How much was your gas bill
 

Struth just received my winter bill, looks like asda is going to suffer for the next couple of months, Aldi here I come. £360, not bad some may think but I am out at work from 7.30 till 6pm
Is this an average sort of bill or is my boiler eating the stuff:(

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

too much

when highwaymen were finaly gotten rid off up cam british gas

watchdog have repeatedly proven them to be liars to as why they didnt reduce prices when oil prices dropped

the govenment should have stepped in long ago and put them straight

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I pay 12euros a fortnight. BUT, i use a gas bottle. Don't have central heating. But when i was in England, i used to dread winter.

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Duggie,
Was your last bill estimated?if it was, you are paying for a bit of your previous bill as well.Mine was £280 plus,but running baths every other day (two young boys)
I agree,they have got you (gas companys)what can you do,i have a coal fire as well, it's not any cheaper than burning gas,but you don't get a bill at the end of the quarter and it keeps the gas bill down.British gas are loosing out to my local coal merchant, Kevj.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

My gas for the 1/4 ending 8th Jan was £48.actual not estimated
I have a new condenser boiler and 4 radiators in a 1 bed flat.
The heating and hot water are on 24/7.
The thermostat is set at 24c daytime, lowered to 22c at night.

I was a bit surprised too, but my hot water use has gone down dramatically since I got a dishwasher, so that partly explains it.

I have good insulation - loft, cavity wall, double glazing - provided by landlord
I have added to this by using Thermilate paint additive on ceilings and exterior walls, and have floor to ceiling lined velvet curtains in lounge and bedroom. All windows have blinds and curtains.

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PS it is possible for meters to run fast and slow - I have had both in the past.
It looks as though I might have another slow one developing - so shush - the time to worry is when it starts going backwards and they notice and replace it

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ours was £420 about 3/4 weeks ago,

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I'm on a meter so don't get a bill but up until this last week have been putting between £30 and £40 a week on the gas

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just got mine for last quarter and its £430 actual.....gonna struggle to pay that one offa my £89 per week

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I find my gas bill has come down since the switch to radiators from blow heating Margaret, and I set my thermostat to the ones you us as well 24 and 22

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I'm pretty sure that my gas bill has gone down since replacing the boiler for a more efficient one.

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'Regulator'. It's one of those neologisms for someone who represents the best interests of the consumer but allows companies to make collossal profits, rip everyone off and then say it's justified.

When my dual fuel bill suddenly hiked up to £130 per month I decided that it was time to open up the chimney and install a stove. Initially, it's quite an expensive move but you make your money back within 18 months.

The coal merchant's smiling face tells me that I'm not alone.

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I am surprised that you ever used that warm air heating system.:eek:
I soon replaced it with wall mounted electric panels for the couple of years before we got the radiator system.
It must have played havoc with your asthma. I got severe rhinitis, was tested for allergies (negative), and the conclusion was - the sheer volume of airbourne dust from the vents was irritating my nasal passages.
I had noticed that the amount of sediment in my air filtration machines had increased.

Back on thread topic -
I have realised another possible cause for my gas bill being so low
(other than a possibly faulty meter and good insulation)
My hot water use is negligible, because of my difficulties in using the bath
(as explained in my 'Hyndburn Homes shower install' thread).
Warm wet flannel wipe downs, and a shallow bath once a week seems to have saved money.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

Snap Ken! Our dual fuel reached £125 two years ago & we installed log burner. I know what you mean about coal merchant's face :).

Bothers me though that despite this, my duel fuel now stands at £145 (although am a childminder, so use central heating during day).

Moneysavingexpert says I need to swap though as have been with same provider (Scottish Power) four four years.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

(Regulators?) Jobs for the boys to ensure that ‘fat cats’ stay fat cats.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

Well, I have just got mine and I have to say that while I am not as prudent as MargaretR, it was not as much as I expected.
I opened the bill with trepidation(despite trying to economise on things we did make full use of the heating during the cold snap....figuring it would be cheaper to heat the house than risk a burst)......my bill was £170.39.......so not bad when I look at what others on here are paying.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

Unfortunately, my experience has taught me that for the small savings you do make by switching, they're all as equally inept as each other.

Powergen weren't even aware that I was paying them for gas and electric when I moved in and wouldn't replace my pre-payment meter with a credit meter. Bye bye.

London Seeboard Energy paid money out of my account to a random woman in Chichester and then sent me a huge unpaid bill. Bye bye.

British Gas wouldn't replace my pre-payment meter either and said I was too much of a liability, even though I was with them for 12 months with a gas credit meter and never defaulted a payment. They also twisted my mother-in-law's day and night readings so she ended up overpaying them £450 in a year and then told her it was her fault for not noticing. When she passed on, I wound up her affairs but once I had told British Gas they immediately wrote to her saying that they were sorry for her loss. Bye bye.

npower were even worse and decided that I owed them over £1000 in unpaid electricity bills, despite it being impossible to rack up any sort of debt with a pre-payment meter. They threatened to take me to court and then realised that they had sent me an automatically generated letter by mistake. They wouldn't replace my pre-payment meter either, so bye bye.

I am currently with the money-grubbing Scottish Power, whose sales pitch revolved around me paying a £120 deposit to replace my pre-payment meter or waiting 12 months and they would do it for free. As I couldn't afford the deposit at the time, I waited 12 months and then they decided that policy had changed and I would have to pay £144 that I wouldn't get back at all plus £95 for the meter. They also informed me that I couldn't get my meter changed anyway as I owed them £175 in unpaid electricity bills (which I couldn't possibly have racked up).

In desperation, I wrote to Greg Pope and the whole situation was sorted in six days but I didn't really feel comfortable writing to my MP for something so trivial.

Scottish Power are currently teetering on the edge of my patience and it is only the upheaval of moving to yet another company that is stalling me.

The regulator is a joke and Energywatch won't get involved unless every possible avenue has been explored, including paying disputed bills. You pay a £1000 bill you don't agree with and then they might look into whether it is unfair or not.

Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?

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HBC fitted special filters Margaret, which I was monitoring until the works department was closed

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Well mine was cheap (actual reading) and they even halved my direct debit...........result.

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I just moved into a newly built bungalow and it has got or course the latest condenser boiler (whatever that is) we have eight radiators, a warm home and lots of hot water, cooking hob is gas and when my bill from British Gas arrived on line this week I was only stopped from falling over by being sat down.
It is half as much as my old property which had a gas back boiler and I was amazed at the bill which covered just about the whole of the time we have lived in our new home. We had a very small bill for the few weeks after we moved in before the start of the winter quarter. The winter bill is below.

Gas you used this period » £ 107.15 Your discounts » £ 4.06 in credit VAT at 5%: £ 5.15

I think the new more efficient system contributes to the savings.

Gremlin R.T.

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£101 a month for gas and elec from Scottish Power, and that's with online saving and at a capped rate!:rolleyes:

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£53 per month for both Gas & Electric, online from EDF!...Ive found them pretty good to deal with too, once an intial cock-up over meter readings when a new meter was installed was sorted!

Best Regards - Taggy

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mine was £156 .. and still in credit .. with british gas ..

am on one of the budget schemes .. pay fortnightly .. saves having a big bill at the end of the quarter

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Multiple masses of adverts on tv, commission paid to moneysupermarket (and the like), and to salespeople, many, many other advertising campaigns, and keeping fatcats in the manner to which they have become accustomed!!! Yet it seems many people assume they are paying for gas and electricity! There is a reason coal/multifuel stoves are increasing in popularity. Oh, and many condensing boilers have not paid for themselves by the time they need replacing, though this is more due to poor installation than the actual unit.

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Just wondered if anyone had any experience with this company?

Fair priced energy, cheap gas and electric for many with robust carbon offset

Some kind of Christian Organisation that says they are non-profit making. Their blurb says

"Ebico was set up specifically to help counter the market pressures that are increasing poverty and heightening social inequity. Our guiding principles are:

* to seek out ways to support those most disadvantaged by dominant market trends
* to redress the bias towards profit in the energy market by offering viable alternatives that are equitable and fair
* to initiate and practise wise stewardship of resources.

These principles are motivated by and based on the Christian gospel. To find out more about our ethos, meet our directors. "

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

I have resurrected this thread from 3 years ago, because my annual fuel bill has increased from £876 to £1906.

I ceased using gas last summer for medical reasons and bought two electric convector heaters (1KW and 1.5Kw). They have a built in thermostats so I can control the heat at 24C in the lounge and 22C in the bedroom. (No heat in bathroom and kitchen, but doors never close here.) I expected electric heating to cost a bit more than gas - but I didn't expect it to more than double!, even taking into account price increases

I recall it is not long ago that the press were saying that the fuel costs of a three bed semi were about £1800 - I have a one bed flat with low ceilings.

When I ceased using gas last summer I switched to Scottish Power because I wanted to avoid a gas standing charge. I am used to switching procedures because I have switched often.
I got onto a fixed lower tariff which will end in July so this £1906 year forecast will be at fuel price standard rates.

I went to Moneysupermarket and Uswitch and did a comparison based on annual KWH usage and was advised that Scottish Power is the cheapest option at present.

I will be looking at those sites again in July when my 'cheaper' tariff expires - fingers crossed for a better deal.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

Hi Margaret,
I`ve used these heaters in the past and they are very expensive to run.
We had a monitor that shows you how much electricity you are using and with just one of these heaters on, the usage went up by 10p per hour. If you have two on for 15 hours per day, thats £3 a day just for heating.

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Well, as you know we live in nearly identical properties Margaret and I too keep temperatures on an even keel, mine are 24c in the living room, bedroom and bathroom, kitchen no heating on. my heating is gas, I have duel fuel deal with British Gas paid on a monthly DD which cost me around £1100 per annum, which I think is fine really

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

I am desperately trying to get my allergies under control so I can use gas again.

I have tried Benadryl - nausea, - infra red light treatment up my nose - no help, - Butterbar extract - nausea again , - Prevalin nasal spray - slight relief only.

The silver birch trees I am surrounded with are in full scale reproduction mode right now.
The tree pollen count is 'high' here today and tomorrow.
I have had some Loratadine lozenges delivered today - fingers crossed for some relief.

I am hoping that control of pollen allergy will have a secondary effect of lessening my reaction to natural gas - by lessening my histamine production.

I have three Air-Free machines which are supposed to incinerate pollen and dust mites, as well as two air filtration machines.

I am trying ( Less will agree :D)

Having no gas causes no hot water on tap - filling a bucket from the electric shower is very inconvenient - thank goodness I have a dishwasher.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

Yours is an impossible question to answer without knowing what period the charge covers & details your property, level of insulation, heating system, thermostat settings, lifestyle - baths, showers, laundry, etc. - and number in family.

I live on my own in a 2 bed flat, good insulation & double glazing, combi gas boiler (not condensing) for radiators & hot water, room temperature 22 day/18 night, electric shower (so no gas used there), washing machine used about once a fortnight. I pay by monthly direct debit - about £25 per month for gas.

PS. I have changed energy supplier about 6 times since it became possible to do so & sorted out the cheapest tariff with my present supplier (npower) when a fixed price deal recently ended.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

I'm lucky that way I'm only allergic to tree pollen (grass and flowers are fine) but there are very few really near my place, must be hard work when they are right outside your window Margaret

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

I`ve heard eating locally made honey works wonders with pollen allergies.
Discovery Health "Pollen, Insects and You: Things to Know Before You Die"

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

[QUOTE=MargaretR;1056901]I have resurrected this thread from 3 years ago, because my annual fuel bill has increased from £876 to £1906.

I ceased using gas last summer for medical reasons and bought two electric convector heaters (1KW and 1.5Kw). They have a built in thermostats so I can control the heat at 24C in the lounge and 22C in the bedroom. (No heat in bathroom and kitchen, but doors never close here.) I expected electric heating to cost a bit more than gas - but I didn't expect it to more than double!, even taking into account price increases

I recall it is not long ago that the press were saying that the fuel costs of a three bed semi were about £1800 - I have a one bed flat with low ceilings.
/QUOTE]

MargaretR, you'll be paying about 4 times as much per therm for electric as you would for gas, probably about 15 or 16 pence/therm including charges.
Gas(with charges) should work out about 4 pence/therm.

You've stopped using gas for medical reasons? Didn't you have a new condenser boiler c/h system put in a couple of years ago? A system like that will be sealed and no gas or exhaust gas should get into your flat.
If you think using the gas c/h system affected you get it checked urgently- it could be you have a leak in the system and that could be dangerous!Even fatal. Don't forget if it's the gas leaking it could still be leaking even if you're not using it.

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Margaret, have you thought of emigrating for the winter somewhere warm? Will probably be cheaper than trying to keep warm in the UK. A nice out of town rental in the med or north Africa would be a good bet

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I met a woman from Canada - she didn't go out in winter 'cos it was too cold & couldn't go out in summer 'cos of allergies. She used to come to England for a break!

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

The gas meter is 'capped off' so there is no residual gas in the piping system. The landlord's gas fitter did it when he came to do the annual appliance check. I had bought a methane detector as a precaution before that was done. I gave away my gas cooker and got an electric one.

When deciding this drastic action, I was influenced by this info -

Natural Gas: Avoidable Health Hazard

the health hazards of natural gas, by agnes malouf and david winberly

A warmer climate for the winter? - I wish.

There are so many reasons why I can't.

1 - recycled air in jet planes.
2 - epidemics on cruise ships ( I can't swim and I had C-diff once*, next time it would kill me off)
3 - I don't like being exposed to people :D ( they are so very polluting physically and mentally)
4 - Travelling alone I would be vulnerable. I was once taken ill in central France*. The experience of a foreign hospital wasn't pleasant.
5 - I have control over my home environment - a rented apartment would be hazardous for me. (Ocado couldn't deliver groceries:D)

Yesterday I spent time browsing the web for better/more economical electric heaters and have ordered a halogen one.

There may be a chance of having the gas heating back on for next winter if the anti-histamine drug I started using 2 days ago works. I hate pharmacutical products, and this one even has aspartamine in it :eek:.

It would be nice to have a 'normal life' again.

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Only one person can make sure that happens

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This is my 4th day on the new antihistamine - slight improvement in symptoms but I can't see me using this after the tree pollen ends in a few weeks time.

Apart from the aspartamine poison in it, I have other side affects - loss of appetite and drastic reduction in ability to sleep. I was awake until 4 am today and 5am the night before. I like my dreamtime. That's when I have the life I don't get when awake.:D

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

How does the tree pollen affect you Margaret, nasal or lung function. As I've said before I have a slight allergic reaction to it, but not serious enough to use antihistamines, mind you I don't have many trees near my flat like you.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

I have sneezing spells every day.
My nose runs most of the time - post nasal drip gets into my lungs - ie coughing a lot - swollen glands under chin - and nose ache(not as bad as face ache I suppose:D)

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The main problem will be the mucus settling on your lungs when your asleep Margaret, my chest is always bad first thing until I can expel over night lung congestion, my breathing improves as the day goes on although the overall improvement is very slight these days, even walking just a few steps is arduous now

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I had dust mite allergy when I was a kid & up until age 30. My nose ran each morning for 2 or 3 hours & I would soak 2 hankies. Any dusting or hoovering going on forced me from the house for hours. I got so fed up I pleaded with doctor for some effective treatment. I had the allergy tests followed by a series of large injections - one a month for 6 months in increasing strengths. I don't know if this kind of treatment is still offered (I suspect not) but it certainly cured me. I was totally free for many years. It's returned a little over the past few years but nowhere near as bad as it was.

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Living near the coast is probably the best solution for anyone with the kind of allergies you describe Margaret.

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Maybe so - but here I am near the only family I have (one son).

I have been on the lookout for a bungalow for ages, but I don't feel well enough to cope with a removal upheaval.

The halogen heater arrived and is faulty - jumped through hoops unpacking, assembling, repacking, mailing the supplier,installing my printer to my latest PC, downloading UPS label and return docs (what a palava !)

After seeing how flimsy halogen heaters are, I am glad of an excuse to return it - now ordered a Dimplex oil filled radiator.

Next month my fuel direct debit goes up to £173 , even though I sent them £200 off my debit:(, so drastic action to reduce costs was essential.

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Ye god's hypochondria r us?

What a depressing tale we all wish to tell each other, (he said whilst almost choking on a cheap can of ale).

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I was healthy until age 65 ......so there is time for you yet.
I don't wish ill health old age on anybody, but some people deserve to be the exception.

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So that's your tale of woe then Less? That you've got to drink cheap Ale instead of something reassuringly expensive. :D

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I can't see why you've been paying so much Margaret, we live very similar lifestyles heating wise, 24 hours per day and I keep my thermostat at 24c and from what you've said my combined bill is around £1100 per year around £800 cheaper than yours, okay I have both gas and electricity, which is not an option for you but it still seems a bit strange

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gockle of geer DiG ;)

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The winter before the last one, there were TWO layers of loft insulation above my flat. When the loft asbestos was removed that insulation (contaminated) was removed and only ONE layer was put back.

It may be that that insulation was shoddily fitted and there may be gaps around the edges. I am considering asking HH to go up there and look. Next week a HH fitter is due to visit to do a gas appliance check - really! :D - even though their fitter capped my meter last year, so I intend discussing it with him.

Another possibility is a faulty meter. At past addresses I have experienced meters which began to run slow and fast. They can start doing that for no apparent reason. That will involve paying a meter check fee if the meter is tested as OK, so I will explore the insulation potential problem first.

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That should be fun when the gas fitter arrives, "well it was there last night, its been stolen" :D

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jaysay, you're using gas and electric, MargaretR is just using electric!

I just worked out if I heated our home to the same level as we do with gas and electric but using just electric it would cost me £4196 a year. That's almost 4 times what it costs now.
As for MargaretR looking for a more efficient electric heater- it can't be done. Even a traditional light bulb gives off 95% of the electricity in heat, only 5% in light. All electric heaters will have very similar efficiency.

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I have read that oil filled, thermostat controlled is cheapest to run. As for light bulbs - all mine are LED - expensive to buy but cheaper to run than fluorescents

I have just calculated that total KWH used for last winter was 42% higher than the winter before. I know the weather was worse but was it really that much worse?

I am going to ask for my loft insulation to be looked at.

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Loft insulation is something that doesn't bother me. living in a ground floor flat, but I was wondering just what difference it does make?

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We had ours done in the summer, tis made a fair difference this winter to our fuel bill.:)

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For her the difference will be similar to when she had workmen removing the asbestos.
Complaints about workmen using her bog and leaving the seat up how dare they!
After cleaning service, being rubbish.
Then we will have her bemoaning the fact that she needs the loft insulation removed because like everything else, she is allergic to it!

:)

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I can see you are having a rough time lately so I am sending this little prezzie.

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Ps.....

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Have you looked at oil free eco rads by Dimplex Margaret?

I have one that we used in our middle(jubilee) bedroom before we had a wall mounted rad fitted.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

I await delivery of a Dimplex oil filled. I have looked at those oil free ones. They have a timer and more variable controls - I don't need that refinement - it will be on 24/7 at a temp 0f 23C.

Re: How much was your gas bill
 

Okno worries, just thought I'd pass you on a recommendation.

Dimplex are one of the best ones to be fair.

Simon