Electricity Bill

[jennyjoan]

I pay the above every two months. It was £80 ie £40 a month. Now that was a summer bill so hardly any electricity used. Viewed the previous bill and it was only £60 - £30 a month. I know the electricity is supposed to be going up but has it already gone up?

[SparklyKid]

Look at the tariff prices on the bills.

[New Judge]

Can't answer that unless you know what your consumption for the months concerned was, jenny.

[fiction-factory]

Depends on your supplier. Are they based on estimates or actual? Maybe you had built up a debt in the winter ( I know mine goes from credit to debit between Autumn and Spring) and so they put up the payments to rectify the situation.

[fiction-factory]

I now submit readings on first of each month and have a nice spreadsheet which works out the monthly cost so i can keep track of things. One of those smart meters would be handy too.

[SparklyKid]

Do you not get quarterly bills ?

[SparklyKid]

Forget smart meters, waste of time.

[jennyjoan]

oh yes - they sent me a letter recently and I never looked at it - will do now and see the breakdown.

my readings are actual cos the meter box is outside on the driveway.

[jennyjoan]

no bill every two months

[fiction-factory]

It definitely hasn't gone up by anything like 33% so there must be other much more significant factors at play.

[fiction-factory]

>my readings are actual cos the meter box is outside on the driveway

I doubt they are read every two months (more likely once a year) unless you read them and submit the readings

[SparklyKid]

I have never heard of two monthly billings, quarterly is the norm. Even though your meter is outside the utility company will not read it every time a bill is imminent.

[jennyjoan]

ok - thanks - am going to email them now. that previous bill that I mentioned was only £53 - then £80. A big jump.

[New Judge]

"One of those smart meters would be handy too."

You can almost certainly have one, f-f (providing there are no logistical problems installing one in your premises). Energy companies are falling over themselves to install them, now realising they face multi-million pound fines for failing to meet the targets they foolishly signed up to. Never mind, they'll simply add the cost of the fines to everybody's bills. That'll sort it.

However, quite what it would do for you is difficult to say. I've often challenged the notion that a Smart meter "will help me save money". Since I have no intention of watching it go round and even less of adjusting my consumption (basically, I put the heating on when it's cold and switch a light on when it's dark) it wouldn't do much for me. I already know how much my appliances cost to run. The only way to save money is to use less energy (i.e. switch things off).

[SparklyKid]

Are the bills based on actual or estimated readings ? The bills will show this, also it will show what the unit price is.

[fiction-factory]

Thanks for all that guff NJ but I've read it all before from you and others. A smart meter is not for you but I can make my own mind up about these things and can see how it would help. I can give examples but I'll not bother

[SparklyKid]

Bills also show the date of the actual or estimated reading. Are you saying you get six bills a year ?

[SparklyKid]

Agree with NJ, smart meters are useless. Cold, put heating on, dark, turn lights on. Bedtime, telly off, not rocket science.

[jennyjoan]

I never look at the paper bills but this has been some jump.

Just looked at the bill - one of you was right - it was an estimated - it says "present reading xxxxxxxE.

Have emailed them - why would there be such a jump for an estimated reading when most of the previous bills have been £60.

[jennyjoan]

I do burn quite a lot of electricity. Oil (needs electricity). Lamps lit etc. I really don't deprive myself of leccy. But only when it has been winter and dark not a summer bill.

[Mamyalynne]

Send them a reading and if needed they will send an adjusted bill.