stupidly high elec usage

[jasperpie]

i'll have to post the actual figures from my recent invoice but in the meantime i'm just looking for some advice.

i work nights, sleep during the day and there are 2 people in my house including me.

in the winter i had been using elec blanket, dryer + normal elec useage and no unusual bills.

I have just received an invoice for 1month 25days use. no elec blanket or dryer used at all

a staggering £440 usage - bearing in mind i pay £40 DD each month.

This is an unusual spike in my consumption - any ideas what could cause this, and how can i check my meter to ensure its not overrunning.

I dont run any largeappliances, apart from the usual dishwasher, washer, fridge, freezer everything that can be is turned off at the mains on an evening, and during the day when i'm sleeping and partner working.

ive called the elec company and their sending a bloke to read my meter again, although the figures i quoted from the meter match what they have anyway.

could it be a faulty appliance or is the usage even too high for that.

anyway i'm rambling now - i'll post figures tommorrow

 

[securespark]

Do you have any electric heaters? If a stat has gone recently, it would mean the heater on 24/7... I know it's supposed to be summer but what with the recent cold spell and all the heaven-sent H2O....

 

[Roo]

Hear it a lot, people usually blame the poor meter, when in fact 99.9% of accuracy test's I do are within 0.2% accurate.

I'd start by looking at your previous bills to see if any have been estimated.

I'd bet that if your current bill has accurate readings then the supplier has UNDER ESTIMATED your previous bills.

This starts to add up and boom big bill one day.

Then again you may be in the 0.1% that has a faulty meter.

Good luck anyways.

 

[JohnD]

immersion heater jammed on?

tumble drier used a lot?

 

[big-all]

i am with roo on this one 12 or 15 months estimated bills can catch up with you

did you increase your payments in line with the rising leccy prices!!

how do you heat your water!!

do you have any electric heating in the house and remote areas like your garage!!

have you purchase any larger upgraded appliances like tv or computers!!!

how long have you lived in this house!!!

have you checked all the monthly payments where made/recorded on your bill!!!!

 

[jasperpie]

speedy replies - i'm quite impressed

there are no larger purchases like a tv etc, i'm not using heaters of any kind - i've been there in the past.

My heating runs on one of those old dial types where you can have it turned on/off twice daily (its old) - normal old boiler - comander/commador or something - i'll have to look when i finish work.

The heating/water however i only turn on when needed and dont use the immersion heater (switch thing in the airing cupboard i think)

I havent been using my tuble dryer recently at all although during the winter months it had been used regularly - although no more than average i expect (only me and the missus in the house mind)

Ill be honest - i dont recall giving the lecci board a meter reading before. alhtough i may have given them one when i opened my account when i moved in which was 16months ago.

Roo i'm thinking you might be right, as if all prev bills have been guestimates then it'll explain it. (DO ESTIMATE BILLS SHOW YOUR ACTUAL USAGE IN KWPH OR UNITS ETC OR IS THAT ESTIMATED BASED ON AVERAGE)

ill post some figures later tonight and let ya'll know what the man says when he comes to look at the meter on the 10th

 

[Taylortwocities]

Estimated bills show a number of units and an E (eg 2468E)
So if all yr past bills were estimates, they've caught up with you!

 

[big-all]

is your heating gas or electric!!!!!!
was the heating in your previous house gas or electric!!!

you can fairly safely say you tumble will be around 20p an hour so no more than 40p a cycle probably nearer 30p

 

[Roo]

Sounds like they have under estimated if the meter reader wasn't able to get in.

And as previously said on your bill it will say something like 12345E = estimated, 12345C = customer read or 12345A = Actual read.

If you have a 2rate type meter (E7 etc) then another common one is to mix up the LOW and NORM readings which would also give you a high bill.

Meter reader SHOULD be able to tell you which is which.

 

[Stoday]

If it's because of their low previous estimate, you could ask to pay off the excess over the next 6 months instead of in one lump.

 

[jasperpie]

just thoought i'd update with the outcome- i had read the meter wrong first of all (as those stupid dials go in different directions) which meant i was just over 1000 out on my reading.

and yes - its because of previous being estimates and it catching up with me.

fortunately - i'm able to pay it off over a period of time, and this will offset slightly over the sumer (if we get one)

better still - we've agreed for me to ring them with a reading every month to monitor things in more detail just incase there is an issue.

lec meter seems to be fine - and no dodgy appliances - live and learn i expect.

OH - another thing - my electric has gone down in cost over the last few months also - which will be good i hope.

thanx for the advise etc people.

 

[Roo]

OH - another thing - my electric has gone down in cost over the last few months also - which will be good i hope.

It's amazing how often you turn the lights off when leaving a room etc after you get a big bill.

Glad to hear you've sorted it