We had British gas smart meters installed for both gas and electric when we moved in 2 years ago and everything had been great working perfectly. Then we realised that for the last 3 months they have been estimating our gas readings "due to a change in how we calculate bills" and has estimated our usage as double what it actually was. Luckily we noticed this and were able to submit a reading before the cap was changed so we should get "refunded" to our account at the higher rate that we paid for it.
Thanks for your replies. It sounds like, basically, it’s a legal scam that they can get away with. Once Smart Meters are in place there is no reason whatsoever for them to still estimate the bills and front load the accounts in their favour. That’s one of the benefits of Smart Meters. To be able to provide real time accurate usage data feeds to their computer systems.
@Siv_in_Norfolk. Thanks for the info about Ecotricity. I’ll talk to you more about that.
I haven't finished with them yet mate. They have got me down for using 3 cubic metres per week. My calculations using that formula don't appear to be matching theirs (with regards to starting meter figures). Waiting on their full breakdown maths, along with all I have paid over that period. I moved in on 24/03/2021. They have agreed a figure of 3 cubic metres per week. The reading on 24/03/2024 was 696 cubic metres. Using (by their formula) 156 metres per year (3 x 52 weeks) x 3 years = 468 metres (3 x 156). 696 - 468 = starting reading of 228.
They have got it down as 226.
Hmm, might have to eat humble pie on this one and accept they are (finally) correct.
Just when I was looking forward to a row.
I have, however completed an application saying that not all water issued was returned to their sewer. You are charged 37% of your bill for returned water. They assume 100% of issued water is returned to sewer. Had a fair size extension on my house, and consider a lot of water usage went into raw materials (concrete, mortar, render, plaster). We shall see.
Don't forget to claim for your soak away drain. That gives a discount of £14.37 per six month billing.
I switched to Octopus Tracker Tariff today. Logged onto my account and made the switch and less than two hours later received notification that the change was complete. Fingers crossed it’s a bit cheaper for me. I’m a high user.
I switched to Octopus Tracker Tariff today. Logged onto my account and made the switch and less than two hours later received notification that the change was complete. Fingers crossed it’s a bit cheaper for me. I’m a high user.
I haven't finished with them yet mate. They have got me down for using 3 cubic metres per week. My calculations using that formula don't appear to be matching theirs (with regards to starting meter figures). Waiting on their full breakdown maths, along with all I have paid over that period. I moved in on 24/03/2021. They have agreed a figure of 3 cubic metres per week. The reading on 24/03/2024 was 696 cubic metres. Using (by their formula) 156 metres per year (3 x 52 weeks) x 3 years = 468 metres (3 x 156). 696 - 468 = starting reading of 228.
They have got it down as 226.
Hmm, might have to eat humble pie on this one and accept they are (finally) correct.
Just when I was looking forward to a row.
I have, however completed an application saying that not all water issued was returned to their sewer. You are charged 37% of your bill for returned water. They assume 100% of issued water is returned to sewer. Had a fair size extension on my house, and consider a lot of water usage went into raw materials (concrete, mortar, render, plaster). We shall see.
Don't forget to claim for your soak away drain. That gives a discount of £14.37 per six month billing.
Bit of an update. Received a bill Monday for just under £1k. Two today. One for up to Nov 23 for £225, another one for up to mid March 24 for £400. Questioned the figures as basically since I moved in up until mid march 24, I owed around £1300. I have already paid them £1297.
So to sum up. Out of the blue get a bill for £1150,00 and being told this is genuine from many of the TW minions. To now agreeing with them that I owe £2.50.
How can a company be able to operate in this manner? Maybe they have a job lot of Fujitsu PCs?
A typical household's yearly energy bill will fall by £122 in July under the regulator Ofgem's new price cap.
The latest quarterly cap for England, Wales and Scotland means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £1,568 a year.
That is down on the current level of £1,690 a year and is the lowest for two years.
Specifically, in England, Wales and Scotland:
Gas prices will be capped at 5.48p per kilowatt hour (kWh), and electricity at 22.36p per kWh
A typical household uses 2,700 kWh of electricity a year, and 11,500 kWh of gas
Households on pre-payment meters will pay slightly less than those on direct debit, with a typical bill of £1,522
Those who pay their bills every three months by cash or cheque will pay more, with a typical bill of £1,668
Standing charges - a fixed daily charge covering the costs of connecting to a supply - are unchanged at 60p a day for electricity and 31p a day for gas, although they vary by region
It’s gas heating 4 bed 2 bath, we have an ev charger but it’s rarely used.
Not sure if your cost is high or low.
The average property in the UK is 1,000 square feet
The average household size is 2.36 people
The average number of bedrooms is 2.9
By comparison, I'm all electric - two people, 4-bed, 2,000 square feet, EV charger (not used as much now I've retired), and a hot tub on 24/7/365. The house is also not particularly energy efficient (250 year old converted barn with pretty much zero loft insulation (zero loft!!).
My monthly Direct Debit has just reduced based on a meter reading two days ago from £449 to £373 - so currently annual cost of around £4,500 - but it has been pretty mild in the last three months.
How is my bill around 4K a year if the average is £1600 and we don’t usually have the heating on between May - Sept?
Currently with OVO but should I be looking elsewhere?
Maybe shut the windows in winter in future 😉😆
Serious answer is that it is the danger of the word ‘average’. It means very little when we include a whole range of properties in the calculation. It’s your consumption level versus the average consumption level.
I doubt most tariffs are poles apart albeit there are now (relatively recently) some fixed rate tariffs to take advantage of that are savings against the cap.
A typical household's yearly energy bill will fall by £122 in July under the regulator Ofgem's new price cap.
The latest quarterly cap for England, Wales and Scotland means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £1,568 a year.
That is down on the current level of £1,690 a year and is the lowest for two years.
Specifically, in England, Wales and Scotland:
Gas prices will be capped at 5.48p per kilowatt hour (kWh), and electricity at 22.36p per kWh
A typical household uses 2,700 kWh of electricity a year, and 11,500 kWh of gas
Households on pre-payment meters will pay slightly less than those on direct debit, with a typical bill of £1,522
Those who pay their bills every three months by cash or cheque will pay more, with a typical bill of £1,668
Standing charges - a fixed daily charge covering the costs of connecting to a supply - are unchanged at 60p a day for electricity and 31p a day for gas, although they vary by region
A typical household's yearly energy bill will fall by £122 in July under the regulator Ofgem's new price cap.
The latest quarterly cap for England, Wales and Scotland means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £1,568 a year.
That is down on the current level of £1,690 a year and is the lowest for two years.
Specifically, in England, Wales and Scotland:
Gas prices will be capped at 5.48p per kilowatt hour (kWh), and electricity at 22.36p per kWh
A typical household uses 2,700 kWh of electricity a year, and 11,500 kWh of gas
Households on pre-payment meters will pay slightly less than those on direct debit, with a typical bill of £1,522
Those who pay their bills every three months by cash or cheque will pay more, with a typical bill of £1,668
Standing charges - a fixed daily charge covering the costs of connecting to a supply - are unchanged at 60p a day for electricity and 31p a day for gas, although they vary by region
Comments
My calculations using that formula don't appear to be matching theirs (with regards to starting meter figures).
Waiting on their full breakdown maths, along with all I have paid over that period.
I moved in on 24/03/2021.
They have agreed a figure of 3 cubic metres per week.
The reading on 24/03/2024 was 696 cubic metres.
Using (by their formula) 156 metres per year (3 x 52 weeks) x 3 years = 468 metres (3 x 156).
696 - 468 = starting reading of 228.
They have got it down as 226.
Hmm, might have to eat humble pie on this one and accept they are (finally) correct.
Just when I was looking forward to a row.
I have, however completed an application saying that not all water issued was returned to their sewer. You are charged 37% of your bill for returned water.
They assume 100% of issued water is returned to sewer.
Had a fair size extension on my house, and consider a lot of water usage went into raw materials (concrete, mortar, render, plaster).
We shall see.
Don't forget to claim for your soak away drain. That gives a discount of £14.37 per six month billing.
Two today. One for up to Nov 23 for £225, another one for up to mid March 24 for £400.
Questioned the figures as basically since I moved in up until mid march 24, I owed around £1300.
I have already paid them £1297.
So to sum up.
Out of the blue get a bill for £1150,00 and being told this is genuine from many of the TW minions.
To now agreeing with them that I owe £2.50.
How can a company be able to operate in this manner?
Maybe they have a job lot of Fujitsu PCs?
A typical household's yearly energy bill will fall by £122 in July under the regulator Ofgem's new price cap.
The latest quarterly cap for England, Wales and Scotland means a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £1,568 a year.
That is down on the current level of £1,690 a year and is the lowest for two years.
Specifically, in England, Wales and Scotland:
Gas prices will be capped at 5.48p per kilowatt hour (kWh), and electricity at 22.36p per kWh
A typical household uses 2,700 kWh of electricity a year, and 11,500 kWh of gas
Households on pre-payment meters will pay slightly less than those on direct debit, with a typical bill of £1,522
Those who pay their bills every three months by cash or cheque will pay more, with a typical bill of £1,668
Standing charges - a fixed daily charge covering the costs of connecting to a supply - are unchanged at 60p a day for electricity and 31p a day for gas, although they vary by region
What heating system do you have? How big is your property? Do you have high usage equipment (hot tub, EV charger etc...).
Serious answer is that it is the danger of the word ‘average’. It means very little when we include a whole range of properties in the calculation. It’s your consumption level versus the average consumption level.
Take a look here.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/energy/
Latest forecasts suggest bills will increase again coming into winter as wholesale gas costs are on the rise.
Respected research firm Cornwall Insight said it expects the fall announced today "may be temporary".
It predicts a typical bill will increase to £1,762 from October and remain around this level until the end of March.
https://news.sky.com/story/energy-price-cap-average-annual-bill-to-fall-from-july-ofgem-announces-13142275