Electricity Bill Help - simple info required

[FELINEGUITARS]

Having freaked out today after a big bill came in after too many estimated bills I realised that British Gas have put the price they are charging me for electricty up a huge amount (I was on a fixed price contract for 5 years but now that has ended my charges have gone up between 270% for daytime units  and 420% for night-time units)

This results in £250 a month electricity bills (£750 a quarter) which is way too high in my opinion

I tried to look up on  the web to see what rates are typical so I can see if I am being way overcharged or if I'm just in the same boat as everyone else but there were no unit rates to be found at all from my brief search

I'm hoping that a few of you guys who have access to the household bills could tell me what rates per unit of electricity  you are being charged and which company you are with

For example

Daytime 14.4p per kWh
Nightime  8.95p per kWh
British Gas

Any help will be appreciated

[impossible]

Just looked up the last quarterly bill before we switched to a web saver plan:

Daytime 29.801p first 125 kWh
              11.709p thereafter

Nighttime 4.418p per kWh

That bill came to £227 odd before tax, in a 5-bed house albeit one without any central heating. We disliked the more expensive daytime tariff so I think we've gone with one which has a flat rate, so we can have long showers in the morning without feeling guilty!

[FELINEGUITARS]

Thanks Ben
Any other input will be greatly appreciated
Getting a £3000 electricity bill is no joke ands a real shock to the system

[_tom_]

I don't know the prices per kWh but at uni we're with EON and our quarterly bills only seem to be about £80-90 for leccy. Gas is much more expensive :( That's in a 2 bedroom with 2 fairly powerful computers on for most of the day plus ths usual tv etc.

[HTH AMPS]

I work in the gas/elec industry - feel free to call me Jonathan.

Essentially, if you have an economy7 type elec meter, you need to be using LOTS of electricity during the night to make them worthwhile - these are most useful for storage heating.  If you don't use much elec during the night and have no storage heaters, you're getting no benefit and are essentially paying way over the odds for no reason.

If you don't use much elec at night, you would be best off with a single rate meter - the unit rate will be MUCH lower than an E7 daytime unit rate.

Also, as a business you may be able to agree a better tariff than the domestic side of things can offer you.  There is no 'lower-limit' for elec business rate eligibility - it all depends on what the supplier is willing to offer you; based on how much elec you use.  Furthermore, going from a domestic to business profile class can be a bit of a nightmare - ask your supplier about this if you're not already considered a business in the eyes of your supplier.

Failing all that, definitely look at SIGN ONLINE tariffs.  YouSwitch are really good for comparisons, but you will need to know how much kWh you have used in the last year (to actual readings) to make this accurate and get an appropriate quote.

Also, where is your elec meter situated?  You mention estimated readings - your supplier has a duty to ATTEMPT to read your meter once every 2 years.  If they have not attempted this, you may be eligible for a reduction under the ERA Code Of Practice Back Billing Policy.  btw, if they call to read your meter and cannot gain access because you didn't answer the door, that is classed as an attempt - it would be normal for a 'we called' card to be left and it would be considered that the onus is then on you to provide a meter reading.

I find that the majority of people are better off on a flat rate tariff where there is no higher or lower rate - the tariff I signed up to charges all units at 9.96p/unit with a daily standing charge of 5.50p. 

[FELINEGUITARS]

I work in the gas/elec industry - feel free to call me Jonathan.

Cheers - I also spent 3 years working for British Gas in a callcentre - so have quite a bit of experience in billing etc - but it was for Gas  only - we hadn't taken on electricity at that time.

Essentially, if you have an economy7 type elec meter, you need to be using LOTS of electricity during the night to make them worthwhile - these are most useful for storage heating.  If you don't use much elec during the night and have no storage heaters, you're getting no benefit and are essentially paying way over the odds for no reason.

I do have storage heaters - hence the Economy 7 /dual meter reading type thing

Also, as a business you may be able to agree a better tariff than the domestic side of things can offer you.  There is no 'lower-limit' for elec business rate eligibility - it all depends on what the supplier is willing to offer you; based on how much elec you use.  Furthermore, going from a domestic to business profile class can be a bit of a nightmare - ask your supplier about this if you're not already considered a business in the eyes of your supplier.

My account is a business account and we had a 5 year special pricing that came to an end two years ago and they gave me new rates that were much higher - didnt pay enough attention to it at the time and it's come home to roost
I was paying 5.21 p per kWh on days and 2.054p per kWh on nights
They increased it to 14.9p per kWh on days and 8.96p per kWh on nights
Thats an increase of 270% and 420% which seems huge

We use an average of 8600 units of daytime elec and 12650 of nightime - so a good night rate is important
your rates seem better than what I am getting offered - works out a few hundred pound cheaper than what I am getting.

THIS IS WHY I HAVE ASKED YOU GUYS WHAT YOU ARE PAYING - It allows me to see if I am paying too much

Also, where is your elec meter situated?  You mention estimated readings - your supplier has a duty to ATTEMPT to read your meter once every 2 years.  If they have not attempted this, you may be eligible for a reduction under the ERA Code Of Practice Back Billing Policy.  btw, if they call to read your meter and cannot gain access because you didn't answer the door, that is classed as an attempt - it would be normal for a 'we called' card to be left and it would be considered that the onus is then on you to provide a meter reading.

Meter is in cupboard under stairs
No problem in getting to it as long as we are in - and we are open 5 days a week
We have seen a reader but their reading was never used it seems
It was from an email from the supplier that we did our own reading and  revealed the ugly truth
We had been way under estimated - and there was no reason for this as they had years worth of previous readings that would tell them what we were using before .
The problem is that because I saw a bill that looked in keeping with our monthly Direct Debit I didnt think twice about it
Was only when I read the meter that the under estimate penny dropped and I knew I was in for a shock


I would still like to see what you guys are being charged per unit so I can compare and can tell British Gas they are being unreasonable with their rates (or are the good rates for new customers only)

[nfe]

I pay direct debit and don't get a paper bill, just had a thorough look through the Scottish Power website but nothing, anywhere, tells me what tariff I'm on and my account section doesn't give me rates or anything anywhere, which doesn't seem right.

So I can't tell you what we're paying, I'm afraid.

[Johnny Mac]

Jonathan, I'm with British Gas and my last bill says First 130 kWh x 22.66p Next 666 kWh x 9.799p.
These were from two periods and the meter was read both times.

I hope this helps. Sorry to hear your having problems mate. No one needs cr@p like this at the best of times and it seems very unfair to charge you so much when your home and business share the same small premises. Lets hope you get a fairer deal sorted out soon.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Just looked at a better price comparison website
Night rate for their top performers is  between 4.94p and 7.24p per kWh
And day rate was between 7.5p and 10.27p per kWh

Still interested in what you guys are paying for domestic bills - especially as my girlfriend is paying too much by the looks of things

[DavidRees]

Hi Jonathan

not sure this helps but ... I'm with EDF on their Standard Tariff @17.86p for the first 250 units and @10.89p thereafter. I am however an extremely low user [all my heating and hot water is gas] so my quarterly bills are always less than £100
regards David

[HTH AMPS]

Uswitch is great for domestic gas/elec switching - once you go through all the info inputting, you will get actual unit rates.

Its not always as simple as the best unit rate - certain tariffs will charge a proportion of your usage at a higher rate, then the remainder at a lower rate (i.e. primary and secondary block unit rates).  This applies on the majority of tariffs, but typically not 'online' tariffs; which tend to have a flat unit rate plus a standing charge.

For instance, if you are a low user, you may never exceed the primary block unit proportionment for a given quarter and would therefore pay for all units at the higher rate.  

All this kind of thing is taken into consideration (plus direct debit discounts) when you use Uswitch.  

[FELINEGUITARS]

Yes - looked up the comparison websites for business users and got some idea of good rates
Have written to my supplier with a detailed constructive letter of the issues
Will wat and see what happens next.....

Thankyou for your input guys