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Original poster

Electric bill sounds too high?

50 replies

Lovinglifeand · 01/09/2021 19:58

Hi, we live in an ancient four bed cottage and our electric bill has always been really high so we swapped providers and now the bill has risen from £300 to £400 a month. Most of the time there is just myself and my husband there with adult children visiting regularly. Our heating is oil, our oven is electric with a gas hob. No tumble dryer. I just don't understand why it is so high.
We have a very antiquated system which needs renewing. Some parts of the electrics are original 1950s and as soon as we have the funds we are replacing and will get a smart meter at the same time.
I keep hearing of people having under a £200 a month so I wondered how?

OP posts:
HasaDigaEebowai · 01/09/2021 22:21

Op something is going on there. I have a large six bedroom six bathroom detached house with separate cottage, separate garage block and four sets of electric gates and we are high users at £150 a month

Badabingbadabum · 01/09/2021 22:31

Ours is high but was surprisingly high when we moved in. We had something called Pyro wire which is cable clad with copper and it was literally leaking electric. We replaced it and our electric bill dropped noticeably.

Old wiring isn't as efficient but surely not to the extent to make your bill that high. Have you ever taken it up with a supplier?

CrimeJunkie01 · 01/09/2021 22:38

5 bedroom house here with 5 people in it... £134 gas and electric a month and I'm in credit. This sounds a ridiculous amount

Original poster
Lovinglifeand · 01/09/2021 23:03

@Badabingbadabum

Ours is high but was surprisingly high when we moved in. We had something called Pyro wire which is cable clad with copper and it was literally leaking electric. We replaced it and our electric bill dropped noticeably.

Old wiring isn't as efficient but surely not to the extent to make your bill that high. Have you ever taken it up with a supplier?

Pyro wire. This is interesting, I'll have to check it out.
OP posts:
Original poster
Lovinglifeand · 01/09/2021 23:09

@HasaDigaEebowai

Op something is going on there. I have a large six bedroom six bathroom detached house with separate cottage, separate garage block and four sets of electric gates and we are high users at £150 a month
Yes, I'm beginning to believe so. We have turned everything off in the house except for the freezer and our sons computer and the meter is still clocking up 2 kWh an hour. I think we have either a leak or a faulty meter.

Can't believe we didn't work this out sooner. We've lived here nearly 20 years with high electricity bills. I thought everyone was paying something similar.

OP posts:
Putdownthecake · 01/09/2021 23:10

We are 2 adults, 1 child, 4 bedroom gas and electric 44 this month, 40 last. Regularly use tumble dryer and have an electric oven. We pay 90 by dd a month into our octopus account and submit readings once a month. Theyre not even the cheapest about, we went with them after terrible experience with British gas but your bills are just crazy

PepsiHoover · 01/09/2021 23:14

We are 100% electric and do not pay half that amount each month.

Definitely check the wiring and old appliances.

0blio · 01/09/2021 23:21

Op, you need to contact your electricity distribution network operator. If there is an issue with your meter they will sort it for you.

YerAWizardHarry · 01/09/2021 23:22

We have an electric only house, 3 beds and fairly old/drafty, 2 adults, 2 kids and our bill is only £140 a month

HasaDigaEebowai · 02/09/2021 06:30

except for the freezer and our sons computer

Although what is your sons computer running? Is there a reason it has to be left on?

BarbaraofSeville · 02/09/2021 06:48

2 kWh is like having a kettle on permanently. That's very high.

It shouldn't be the freezer, but can you turn that off for an hour just to check?

Likewise the computer, but it shouldn't be that either?

You don't have an immersion water heater that's been left on do you?

But if it is the wiring, I'd be looking at getting it done ASAP even if you have to get a loan to pay for it, as the reduced electricity bill will mean pays for itself in no time.

HasaDigaEebowai · 02/09/2021 06:49

Just wondered if the sons computer could be mining or something. Not sure how that works but I understand it uses masses of energy??

LeroyJenkinssss · 02/09/2021 06:54

We are in a similar property and spend £400 pcm combined. Our wiring is seriously old and we have a sewage treatment unit and heating/lights to the chickens as well. I’ve checked when we are away and our usage does drop. I’ve asked for a smart meter.

I’m always amazed when people give such tiny amounts for monthly electric!

BarbaraofSeville · 02/09/2021 07:03

But you must know that your situation is atypical @LeroyJenkinssss? You're using far more than normal, it's not other people using 'tiny amounts'.

Most people aren't running sewage treatment units or heating/lighting chicken coops in addition to their own properties. Plus yours is old and probably larger than average?

The average usage is around £100 pm, so that's probably for an average sized property, eg a 2/3 bed semi. So people in small flats will probably be using even less than this, especially if a newer, purpose built flat, as newer properties tend to be more energy efficient.

HasaDigaEebowai · 02/09/2021 07:13

Really important to get it sorted out though OP since electricity prices are set to rise and potentially quite considerably

ItsNotMeAnymore · 02/09/2021 09:03

We have turned everything off in the house except for the freezer and our sons computer and the meter is still clocking up 2 kWh

Is you son Bitcoin mining. 😅 I think that's meant to use lots of electricity.

ditalini · 02/09/2021 09:14

Ds had an old, stupidly powerful gaming pc that he got from his uncle and our consumption did drop when he got a new one (not so powerful but perfectly adequate for his needs) - but even then, we're talking by a few pounds a month and we're all electric so that was on the expensive day rate.

The only thing that really makes a difference to our electric consumption is heating (either water or rads), but I guess a faulty freezer might affect things if it was really struggling to keep things cold.

Original poster
Lovinglifeand · 02/09/2021 10:40

@HasaDigaEebowai

except for the freezer and our sons computer

Although what is your sons computer running? Is there a reason it has to be left on?

Our son was using the computer for work emails, that's why it was left on. But, he is only visiting this week. His computer isn't normally here.
OP posts:
Original poster
Lovinglifeand · 02/09/2021 10:43

@HasaDigaEebowai

Really important to get it sorted out though OP since electricity prices are set to rise and potentially quite considerably
Completely agree. It was due to this imminent rise and looking at fixing a monthly price for the next two years that made us address this issue.
OP posts:
ApolloandDaphne · 02/09/2021 10:48

That is a mad amount. I hope you can find out what is causing such high usage and can resolve it.

dementedpixie · 02/09/2021 10:49

What's your usage in Kwh?
Are you sure you don't have an immersion heater somewhere that's been left on constantly?

BigPyjamas · 02/09/2021 10:55

That's enormous!

You need to know your kwh usage as a starting point.

Ours is a rambling old draughty house, oil heating, lpg aga and I've recently dropped it from 18 kwh a day to 10 kwh ish through using a smart meter and tracking everything.

Out of our biggest users was a small water heating tank that was using 4kwh for 1 shower (!)

I probably know the electrical usage of every appliance in our house from toaster to bread maker Grin

HasaDigaEebowai · 02/09/2021 14:47

Are you sure you don't have an immersion heater somewhere that's been left on constantly?

Even an immersion shouldn’t cost that since they shut out once the temperature is reached

bamboocat · 02/09/2021 14:58

Switch absolutely everything off, including the freezer (it won't hurt if it's off for half an hour).

If the meter is still moving then there's your problem.

NoNotYou · 04/09/2021 06:58

Any news?

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