Scottish power sadly failed to brighten my festive period with a bill, but it arrived today to cheer me up in time for new year.

The thing is, I’m not sure if it’s “normal” as I’ve not lived in a house with gas for a long time, so rather than seeking advice from SP, I thought I’d utilize the STW hivemind.

I live in a rented 2 bed, end terrace, on my own (well, me, 4 degus and 2 Egyptian spiny mice, but they don’t count for council tax, so I’m not factoring them in, besides they can’t turn on the heating or switch on plugs). It’s single glazed, and has original floorboards through the upstairs, and cheap laminate downstairs. The back door is a stable door type, and fits really badly, it is plugged with rags and a draft excluder to keep out the wind. It’s a combi boiler (92 vintage) and my oven is gas. Heating is on for an hour in the morning at 6, and then because I work irregular hours, can be on for up to 4 hours in the evening. I try and keep the temperature a reasonable 15 degrees, but the central heating doesn’t have a thermostat.

My energy bill for the last 3 month billing period (totalling 81 days due to changing supplier) is 130kWh (or 2 units a day) for electricity and 1302kWh for gas, (or 16 units a day). This totals £82 for the 81 days. I’ve paid £228 in monthly payments, so am currently in credit by almost £150 in just 3 months!

I think my electricity is about right, but would you say my gas usage is high, medium or low (I don’t like being cold, and the house is badly insulated) and do you think it’s worth dropping my monthly payments to save some cash, or keep paying an extra amount to make up for the extra usage in the (possibly) colder months of Jan/Feb/March? I’m concerned that I’d build up to much credit, and getting money out of energy companies is akin to getting blood from a stone.

Is that an estimated bill ?? Huge bargain if you ask me. I am in a similar house but much better insulated and Scottish Power wanted £100 a month off me initially, have gradually talked them down to £68 per month, which averages out over the year.

It’s based on actual meter readings, and it’s one of those “Seems to good to be true” type things 😕

Who took the meter readings?

We live in a two-bedroom Victorian terrace with double glazing but draughty front door. Electricity is about £23 per month, gas is £55 per month, but we got a £180 rebate on the gas in the last 12 months after installing a wood burning stove.

I did, so I know they’re right 🙂

I take a photo of the meters each time I read it, so I have a record.

you’ve just motivated me to take a meter reading and update the details on the web, but your figures look somewhat high

typical edwardian 2 bed mid terrace, double glazed, 13yo combi, front door leaks air like a sieve – roughly 400mm insulation throughout attic as of September and a 5kw log burner installed in October

for the last 4 months (time i’ve been with EDF) i’m averaging:

0.9 units of electricity a day
9.85 units of gas a day

already £82 in credit after four months

2 bedroom flat, i’m £44 for gas, £37 for leccy per month.

getting money out of energy companies is akin to getting blood from a stone.

I’m with Scottish Power and have ended up in quite a lot of credit a few times. Phoned up ready to rant at them but they just agree to pay the money back, its a cheque I think which is a pain but only took a few days

Slash your direct debit and put some aside in a savings account to cover mis-calculations, at least your earning interest on your money rather than them.

Your monthly DD is way too high. There are two of us in a fairly poorly insulated 1930s semi and for gas and electricity our DD is £102pm. Heating is on 10hrs per day with TRVs, temp is about 18