hardly use any electricity.

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/12/2014 15:12

I'd Change tariff, go on money saving expert energy club and do it today.

£18 is too low, I'm super frugal and ours is £32 a month for both.

Check what type bulb the security light runs on though and buy an led equivalent. Halogens are very expensive to run.

You don't know how many cats/foxes/badgers trigger it every night and it all adds up.

Definitely buy an electric monitor and check no ones left the immersion heater on or put the hot water thermostat over 60c.

Twinklebells · 27/12/2014 15:18

£18 seems way too low - I would def check all the readings you have given them. Could your interim reading be incorrect and now it has caught up on this bill? But £90 and £130 for gas sounds extortionate. How long is heating on, what temp thermostat and are you insulated fully? And yep security lights are astronomical to run.

Gfplux · 27/12/2014 19:26

If you have a smart phone use an app to take weekly readings. This will show you how your usage goes up and down but will also make you much more aware of how you use gas, electricity and water.

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/12/2014 21:38

£18 is very low and £70 average, i pay £160 a month for G&E throughout whole year - live in 3 bed semi

think your first month was under, gawd knows how and thus next one higher, but normal iyswim

specialsubject · 29/12/2014 11:42

electric in this house is £32 a month (oil heating and hot water, no tumble dryer, dishwasher every other day, 5 loads of washing a week). We are home a lot. All low-energy bulbs, one Tv.

check:

  • security light bulb rating; what wattage?
  • has someone left an immersion heater on?

what is your actual unit cost for electricity, and your standing charge?

Original poster
Pengyquin · 30/12/2014 13:13

Ok. £18 was definitely not a mis-read. I read it, and I double checked it!

The gas..hmm. Well, it's a rented house, and I don't believe the boiler is terrible efficient. It has a timer, so we set the heating to come on three times a day (at the minute, as it's cold) - so first thing in the morning...lunchtime ish (as my toddler has a nap) and then 5/30pm so that the house isn't cold when the toddler and baby have a bath.

The water is on the lowest temp setting it can be. As is the heating bit.

The radiators are shocking - they're either ON or OFF. Although there is a regulator knob thing on them, it just doesn't work. If you put it to 2 or 3, it's cold.

We're on the lowest tariff we can be, with British Gas. Not too concerned over that to be honest.

It was more, what was causing the huge difference!

Just been away for 4 days, and I've taken a meter reading for electric before leaving (should have done gas really too)..just to see if there's something weird going on.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pengyquin · 30/12/2014 13:13

Will have to check cost per whattage etc and post it when I get home!

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 30/12/2014 13:22

BG are usually quite pricey, was that a tariff you chose when you moved in?.

It could be the freezer, if mine needs defrosting the bill goes up a bit.

newyear15 · 30/12/2014 13:23

what you need to do is switch everything electric off- then take a reading, and then one at a time switch 1 item at a time on for an hour or 2 and take a further reading. Painstaking and laborious but good way to see where the power is being used. What electric appliances do you have, is there an immersion? The big users of electric are water heaters, security lighting, economy 7 heating (which is an utter fallacy), oil fired or greenhouse heaters and tumble driers. Washer driers are particularly bad too. An empty freezer is also more pricey to run. Christmas lights use bugger all, kettles and toasters are v pricey but are on for such a short time a kettle alone won't raise a bill by that amount in 1 month.

The meter could also be faulty, but this is quite rare.

newyear15 · 30/12/2014 13:23
  • not oil fired - oil filled.
specialsubject · 31/12/2014 15:12

thermostatic radiator valves have a limited life and need replacing every few years. Especially if not looked after, i.e. not turned to 5 in the summer when heating is off. This is quite likely in a rental.

contact your landlord and ask for them to be checked/replaced; they don't cost a lot so no excuse. He/she won't know that they may have failed.

that said, obviously it all depends on the temperature in the house; here 2 or 3 on the TRVs often means a cold radiator.

WrappedInABlankie · 31/12/2014 15:17

£41.51 for a 3 bed semi with two bathrooms for my gas and electric here!

Fluffycloudland77 · 31/12/2014 15:30

Why do you need to put the trv to 5 in the summer?

Original poster
Pengyquin · 31/12/2014 20:35

Yes, think will contact landlord and ask for the radiators to be checked.

Wrapped Wow! Who are you with!

Hmm. Tv, kettle, microwave, washing machine (but only do quick washes), tumble dryer (yes, know this costs, but used it just the same the first month as this month), phone chargers, hairdryer. Security light we have now unplugged. Internet I'm now switching off when I go to bed (had been leaving this on? could be a factor?)

OP posts:
specialsubject · 02/01/2015 17:07

fluffy - the TRVs should be fully opened (highest setting) over the summer when the heating is out of use. This stops them sticking closed and prolongs their life.

specialsubject · 02/01/2015 17:09

OP - quick washes may not be more energy efficient than a longer wash. Dig out the manual for your machine and read actual consumption figures.

kettle - fill only as full as you need.

as mentioned; have you done a comparison of energy costs? Do you know your actual rates and standing charges?

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/01/2015 17:18

Oh I see. Thank you for coming back Special

WrappedInABlankie · 02/01/2015 17:27

Pengy - I'm with Scottish power.

I unplug the toaster microwave and kettle as I don't use these myself only when visitors come. I have my home phone, Internet, 2 x tv, DVD player, 2 x sky hd boxes, 2 x phone chargers, washing machine (only goes on a normal cycle) and dishwasher (on Eco after 7pm), my son sleeps with his light on whilst asleep till I turn it off otherwise everything is on standby when not in use.

Hth

newyear15 · 02/01/2015 17:47

no don't switch the internet off. Power usage is absolutely minimal and switching off and on is not good for your connection.

Wrapped - why would you unplug kettle and toaster etc.. Makes do difference whatsoever.