Energy bill increases

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gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
Looking back at ours...electric and gas combined
May £208
June £133
July £125

I can't remember at what stage we made major changes but hot water boiler run times have been reduced, eco programs now used on the washing machine and dishwasher...and a general healthier awareness of what we do and what impact it has. Those are very significant reductions for not much effort tbf.
We're still facing higher bills, £125 was around our winter bill before the last price rises, we have more to come but the above just goes to show how you can become wasteful, extravagant without actually realising it.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
just goes to show how you can become wasteful, extravagant without actually realising it.
I noticed a decrease of about £25 per month just by changing how my computer puts itself to sleep, it now does it after 15 minutes instead of 2 hours, I started changing the settings for that decades ago as I hated waiting for my computer to wake up again. It's not an issue with modern computers now anyway and putting the computer to sleep puts all the connected electronics to sleep as well, the saving surprised me.
 

simongt

Guru
Location
Norwich
Just had our water bill in; we're on a meter. Apparently we're ( me, the GLW and the cats )using about the same amount of water as a single occupancy property. :okay: Odd as we don't conciously stint on our use of the stuff, but we consider ourselvers to be reaonably sensible about it; i.e., dont' have the washing machine on every day and the dishwasher is - usually me at the sink - ! :laugh:
 

Alex321

Veteran
Location
South Wales
No, the new Ofcom rules charge the new supplier, when you move to a new supplier.

This is a significant change of rules for suppliers.

Do you have any cite for that? I can't find any reference to it.

AFAIK, Ofcom don't charge either supplier when you switch, I'm not even sure they have the right to do so.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
I have criticised British Gas several times in here over recent months. Today I resolved to speak to a person no matter how long I waited in a queue. Three calls later I got a guy who could not have been more helpful. The end result is my account has been reset, the units used have been reduced by gas 776, electric 274 and I will be rebilled for the period November 1st 2021 to August 9th. This should result in a substantial refund or credit. We then start again with today's readings. An engineer will be coming on September 6th to fix the smart meters and my phone number has been updated - that one has taken six, yes 6, years!

Just goes to show what can happen when you speak to a person who understands and wants to solve the problem. Result!
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
I have criticised British Gas several times in here over recent months. Today I resolved to speak to a person no matter how long I waited in a queue. Three calls later I got a guy who could not have been more helpful. The end result is my account has been reset, the units used have been reduced by gas 776, electric 274 and I will be rebilled for the period November 1st 2021 to August 9th. This should result in a substantial refund or credit. We then start again with today's readings. An engineer will be coming on September 6th to fix the smart meters and my phone number has been updated - that one has taken six, yes 6, years!

Just goes to show what can happen when you speak to a person who understands and wants to solve the problem. Result!

The personal touch cannot be beaten...assuming you don't get an ass on the end of the phone.
I have noticed, since covid particually, its getting increasingly difficult to talk to anyone, either you're waiting in a never ending queue, even finding a number to call is becoming increasingly difficult, add to that the old 'have you tried filling in the form online yet ?'...you'd be forgiven for thinking....they really are distancing themselves from any desire to talk to you at all.
 
My electric deal is coming to a close next month. New one is just over double what I'm paying now. We will manage but I'm sure theres going to be millions of families unable to cope with a doubling of their costs - and the Tories are squabbling over who wants to lead the country. They have absolutely no clue what they are doing.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Just been under the TV unit and unplugged the HDD PVR and Video/DVD - both been on standby, but we never use them. Hifi was un-plugged ages ago. Also getting in the habit of using the laptop on battery, now I've fitted a new battery - had to be plugged in before, so only plug in when needed. We always run the washer on 'quick low temperature' washes anyway, unless it's something that's got filthy. Occasionally my white shirts will get a hot wash.

Been looking at electricity consumption and we're around 18-20kw a day, so there is still room for improvement - it was more than double that !
 

jowwy

Can't spell, Can't Punctuate....Sue Me
Just been under the TV unit and unplugged the HDD PVR and Video/DVD - both been on standby, but we never use them. Hifi was un-plugged ages ago. Also getting in the habit of using the laptop on battery, now I've fitted a new battery - had to be plugged in before, so only plug in when needed. We always run the washer on 'quick low temperature' washes anyway, unless it's something that's got filthy. Occasionally my white shirts will get a hot wash.

Been looking at electricity consumption and we're around 18-20kw a day, so there is still room for improvement - it was more than double that !

That is huge fossy.....i told you to stop growing that weed in the greenhouse lol. I used 9.6kw/hs over the whole weekend.
 
According to our smart meter - we are using 121W at the moment. Nothing much on apart from all the TV/Laptops on standby.

I'm not sure it's worth me buying timers to switch stuff off at night for this.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
That is huge fossy.....i told you to stop growing that weed in the greenhouse lol. I used 9.6kw/hs over the whole weekend.

I know - still recon there is enough being used by the hot tub pump, but it's a permanent installation. Unfortunately, 2 gaming PC's are often on for hours and they consume 500w or more.

Although last couple of days the air con has been on and that uses 1kw, so will account for a fair bit of the use. Our house becomes stupid hot in this weather in the bedrooms.
 
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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I just had my first inflation-boosted combined fuel quarterly bill from British Gas. It was for £258. That is well over double what I normally pay at this time of year. The next winter is going to be EXPENSIVE!!!! Let's hope that the weather is kind to us.

I don't have remote monitoring of my meters. I will go down to the cellar and read the electricity meter then set an alarm to remind me to do it again at noon tomorrow. I will be interested to see how much power I use with a couple of lights on for 12 hours, 7 or 8 boiled kettles, and laptop and/or TV on for 12 hours, plus a few things on standby.
 
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