Message Boards for the CF Trust

Replies: 21 Pages: 2 [ Previous \| 1 2 ]

kelly

Posts: 15
From: Berkshire
Registered: 05-Dec-2006

Re: Gas and Electric Prices!!
Posted: 10-Dec-2006 17:56

Reply

Oh my god!

I think i'm being robbed blind, there's 4 of us living in a four bed house and we're paying £55 southern electricity, and £90 british gas per month. i'm off to find someone cheaper, I'm SHOCKED!

sunseasand

Posts: 74
Registered: 10-Nov-2006

Re: Gas and Electric Prices!!
Posted: 10-Dec-2006 18:03

Reply

Hi everyone, we are with npower and I have noticed also a lot of difference with the amount our electric as gone up recently. I don't pay through direct debit as I find I notice the payments more. Instead I pay through smart card with a card machine in our wall outside. I then can just buy my electric cards weekly or monthly. We have a four bed house and we seem to pay around £50-£60 month, but that is all electric and no gas. We have economy 7 for our heaters and I have three large heater on in three rooms only, night and day. It is my water rates that gets me, I pay £33 a month water rates and we all only have showers. from sunseasand.

Merlin

Posts: 46
From: North East
Registered: 07-Nov-2006

Re: Gas and Electric Prices!!
Posted: 11-Dec-2006 05:43

Reply

Hi Sunseasand,we had a water meter fitted,our payments went down from £33 p/mth to approx £17. Mind you there are only 2 of us in a 3 bed house.
The theory is, if there less people in the house than bedrooms,it is worth getting a meter put.
It is surprising how you can save water.

sunseasand

Posts: 74
Registered: 10-Nov-2006

Re: Gas and Electric Prices!!
Posted: 11-Dec-2006 19:04

Reply

Hi merlin I do have a water metre and it says I have used 82 cubic metres in 2 months, which seems a lot to me. This I cannot understand because this is my last bill between sept-november and it is not as if I water the garden or swimming pools etc, just showers instead of baths. I am really fed up with it all at the moment. My son had to be omitted again for more I.V's and I have these water-wolves declaring I use this amount. Everyone I seem to know pay less water-bill than me. from sunseasand.

Darkies Gem

Posts: 89
From: Doncaster, UK
Registered: 10-Nov-2006

Re: Gas and Electric Prices!!
Posted: 11-Dec-2006 20:07

Reply

Were with british gas for both electric and gas. Were only using about a tenner a week for electric. But my gas bill is costing over well over £25 a week. I do the whole turning off lights thing, and only have the heating on for 3 hours in a morning, 3 hours in an evening.

I'm happier with British gas than Npower, mainly as paul's sister and siter-in-law works in there call center. We had a lot of problems with Npower trying to charge us twice.
I think we may have a small leak in the shed bit next to our house, where the meter is. I've had engineers out to it 3 times, but i still walk in there and smell gas, even though noone else does.

I've started sticking electric blanket in bed for half hour to heat it up before getting in it. It seems to be helping, but the whole house is still freezing.

annoyingly were on a waiting list for them to come fit us with windows. I think once there done it'll be warmer, as at the minute we only have single glazed metal framed windows, and they let a lot of water and cold air in.

Hope you manage to lower your gas and leccy bills, and if you find out how, give me a buzz

seth

Posts: 14
Registered: 07-Nov-2006

Re: Gas and Electric Prices!!
Posted: 12-Dec-2006 11:10

Reply

Hi all,
Just board hopping from the parent's board. Haven't been around for a few days and a topic comes up I know something about.

Yes, gas and electricity prices are rising significantly and there is little chance of this changing. The main problem is that the gas supplier has previously massively over estimated the amount of reserve gas and now they've realised the problem. Simple supply and demand economics, there isn't enough supply but there's at least the same demand so prices go up. Shopping around for the best deal is obviously a good idea, but reducing demand is the most important thing. Have a look at http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/gid/ This is grants database and should tell you what's available in your area. You should qualify for quite a lot in your circumstances. You could also try looking on the same website for your local energy efficiency advice centre. They can provide free advice on energy efficiency and may be able to provide more assistance on finding grants in your local area.

Unfortunately, there are no grants available for paying your bill, but Powergen should organise a budget plan so you can afford to pay it off over a longer period. This does mean you're stuck with Powergen but it is an interest free loan. Due to their incompetence, I managed to organise to pay our outstanding bill off over around 3 years. They really should have increased your direct debit correctly and it is their own fault that you are in debit. You should bear this in mind when you're talking to them. I know it's a bit sad, but if you can look at your old bills and try and look at previous usage and costs and current usage and costs, there might be something specific that's changed.

On the energy efficiency tips, it does depend on the type of user you are and the type of home you have. There's no point risking your health by not putting the heating on. I might be able to help with more tailored advice, just send me an e-mail.

Just a small word of warning to anyone looking at energy efficiency, unfortunately there are a lot of people out there who are trying to sell things which really aren't going to help. Just be aware and be careful. Feel free to ask (although I realise you don't know me but I can provide references if required!).

Hope that's vaguely useful.

Katie

FiC

Posts: 337
From: North of Aberdeen
Registered: 09-Feb-2004

Re: Gas and Electric Prices!!
Posted: 12-Dec-2006 11:37

Reply

DON'T PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT! if in one month you use more electricity than normal, they carry that usage forward to predict next months usage etc etc. This happened to us in March this year - we had some heaters on and they predicted we were going to use that much electricity forever - which we weren't. We switched back to paying monthly and things sorted themselves out again. Paying by DD is all done by computer and by guesswork / estimation.

Read your meter as well....