Electricity bill!

[Emu2005]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me if my energy bill seems a bit high?
I have a two bed small flat, we don't have the lights on all day and night or anything, just average usage I would think. Our last bill was �60 for 2 months, and our latest bill is �200 for 3 months! I know it's winter and we've had the heater on maybe 3 evenings a week, but this just seems really really high!
Haven't lived away from home for long so not sure if this sounds excessive, but the jump from the last bill just seems massive!
Can anyone tell me if this sounds right?
Many thanks :-)

[Beads]

Hello Emu

That does sound a big jump and high. Are they both actual readings or estimates? It will be somewhere on the bill. For example, if the first one was an estimate and this one is actual - then they may have underestimated and you may be paying for some of the actual use out of the quarter before this one.

I'd ring and query if you don't feel comfortable about it. And you can always compare prices with other providers on websites such as U Switch. You've actually reminded me I need to do that myself as am with the price hikers - aka N Power!

[funnygirl]

This does seem high to me. My last bill was about �80 and for a small 2 bed house. Lights left on night in the hall and frequent comings and goings in the day time.
When was your meter last read?

[Emu2005]

Thanks for your answeres.

The weird thing is that the opening and closing reading are both actuals - so you would think this must be right, But at the same time it can't be! As the general consensus is that this seems high I'll give them a call and ask them, though because they're actual readings I am guessing they'll tell me to pi55 off... :-(

Thanks again :-)

[VINNY100_2]

Blimey,that does seem a bit high Emu ?
your not growing any erbs in the loft,are you (:O)

[Beads]

It seems absurd for it to jump up so much Emu. You expect a bit because of the winter but not that much. Good luck, let us know how you get on. Be firm and stand your ground, they may have made a mistake!

[Emu2005]

Well I just rung them and I got a pretty standard answer - it's winter, so it will be higher, this is for all your energy (as I don't have gas) blah blah and she said it sounded high but reasonable.

I'm looking at my old bill and trying to do some investigating! I am hoping maybe they took down the reading wrong, in which case I guess I'll get a credit next quarter. Still annoying though!!!

[Beads]

I agree with you Emu.

Also don't you find the way they set the bills out annoying - they say you use x amount of elec at such and such pence per kilo something or other and then another x amount at another price...but I find I can never calculate it. Do you know anyone who could take a look at the bill and do a bit of calculating?

[Katie7]

Have you actually read the meter? Also check last bill see if that was estimated under so you may actually have paid less last quarter. If you still can't find any thing wrong (it does seem rather high) then take daily readings for the next couple of weeks and see if the daily readings add up to anything like your bill. If they don't then maybe the electric company could come out and check your meter, there is also ombudsmen, trading standards or Watchdog if you think you have been ripped off. Good Luck.

[scoobydooby]

What sort of heater are you using? Our electricity bill rocketed two years ago and I had a heart attack when I saw it. I rang to query the increase and they listed a number of things that could have caused it. One of them was a heater we had given to us when the conservatory was built. We were initially told it was cheap to run as it was only a 3kw.

However, on speaking to our Electricity supplier, I discovered that a 3kw heater means 3 units per hour. At the time, I was being charged 6p per unit, which meant 18p per hour for each hour of use. During the winter, the heater was on for 5-6 hours during the evenings and pretty much all day at the weekends (kids homework, computers). At best, the heater was costing us an extra �1.00 per day! It all adds up.

[sense4all]

Our bill was extortionate when some builders illegally 'lashed' on in the area.
Don't be afraid to phone and ask questions.
What tarriff are you on it's not something odd where you have to use night time 'leccy and storage heaters is it?

[Emu2005]

The opening and closing readings were both actual. The problem is we live in a block of flats, and the cupboard with the meter in is in the communal hall and it's only unlocked one day a month, and we haven't been checking it ourselves.

I really can't think of any reason why our electricity would cost so much, we only use one heater, and that is only for a few hours maybe 3 days a week. We don't have all the lights on all the time or anything, it's just bizarre. I just spoke to my mum who has a 3 bedroom house and her bill is less than mine!!

[Emu2005]

Just rang them again, and now it seems like it is actually right.
I asked her what the bill was for this time last year with the previous tenants, and she said it was even higher, so maybe it's just our lightbulbs cost a lot or something!
It's really annoying, but all the lights are going off now, and jumpers on no heaters!!
Thanks all for your answers!

[sense4all]

Have a swizz at this site

http://www.whatyoucando.co.uk/electricity_moni tor