Bloody hell!
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escargot

Original Poster:

17,122 posts

240 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
Just received my gas and electric bill for the period of December through until March. £769 in debit yikes

They reckon (and they're right based on my quick squiz at the meters) that we've used £547 worth of gas and £230 worth of electric (excluding vat, discounts and payments made).

In fairness, my other half is at home all day looking after the baby so the heating is on pretty much 24/7 but fk me, I really didn't expect it to be that much.

I'm pretty much constantly skint at the moment anyway but christ knows what I'd do if I was a pensioner and was hit with a bill like that. It isn't as if we live in a mansion either, just a modest 20 year old 3 bedroomed semi.

Slightly shocked yikes

Does that sound utterly ridiculous to anyone else or have I just been living in the dark ages for the last 5 years?

OnTheOverrun

3,965 posts

200 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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Now you know why having kids is far worse for the environment than commuting to Dubai daily in a supercharged Range Rover with a roof rack and binding brakes! biggrin

DrTre

12,957 posts

255 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
escargot said:
Just received my gas and electric bill for the period of December through until March. £769 in debit yikes

They reckon (and they're right based on my quick squiz at the meters) that we've used £547 worth of gas and £230 worth of electric (excluding vat, discounts and payments made).

In fairness, my other half is at home all day looking after the baby so the heating is on pretty much 24/7 but fk me, I really didn't expect it to be that much.

I'm pretty much constantly skint at the moment anyway but christ knows what I'd do if I was a pensioner and was hit with a bill like that. It isn't as if we live in a mansion either, just a modest 20 year old 3 bedroomed semi.

Slightly shocked yikes

Does that sound utterly ridiculous to anyone else or have I just been living in the dark ages for the last 5 years?
Worst "I've got a modest 20 year old 3 bedroomed Semi" thread, like, evar

Ahhh Moneypenny

4,100 posts

245 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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I sounds a bit steep to me I don't pay anywhere near that and have my heating on most of the time

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

278 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
escargot said:
used £230 worth of electric
£230 worth of electric what...?

Deva Link

26,934 posts

268 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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Most pensioners are loaded and they got £400 winter fuel allowance and many cold weather payments.

Your gas bill does seem on the high side though!

tonyvid

9,889 posts

266 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
Mine was £220 for gas and £65 for leccy - Nov to Feb. You need a cooler running model...




(3bed 80s det with cavity wall insulation and the full 300mm on top of the old rubbish loft insulation)

croyde

25,476 posts

253 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
Just got ours and was shocked until I saw how much yours is.

£333 for the gas, the most ever spent in a quarter.

£193 for the leccy, quite normal these days with TVs left on, computers and phone chargers in fact chargers for everything (Kids)

Small 3 bedroom terrace, people in all day, cooker, washing machine, boiler and tumble dryer constantly on.

So yours looks far too high.

illmonkey

19,565 posts

221 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
escargot said:
used £230 worth of electric
£230 worth of electric what...?
...electricity

That's why the bills so high, he's getting that higher graded stuff.

Edited by illmonkey on Tuesday 23 March 15:20

sawman

5,087 posts

253 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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i thought ours was bad at £450 combined - for a smallish 3 bed which never feels warm


croyde

25,476 posts

253 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
Plus petrol keeps going up and everyone goes on about the tax but it's not the tax that has a litre of unleaded jumping a couple of pence every other day.

becksW

14,690 posts

234 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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Got to be honest I was shocked at the increase in our bill due to winter heating (even though we have cavity wall insulation, double glazing and 14" lagging in loft) and we were both at work during day!

Luckily due to overpayments during summer we have just about covered it. After a lot of searching we have just swapped back to British Gas as they are currently offering good rates and it was time for a change.

Adenauer

18,954 posts

259 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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Check your insulation, I reckon that sounds hell of a lot. My bill for a four person household is €1200 per year, total, and that's for gas 'and' electricity, and I never switch anything off.

Mobile Chicane

21,785 posts

235 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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My gaff never gets above 15C even with the central heating at full tilt.

Rather than paying £100 a month and still being cold, this winter I've decided not to bother with it and just put another jumper on. It's 11.6C in the house at the moment, which believe me does not feel that cold.

Last year I also paid £50 a month for electricity. I've halved that just by switching to a slow cooker and electric steamer for cooking, rather than the electric oven and halogen hob.

escargot

Original Poster:

17,122 posts

240 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
croyde said:
Just got ours and was shocked until I saw how much yours is.

£333 for the gas, the most ever spent in a quarter.

£193 for the leccy, quite normal these days with TVs left on, computers and phone chargers in fact chargers for everything (Kids)

Small 3 bedroom terrace, people in all day, cooker, washing machine, boiler and tumble dryer constantly on.

So yours looks far too high.
fking hell. It does doesn't it. Trouble is, the meter readings quite clearly support their calculations (assuming their calculator hasn't broken). I'm gobsmacked really. I wonder if its worth querying to be honest. Not sure what, if anything, they would/could do to see if it's correct though.

Oh and MBH, bugger off you old tart. wink

anonymous-user

77 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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It sounds steep to me, but then having moved recently, the previous owners were with scottish power for gas, and we had to wait to change to blitish gas, was about a month and three days, and for that period of time, scottish power want to charge us the princely sum of.........£193 and changeyikes I nearly fell of the chair when i read that, and after speaking to the dozy bint on the other end of the phone, she informed me it was due to the cold weather and that during the cold weather you use more gas.

I tried to remain calm, especially when for the same period last year blitish gas charged me about £85, robbing bleeders. To be fair i think what has happened, is that the previous owners have neglected to tell them where they have moved to, and conveniently, scottish power have decided that as we are in the house, we can pay their bill. Our lass' dad went apest and has taken over dealing with this now, and he isnt known for his patience where energy companys are concerned

Edited by snowy slopes on Tuesday 23 March 15:28

trickywoo

13,564 posts

253 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
escargot said:
used £230 worth of electric....other half is at home all day
£230 worth of electric what...?
scratchchin

Those rechargable AA do eat the juice I suppose wink

pmanson

13,388 posts

276 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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I think our gas bill was/is £65 a month and electic around £35 a month

That's with Amy being at home over most of the winter.

2 Bed end of terrace

Deva Link

26,934 posts

268 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
quotequote all
Mobile Chicane said:
It's 11.6C in the house at the moment, which believe me does not feel that cold.
11.6C is OK to wash the car in wearing a couple of sweatshirts, but just sitting the house, that's absolutely *freezing*!

My desk in the cold NE corner of our house and it's just about bearable at 21C. The desk lamp is keeping my face warm. smile

Frankeh

12,558 posts

208 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2010
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My sister moved in. My electricity bill went from £100 every 4 months to £100 in one month.
She insists on using my flats very inefficient electric heating all day. Made her pay the difference.

My gas bill was £100 for 4 months. I had no idea the gas fire used that much gas... I swore a bit at that bill when it came in.