gas bill query re pilot light

Joined
31 Mar 2015
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Country
United Kingdom
hi all,
i have questions regarding a recent energy bill and how to fix it.
basically it says that i am using on average 49kwh of gas per day, but the only gas appliance i have is my boiler. the only thing its been used for for the last five years is the pilot light (its old so has a permanent one). my heating system has faults so has been switched off completely for five years (waiting for the husband to mend it!) and we only use hot water from an electric immersion heater.
so my questions are, can the pilot light really be costing me over £900 per year? or are my energy company wrong? is there a way i can turn my gas off altogether until the heating system is fixed (if ever!)?
both my boiler and the meter are really old (probably older than me, like everything else in this place!).
 
Sponsored Links
basically it says that i am using on average 49kwh of gas per day

I don't believe it.

Is it working on actual or estimated meter readings? Check the meter readings (start and finish) on your bill and compare them to the meter. Estimated gas bills are usually wrong, probably deliberately to prompt you to read the meter more often.

There will also (usually) be a standing charge in the region of 25p a day.

Otherwise, you have a very severe gas leak, or you are producing as much heat as a 3kW electric fan heater run for 16 hours a day. Your home would be sweltering. Or possibly you are in a house converted to flats and your neighbour is running their boiler off your meter.

Follow Diyisfun's advice.

There will be a contact number on your gas bill to report a suspected leak. They will inspect and test free.
 
basically it says that i am using on average 49kwh of gas per day

I don't believe it.

Is it working on actual or estimated meter readings? Check the meter readings (start and finish) on your bill and compare them to the meter. Estimated gas bills are usually wrong, probably deliberately to prompt you to read the meter more often.

There will also (usually) be a standing charge in the region of 25p a day.

Otherwise, you have a very severe gas leak, or you are producing as much heat as a 3kW electric fan heater run for 16 hours a day. Your home would be sweltering. Or possibly you are in a house converted to flats and your neighbour is running their boiler off your meter.

Follow Diyisfun's advice.

There will be a contact number on your gas bill to report a suspected leak. They will inspect and test free.


i think we are currently on estimated bills, because i am unable to get to the meter for regular readings (im disabled and its in an inconvenient place surrounded by hubbys tool boxes) and the guys that come out are often from a different company to the one that bills me so i dont let them in. hubby is rarely here.
no chance that its neighbours as we are a semidetached house and our adjoining neighbour has no access to the part of the house with the boiler or supply lines.

i will have to get it checked as its either very wrong or very unsafe. i will call someone out to turn off the gas now and call the energy company to arrange some checks. want to get a new boiler anyway as this one is so old. sounds like im on my way to getting a loan... urgh.
thank you for the advice.
 
Sponsored Links
your gas bill should be around 60p a week for the pilot maximum and as said around 25p a day for the standing charge so 1.75p a week so total so £2.35 a week x13 weeks =£31 a quarter or £122 a year
that assumes you have no leak or anything else useing gas like a gas cooker or gas fire
 
If I have read you post and replies correctly, it seems as if your provider has not been able to access your meters to get a reading.
In that case they have to provide an estimated bill based either on your previous usage or an average for you type of house.
If this is the case you need to let them read your meter then they can produce an accurate bill reflecting what you actually owe.
 
If the readings are correct you have a gas leak.
Probably at the boiler going straight up the chimney.
If you don't use any gas switch it off at the meter.
 
if it hasnt been read for 5 years the its been increased by 20-30% every other quarter over 19 quarters so they would start at 5 kw a day next quarter 6.35 then 8 then 10 then 12 then 15 then 19 then 24 then 30 then 38 then at the 19th quarter47
 
You really need to get those toolboxes moved so the meter can be read.

If you phone your supplier, they are I believe accommodating of people with disabilities, and may agree a password for the meter-reader to use. Lots of utility companies use subcontractors now to fit and read meters.
 
Meters are often read by people from different companies. You need to get the meter read, rather then speculating about the pilot light or the neighbours using your gas.
 
if it hasnt been read for 5 years the its been increased by 20-30% every other quarter over 19 quarters so they would start at 5 kw a day next quarter 6.35 then 8 then 10 then 12 then 15 then 19 then 24 then 30 then 38 then at the 19th quarter47

its has definitely read twice in 2013 and once in 2014, but not since as far as i know. ive now arranged for someone to come and help move things so that i can turn off the gas and read the meter.
 
i suspect your in for a nice rebate

did they alter your payment amounts when they read the meter ??
 
my heating system has faults so has been switched off completely for five years (waiting for the husband to mend it!).
Use the money the gas supplier refunds you to pay for the system to be repaired and/or for a new boiler which will help reduce your gas bills.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top