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Original poster

Anyone else suspicious of low how their energy bill is?

75 replies

Hagpie · 13/12/2022 21:35

I’m very worried of getting a massive bill in April or something because it doesn’t seem to make sense so here is the situation. Please bear in mind that all of these figures are before our monthly refund of £66/67 okay?

DP and I moved in on July 30th and had no credit with anyone. We live in an E-rated 3-bed semi with 2 kids and our first bills were £180 DD per month. Then it suggested putting our DD down to £101 after 2 months which we did. Then last month it asked for £133 - no problem, when we moved in I was ready for £300+ like it seems everyone else is paying and we had turned the heating to 18° where it has stayed since late October/early November. When we moved in we had no furniture at all so I kind of ignored my suspicions because well we needed a fridge lol and have a baby due January.

Anyway, last month a guy from British Gas came over to take a reading. Later on I read in the news they were sending workers out to check customers aren’t messing around with the equipment/committing fraud and obvs we didn’t because I like breathing. After his visit, the app updated to say this. It should be reassuring but I am still worried. Would you enjoy your good luck or put the DD up to £300 because I am definitely screwed come April?

Anyone else suspicious of low how their energy bill is?
OP posts:
user39012 · 14/12/2022 17:29

British gas have a stupid system with their six monthly billing. Their systems just don't automatically adjust themselves as usage changes. We had high usage recently due to building work and the fact that the builders seemed to use us as a free charging station for every item they could possibly charge up on our bill. Even though our usage has been much lower for the past couple of months, that isn't taken into account and they're insisting we will use 12000kwh of electricity per annum for ever after.

I ask them for a bill every month. It means I know exactly where we are and hopefully eventually their systems will adjust.

cakeorwine · 14/12/2022 18:00

TheGirlWhoLived · 14/12/2022 12:36

@cakeorwine im not too sure on useage- they said based on last years readings my estimated use is £1236 so that’s just split into 12 monthly repayments I think? We haven’t changed our habits much from the year before!

Those rates are much lower than the price guarantee.
Are you on those now?

At the moment, it's 34p per kWH for electricity and 10p per KWh for gas

TashTom · 14/12/2022 19:57

I'm currently using around £8 per day in gas and only have it set to 14 and 12 in the night. I've even been switching it off in the day as its costing us a fortune. Our electric is usually around £4 a day. Our bill for 9th November to 9th December was £255. I'm dreading the colder months to come because there's no way we can afford it but need to keep my 15mth old warm somehow.

Branney · 14/12/2022 21:28

As long as you submit readings, you'll be fine, even if smart meter is not able to report them automatically. Especially important to submit readings more regularly during your first winter in the house.

Also worth checking the serial numbers on the bill match the serial numbers on the meters, especially if it is a new build, as often the meters get confused between plot numbers when the house is given its actual house number. My house was built 15 years ago, and when I moved in last year I discovered the serial did not match. Argued with them for months, then they finally accepted it was wrong after I sent a photo (by which time it has gone to debt recovery). And that's with their guy coming to read the meter every 6 months without noticing!

User175435643 · 15/12/2022 06:45

I'm with British Gas, they only bill every 6 months, our DD is £185, we are projected to use £2900 worth based on last year so obviously £185 is nowhere near enough, I upped it to £220 for now but expect to have pay more next year. We have the heating on all day, every day, at the moment

Willmafrockfit · 15/12/2022 06:47

ours was halved, thanks to the £66
now it is going up a bit more than it was originally, in january to £122.

cakeorwine · 15/12/2022 08:35

Honestly - the only way you are going to know your bill - or to be able to predict your bill - is to take regular readings and work out how much you are using and then convert that to a cost.

You can go on last year's usage - but there are a lot of variables. Things change, weather changes to last year as does energy choices.

The more readings you do, the more accurate your prediction for your bill will be.

mondaytosunday · 15/12/2022 08:54

I have a smart meter and based on a years worth of data our DD is just over £105/month currently and BG say we are more or less on target (maybe small debit end of the period). Three bed terrace and I use a dryer for each wash (not daily), and have the heat on all day.

Beetlewings · 15/12/2022 09:32

Is that just gas or gas and electricity?

Krustydad · 15/12/2022 10:10

Tempting as it is to accept a lower monthly payment, I have been ignoring these messages and letting my credit with BG build up. I am also keeping the £66 monthly payment to one side and not counting on them for anything else.

Come April when the price cap goes up again I want to avoid any shocks/surprises.

TheGirlWhoLived · 15/12/2022 11:52

@cakeorwine yeah we’re on those rates until august

user14728311987 · 15/12/2022 12:12

We are in a three bed end terrace and our usage was £70-80 per month April-September. It's been £180 in October and November with the heating on, and will be more this month as we've had the heating on more. It sounds potentially correct.

EllaPaella · 15/12/2022 12:21

Hmm I've been wondering about this. We have a 4 bed semi-detached which is well insulated and have just got a new boiler. We are paying £280 PM at the moment and are still in credit. We have had the heating on when we need it and not held back but have made significant cutbacks on electricity use (not using tumble dryer, only doing a wash when absolutely necessary, using slow cooker etc). £280 seems quite low to what some of my friends are telling me they are paying in similar properties with similar sized families.

whirlyhead · 15/12/2022 12:29

I have a very well-insulated house (3-bed terrace, 2 adults WFH), and with the heating on only 3 hours a day last month at 19 degrees, my total bill still came in at £300. £190 was electricity though. I am however with Good Energy who are bloody expensive as they aren't subject to the price cap (but very good to get hold of) And I'm £1,000 in credit.

Akrotiri1 · 15/12/2022 13:02

£167, electric only, for a 3 bedroom bungalow, and in credit by just over £300.

Our d/d has not been raised and still getting the £67 rebate........teenage son moved out 6 mnths ago so possibly counterbalances our useage?

Will be interesting to see what happens come spring.

Shar17 · 15/12/2022 13:31

This happened to me last year. My first bill with Scottish Power was £198.78 from August to December. Then April came around and they slapped me with a bill of very close to £700. Call them with a meter reading to make sure they haven't estimated your bill. That's what Scottish Power tried to say they did with my last bill. When I told them they had upped my bill by 252% they said it was estimated and not done off meter readings. This is with a smart meter too so they should have known better.

healthadvice123 · 15/12/2022 13:48

We have a 3 bed terrace and spending about £200 a month

healthadvice123 · 15/12/2022 13:50

Actually make that £230 a month, my gas spend is more than double of last year but it has also been very cold so heating on more this month

Calmdown14 · 15/12/2022 14:11

My DD has gone down to £65 and they are refunding the £67 so I'm currently in profit!

I don't have a gas supply though. I have been using about £80 a month. Think it will be more like £120 this month.

We have nearly £700 of credit built up through the summer and are getting solar panels next week. Otherwise I would be upping the DD again.

I think energy suppliers were told to stop building up massive credit and make direct debits more appropriate.

Whipmuncher · 15/12/2022 14:23

EllaPaella · 15/12/2022 12:21

Hmm I've been wondering about this. We have a 4 bed semi-detached which is well insulated and have just got a new boiler. We are paying £280 PM at the moment and are still in credit. We have had the heating on when we need it and not held back but have made significant cutbacks on electricity use (not using tumble dryer, only doing a wash when absolutely necessary, using slow cooker etc). £280 seems quite low to what some of my friends are telling me they are paying in similar properties with similar sized families.

I live in a very poorly insulated 4 bed end terrace. My gas and electric combined are £150 a month and my heating is on 18 degrees from 7am-11pm. Every month I seem to be building up more and more credit - now £900 in credit. I can’t fathom it at all. My monthly payment has only gone up by £30 since last year.

JustAnotherMoan · 15/12/2022 14:39

5 bedroom house (2 adults and 3 kids) - just checked ours over the last month. Works out at £3.50 electricity and £8 gas per day, so about £360 a month. We haven't cut our usage at all, so could probably get this lower if we needed to.

SpiceRat · 15/12/2022 14:41

I’m with British Gas and we get billed every month? Confused Confused is it cos we’re just on the standard variable?

I was shocked at the increase when the price cap changed but wasn’t too shocked last month when we started to put the heating on.., worried we’re going to have a whopping bill me y month as the heating is constantly on but the house isn’t reaching past 15 🥶🥶

Keith962 · 15/12/2022 14:42

Hope the government helps with people who can't work due to disabilities with there energy bills that would help a lot

Heatherbell1978 · 15/12/2022 14:47

What's your usage in KWh and what price do you pay in KWh? You need to calculate it to find out if what you're paying is correct.

Knockagain · 15/12/2022 14:48

I’ve had the same with BG and I don’t trust it at all! I’ve kept The DD’s the same, even though they said to reduce and I keep paying extra each month. As someone else said, we haven’t even really hit winter yet and they advised the reduction before this cold spell hit, before I put the heating on.

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