scottish hydro electric/ old meter/ bills keep going up, up, up

[nearlyoldwoman]

can someone please give me some info. our bills seem to be going thru the roof, as i dont really know what the average monthly/quarter/yearly bill is, maybe someone can share info.
I've suspected for some time (6 months) that some things weren't right, especially as one of our bills had our old address on? then they said they took a meter reading (when they didn;t) i think they went to old address etc, anyway Scottish Hydro are being quite useless listening to our worries, they say we're using £85.00 a month in electric, we live in 4 bedroom house (2 bedrooms never used) all the usual electric stuff, tv etc, always switch off (never on standby) energy saving lightbulbs etc. we have a gas hob (bottled gas) and the heating and hot water is on a totally seperate scheme (called District Heating) only place in UK to have it, hot water pumped straight into house via under road pipes etc (its a new green thing) so no electric is used at all for any heating. Is £85.00 a month about right then?

i dont think the meter has ever been changed since house built (30 years ago) every time we query Scottish Power they don't really have anything to say, they say they'll look into it etc?

[nearlyoldwoman]

hmm, we think we know the problem here, we are being charged the highest day rate as we are on a 'low' night rate, thing is we dont use owt in the night! no storage heating etc, i've been checking the night meter every day (got to do this for at leat 7 days) and in the past 3 days we've used about 50p. hopefully when i give them back the reading for 7 days they'll change our rate (as a low night rate is diddly squat to us)!

[Bigmac versus]

Yes was going to suggest that the tarrifs change during the day and night, you may be best to balance this out i possible, keep us informed as to how you get on when you notify them of your reading.

[george1939]

Originally Posted by nearlyoldwoman

can someone please give me some info. our bills seem to be going thru the roof, as i dont really know what the average monthly/quarter/yearly bill is, maybe someone can share info.
I've suspected for some time (6 months) that some things weren't right, especially as one of our bills had our old address on? then they said they took a meter reading (when they didn;t) i think they went to old address etc, anyway Scottish Hydro are being quite useless listening to our worries, they say we're using £85.00 a month in electric, we live in 4 bedroom house (2 bedrooms never used) all the usual electric stuff, tv etc, always switch off (never on standby) energy saving lightbulbs etc. we have a gas hob (bottled gas) and the heating and hot water is on a totally seperate scheme (called District Heating) only place in UK to have it, hot water pumped straight into house via under road pipes etc (its a new green thing) so no electric is used at all for any heating. Is £85.00 a month about right then?

i dont think the meter has ever been changed since house built (30 years ago) every time we query Scottish Power they don't really have anything to say, they say they'll look into it etc?

Oct Nov Feb Mar April 15 units daily the rest of year 13 units fair figures unit cost electricity [competitive rate 9.17 pence ]per kilo watt so daily cost 15 times 9.7pence =145.5 pence or £1.455 Weekly cost £1.455x7=£10.18 [Your unit rate could be higher ] Cost per year say £550 +or minus £10 giving£46+- monthly

[nearlyoldwoman]

our day rate per unit is 20.18 roughly ???? but trying to read their breakdown is quite a feat! there is a less figure but they say 20.18 pence standing charge for day rate and night rate is something like 10.14p oh, they did say the price would be coming down in april! yeah thanks hydro!

[george1939]

Originally Posted by nearlyoldwoman

our day rate per unit is 20.18 roughly ???? but trying to read their breakdown is quite a feat! there is a less figure but they say 20.18 pence standing charge for day rate and night rate is something like 10.14p oh, they did say the price would be coming down in april! yeah thanks hydro!

Your day rate even being very generous should be under 13 pence per unit which is 1 kilo watt and your night rate should be half this and that's very generous You should ask your supplier the rate per unit night and day they will tell you. The rate should be clearly shown on your bill whether for gas or electricity Many suppliers have day rates under 10 pence per one day unit. 1 electric unit is 1 kilo watt not so for a gas unit reading.

[nearlyoldwoman]

doh, yes i've worked it out now this is what is says
night 4.77p each
day 9.73p each
night 4.77p each
day 10.76p each

then
standing charge at 18.910p for 51 days
standing charge at 20.930p for 38 days (I realise now that is 18p charge a day (god knows what or why the reasoning for that is) do you have that too, a rate for the unit and then a daily rate?

[george1939]

Originally Posted by nearlyoldwoman

doh, yes i've worked it out now this is what is says
night 4.77p each
day 9.73p each
night 4.77p each
day 10.76p each

then
standing charge at 18.910p for 51 days
standing charge at 20.930p for 38 days (I realise now that is 18p charge a day (god knows what or why the reasoning for that is) do you have that too, a rate for the unit and then a daily rate?

Your £85 per month +£10 is what most people would use each month as a direct debit to cover both gas and electric or if just all electric £105 per month by direct debit ,Why though if you have a district heatig scheme are you bothering with storage heaters.Your £85 per month is quite reasonable but excessive if you pay extra for the district heating as well. Your standing charge works out at £17.60 each quarter similar to anyone with a standing charge for gas and electric The unit 10.76 9.73 and 4.77 seem average unit figures per kilo watt depends on the supplier everyone has a standing charge but some are absorbed in the unit rate depends on what tariff you choose or are offered by the supplier.