Huge Gas Bill!!

[we love jez moxey]

I've just received my first gas bill for my new house (for December) and it was £177!! Which is about what i'm used to paying per quarter. All the gas readings were done at the beginning and end of the month. I think there is something wrong with the meter but so far my supplier (EDF) are being unhelpful.
Is there any advice anyone can give me on this?

 

[cobweb]

Sounds about right to me if you had it on all over the cold period of the previous month.

 

[we love jez moxey]

Fair enough mate, didn't have it on that much, but if it does sound realistic then that's all I need to hear!

 

[North West Wanderer]

Check with all of your mates what they are paying. I pay £78 per month for both but I've had to up it. I live in a 3 bed semi.

 

[Netherton Wolf]

I have a large 4 bed semi(corner house) so we get lots of wind and I pay £150per month for both - but my winter gas bills usually come to around £120per month but evens out over the year.

 

[stever]

I go through EDF and just upped my gas to 60 per month. However over the last month the heating has been on all the time. I dread to think what the next bill will be.

 

[cooper_J]

Yeah, I'm waiting for my next quarterly - well my first quarterly at our new place actually. It's a one bed and we pay £60 for both at the moment as that's what edf advised.

Does that sound anywhere near right? My other half is a bugger for having the heating on too.

 

[North West Wanderer]

For now mate

Kel's the same - heating ALWAYS on. We pay £78 for both in Penn but after 5 months are £110 in debit on the account so I've upped it!

 

[cooper_J]

Yeah, my better half is the same 30 degrees constantly!

I blame her Asian side for that.

 

[North West Wanderer]

I blame Kels folks for keeping her old house so warm!

 

[FMM]

If in doubt, contact EDF, and they will check it out for you. I am on EDF, and they have been very good.

 

[stever]

seems they have all got us over a barrel. shocking how much we have to pay really. For me there are certain things that should be nationalised: Energy companies, Supermarkets.

 

[FMM]

British Gas was Government owned, but Maggie sold it off as part of her privatisation plans.

 

[stever]

British Gas was Government owned, but Maggie sold it off as part of her privatisation plans.

I am aware of that FMM, i just feel that it shouldnt be run as a profit making business, especially when having heating is something that is needed by everyone especially in the current cold snap (obviously taking into consideration how bad our government are at the moment)

 

[Penk wolf]

I am aware of that FMM, i just feel that it shouldnt be run as a profit making business, especially when having heating is something that is needed by everyone especially in the current cold snap (obviously taking into consideration how bad our government are at the moment)

But they don't they lose money on gas they make there money on other things same as the petrol companies. That's a sarcastic smiley to the Gas company not you Steve.

 

[derbyrameater]

They only piratise something which is making a profit so it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy that the gov`t can`t run anything without it losing money..

British Gas isn`t British anymore, AFAIK.

 

[Atlas 1951]

I live in a 3 bed semi.

Have you considered perhaps working a little bit harder?

 

[dieman]

Think warm thoughts! ..... Like how good things will be when Tony Blair becomes the Presidenti! ...................

 

[North West Wanderer]

Have you considered perhaps working a little bit harder?

since when has living in a 3 bedroom semi detached house been a sign of needing to work harder? Poor attempt at a wind up and a tad ridiculous.

 

[markb]

move to direct debit, you then share the load through-out the year (& also get a discount).

 

[N. Herts Wolf]

They only piratise something which is making a profit so it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy that the gov`t can`t run anything without it losing money..

Very apt.

 

[reanswolf]

I pay £218 pcm for both, its the cheapest I can get. In winter the bills are huge but its hard with wife and young kids at home. I used to pay quarterly but summer bills were dead cheap and winter bills humungous so averaging out seems to be my best option. My house is only 5 years old but they were built with no cavity wall heating so they get like an ice box. Hope to have this done soon, because the heat just pours out.

No wonder I can't afford a ST !

 

[North West Wanderer]

Jesus. Thats a lot. Think mine will average about 120 for both per month. Hope so anyway. Damn these cold winters

 

[stever]

I pay £218 pcm for both, its the cheapest I can get. In winter the bills are huge but its hard with wife and young kids at home. I used to pay quarterly but summer bills were dead cheap and winter bills humungous so averaging out seems to be my best option. My house is only 5 years old but they were built with no cavity wall heating so they get like an ice box. Hope to have this done soon, because the heat just pours out.

No wonder I can't afford a ST !

Blimey Reans, that is a huge amount per month. Surely you are entitled to some sort of compo for the winter months from somewhere?

 

[Boss Hogg]

It depends on the age of your house too WLJM. I'm with EDF and my Gas bills average £50pm in the winter - but my house was built in the last 10 years so it is well insulated.

It is worthwhile doing lots of things to insulate the house - If you are a pensioner you can get your cavities filled for free and loft insulation too, heavy thermal curtains to cover the windows/front door, draught excluders, etc - all a good investment.

 

[Boss Hogg]

.....My house is only 5 years old but they were built with no cavity wall heating so they get like an ice box. Hope to have this done soon, because the heat just pours out...........

I didn't think modern houses have cavities Reans - even if there is an outer brick face, internally there is a wooden frame so there is no cavity to fill. Careful you don't get ripped off

Check with NHBC to see what regulations were in force at the time the house was built to see if the builder has missed something that should have been done insulation wise - if it has been missed then you do have your NHBC warranty to try and claim on.

 

[DoomWolf]

They only piratise something which is making a profit so it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy that the gov`t can`t run anything without it losing money..

British Gas isn`t British anymore, AFAIK.

I'd love to know where the myth that British Gas is foreign owned comes from. It isn't. Centrica (of which British Gas is a part) is one of Britain's more successful companies. Penk is correct that they make less profit out of supplying gas. The majority of their residential profit comes from their services division (fitting/servicing boilers etc). Centrica as a whole makes a higher profit because of their other businesses including the ones they own in North America (a British company making money from America!).

I only know this because my wife works for British Gas Services in Oldbury. And spare a thought for those people having to deal with idiot customers complaining and shouting their heads off when they can't get an engineer out immediately for one broken radiator when other people are having to be prioritised because they have no heating or hot water and the engineers are having difficulties getting through the snow. My wife had one last week moaning that his kids would have to eat in the living room because the kitchen radiator wasn't working!

 

[we love jez moxey]

It depends on the age of your house too WLJM. I'm with EDF and my Gas bills average £50pm in the winter - but my house was built in the last 10 years so it is well insulated.

It is worthwhile doing lots of things to insulate the house - If you are a pensioner you can get your cavities filled for free and loft insulation too, heavy thermal curtains to cover the windows/front door, draught excluders, etc - all a good investment.

Bloody pentioners get all the perks .
The house is quite old (1920's I think). It is a big 4 bed house, but we don't use half the rooms so we only use 4 of the radiaters in the house. Our living room has an electric fire and we have an electric oven, and yet the meter still goes round like mad!! Spoke to the previous occupant last night and she said it was empty the month before we moved in and yet the bill was still £57!

 

[Thread Killer]

A thread about a gas bill? I know this is the 'off topic' forum but that would be 'off topic' in the pub, let alone on a public forum read by thousands.

 

[we love jez moxey]

A thread about a gas bill? I know this is the 'off topic' forum but that would be 'off topic' in the pub, let alone on a public forum read by thousands.

A $$$$ fan on a Wolves site is more embarrassing:withstupid:

 

[PREM.L.L]

When we first moved in in 2001 we got both for £50. This year it was £161 for both they then tried to up it again to £244 per month!

Not having any of that $$$$e so we did an upto date reading and had the DD changed as the sneaky little $$$$ers were averaging it out over 18Months which included 2 winters!.

It's now 90 quid or so a month and they owe us £450..............which the wife has probably used up in this cold spell!

As an aside the cold didn't really used to bother me when I was younger but bloody hell it does now, 34years old and I do like me electric blanket. I haven't quite gone as far as getting one of those big "ONE SLIPPER" things but they do look more attractive each year.....................bet they keep your feet nice and toasty when you're watching the telly!

 

[stever]

A $$$$ fan on a Wolves site is more embarrassing:withstupid:

WLJM, You rose to TK's bait. Shame on you!!

 

[Bossworld]

Ours has been a lot more expensive and it's only on for 6 hours a day. Daft thing is our elec usage is bugger all, and yet we've got an electric shower.

 

[stever]

Ours has been a lot more expensive and it's only on for 6 hours a day. Daft thing is our elec usage is bugger all, and yet we've got an electric shower.

I am the same BW, my leccy bill is nowt really. I am tempted to turn the gas off for the heating and just use electric heaters. Its got to be cheaper!!

 

[derbyrameater]

Trying to follow the trail through the maze of different energy companies is extremely difficult, I read years ago that no one knows if they pay the correct level of tax because of the myriad of world wide companies involved, they put `organised crime` to shame.

British Gas is now just a trading(brand) name owned by Centrica and is a multinational company therefore not British but is based in the UK but could move whenever they wanted..

The three card trick they pull off is so simple no one sees through it.

Centrica Energy (part of Centrica), owns gas fields and gas production which is then used to produce electricity and supply gas through the brand name British Gas (part of Centrica).

They then can say without any hint of taking the $$$$ that British Gas (Centrica) doesn`t make much profit supplying gas because of the high costs of energy conveniently forgetting to mention they are buying it from the very same company (Centrica) which sets that price of which they are part , of course it doesn`t that is the way it is organised, but I will bet everything I own that Centrica make a bigger profit than British Gas.

This is also done in the USA and other countries but with slightly different company names.

I left BG as my gas supplier several years ago after their billing went crazy, getting threatening letters the lot although every bill was promptly paid by DD and had never in decades missed a payment, they would apologise for what had going on for months and they had sorted it out only for the merry go round to start again.
Transferred to Eon, all going lovingly then a new meter installed by Siemens, the bloke didn`t have a clue and luckily for me I checked the meter and it wasnt` working correctly, don`t they check their own work anymore or are they under so much pressure from the beancounters to do too many jobs in a day (quantity over quality) , I would have received a bill which would have had no bearing on reality, a replacement meter installed but from then on my billing was all over the place, with them making and me losing, after several months of this I am thoroughly $$$$ed off so..

Moved onto a company I have found out about called `Equi` supposedly a not for profit company, where they ask you how much do you want to pay, recently I received a letter stating I was in debit with my accounts so how much and when would I like to pay, no problem with that, I ring them up to offer to pay the debt in one go but they do the figures and say it should be straight by the end of the summer so don`t bother..

I have the `Home Care` used to be three star, comprehensive package, and have had no problems with them and have stayed.

DoomWolf, thanks for that as it reminded me to look at a new boiler installation and BG are supposedly price matching the gov`ts £400 boiler scrappage scheme.
I had to ring around a bit and ended up ringing their services dept as some of their phone numbers aren`t working but spoke to a few West Midlands accents, so I might have spoken to your missus.

 

[Atlas 1951]

since when has living in a 3 bedroom semi detached house been a sign of needing to work harder? Poor attempt at a wind up and a tad ridiculous.

It was meant to be ridiculous, NWW. Don't be cross.

On a (slightly) related topic, can anybody (perhaps one of our US based posters) explain to me why they don't make electric ovens in America? I know they like their "gas guzzlers" but I think taking the philosophy to the kitchen is a bit much.

 

[derbyrameater]

Atlas you can buy electric ovens in the USA..I don`t know where they are made though.

http://www.geappliances.com/appliances/range-stove.htm General Electric

 

[reanswolf]

I didn't think modern houses have cavities Reans - even if there is an outer brick face, internally there is a wooden frame so there is no cavity to fill. Careful you don't get ripped off

Check with NHBC to see what regulations were in force at the time the house was built to see if the builder has missed something that should have been done insulation wise - if it has been missed then you do have your NHBC warranty to try and claim on.

Appreciate the concern from a few posters...nice of you lads.

It does have a cavity wall of some sort, neighbours either side have exactly same houses and cavity wall insulation a month ago & it cost them about £200 and it has made a huge difference.

Its not my missis fault, last winter she sat in the house in coat and hat and the kids had colds they couldnt shake off. So this year I said none of that just keep yourselves warm. She works part time too so we can afford to keep a bit warmer thankfully.

Anyway the old snap will soon be over.

 

[Atlas 1951]

Atlas you can buy electric ovens in the USA..I don`t know where they are made though.

http://www.geappliances.com/appliances/range-stove.htm General Electric

Thanks DRE. We had a look around a few years ago when our little boy looked as though he might be developing asthma, and could only find imported Swedish models (not as exciting as it sounds!) with TV's and in-oven cameras and the like.

Fortunately, the boys symptoms didn't develop so it's no longer a worry on that score, but I did find it curious. All washers and dryers look like they came from the nineteen fifties, too: top loading with no glass in them.

 

[derbyrameater]

I think the thing with the washing machines etc being top loaders is because quite often the houses have a utility room so are not bothered about space, they are bloody huge as well if memory serves me correctly.