High electricity bills and high meter reading...

sunnysoutheast

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

I think it is safe to assume that this bill isn't our fault, so does anybody know if this is the responsibility of the landlord or the ESB?

Was the meter read when you moved in? It's possible that it wasn't, or was underestimated accidentally or deliberately by the previous tenants.
Were the previous bills based on estimated readings? It's possible that it was underestimated in the previous period and the latest bill is based on a meter read.

If there are students and unemployed people in the house all day then heating, lights, TVs, stereos etc. could all be on.

Not much you can do other than check the above and, if you genuinely can't pay, try to come to some arrangement with the ESB.

SSE

ChocolateSauce

jimoc wrote: »

Step 1. go to http://www.esb.ie/esbcustomersupply/residential/energy_efficiency/appliance_calculator.jsp and click on Energy calculator.
Step 2. Select Home Office, computer, put in 3 for quantity and 158 hours for having them on.
Step 3. Sh*t yourself when you realise how much money you are wasting.
Step 4. Put in the rest of the stuff you have on and realise where you're bill comes from and beat your two mates over the head if they don't start turning things off

Thanks for the serious reply, perhaps I wasn't clear enough in the first post: We have reduced our usage since our 460 bill. We haven't got enough electronics in the house to double it over our previous use.

Also, in September-October we had all the lizards and computers on too, and the bills were never higher than 300.

deelite

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

My question is this: What can we do? There is one student and two unemployed people in the house, and this bill is more than our rent. I think it is safe to assume that this bill isn't our fault, so does anybody know if this is the responsibility of the landlord or the ESB?

Thanks

PS. Paying it is not an option- we can't; the last bill cleaned out our savings.

We rented a house about 12 years ago and like that our ESB was unreal. I rang the ESB (not sure which department) and they told me to check a dial on the ESB meter. Apparently this was meant to be set at 6 but was set at 3 (something like that). The landlord was well aware of this and was very surprised we found out about the "dial". He said it was an oversight and fixed the dial to the correct position.

Just with regards to paying - I would suggest you ring the ESB and ask could you clear the arrears at about 50 euro pw - (between 3 that's only 16 euro each).

Good luck

January

Check the last bill, has it got an E beside it? If so it's Estimated and wasn't a correct meter reading. What about this bill? Is it an actual reading or another Estimate?

Do you have electric storage heaters all over the house? If so that's nasty and you should have the heating on 18 hours a day!

Mint Sauce

are the readings estimates, the ESB might be doing the readings based on previous bills, if so call them with the current reading

did you pay the last bill on time, could it be possible the current bill was printed before the previous balance was cleared and now includs usage for this billing cycle and the previous one

ChocolateSauce

Thanks for the helpful replies, especially jimoc.

I tried the ESB estimator thing, and it looks like that bill might be plausible....so by trying to actively cut down our consumption, we actually increased it. ??? (annoying, but not impossible)

Well those heaters are going in the shed and we're breaking out the blankets (we live in the drafty, dank basement of a Georgian house). I've never missed a payment in the 3 years I've been paying bills, so hopefully they'll let us do some installment plan....

So eh, sorry for being so assertive, it's just upsetting to find a bill like this.

tomcollins97

When you have heating on 18hrs a day you can hardly be surprised by a large bill

Paulw

Take readings from the meter, and keep a regular eye on the meter. That way you will know when/how much is being used.

Also, if needed, get the ESB to check the meter, if possible.

sunnysoutheast

As others have said it's likely that the corrective action you took was too late in that your previous bills were based on estimates that were too low, the large bill you received recently was based on a meter reading which "caught up" the underestimated usage. If so I'm sure the ESB would be amenable to a reasonable repayment plan.

Either that or somebody is siphoning off your electricity, either deliberately or accidentally. I've heard of that happening before in flats with consumer units being tampered with or mis-connected.

If you live in a damp basement turning off your heating may result in damp problems.

SSE

jimoc

Just one other thing to try as well if you want to make sure everything is as it should be.

Turn off absolutely every electrical item in your house, heating, lighting, lizards, fridge, pcs, leave nothing on.
Then go check the meter.
If everything is off and the little thingy is still moving around then there is a drain on the power somewhere.
If you have access to it, turn off all the circuit breakers until it stops.

If it still doesn't stop with all the circuit breakers switched off, then I would report a fault in your meter to ESB.

dudara

Threads merged

dudara

Davy

Hopefully the new meters will phase out these meter reading threads!

Cabaal

jimoc, thanks for quoting the OP's post abit out of order imho that the OP removed it

Originally Posted by ChocolateSauce View Post
Hi All, I need some help and advice regarding our ESB.

Last billing period (two months) we got a bill for 460 euro, which we thought was very high, but maybe plausible as we had the heat on about 18 hours a day. Things we have in the house include lizard tanks, a washer, dryer, lights, three computers which we never turn off (although the heating is the main one- we've had the other stuff on for ages and the bills were never higher than 300 before.)

So we decided to make a big effort to reduce our consumption- and we did. But we got a bill yesterday for 864 euro.

There are only 3 people in the house, so it is insane to think we could be using this much more power than were were in November-December; we didn't buy any new electronics and we reduced our consumption. We've confirmed with ESB it isn't a problem with the input, so it must be something else.

My question is this: What can we do? There is one student and two unemployed people in the house, and this bill is more than our rent. I think it is safe to assume that this bill isn't our fault, so does anybody know if this is the responsibility of the landlord or the ESB?

Thanks

PS. Paying it is not an option- we can't; the last bill cleaned out our savings.

What exactly are you running in the house though?
Lights and heaters for lizards can use a fair bit of power as can PC's especially if they are on all the time.

You;ve removed your post saying the issue was fixed, what exactly resolved it?

sesna

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

Keep you snide comments to yourself and try being a little more useful in a serious thread.


.

Way to shoot the messenger - I just got a bill for 500 euro and live with one other person. Suck it up, welcome to life. These poor lads in ESB have to earn a living to you know :pac:

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/average-pay-and-pension-of-esb-workers-near-euro100000-2065160.html

dudara

posters, enough with the comments please

dudara

Colin_M

Heya,

Had a read of this the other day and am planning on looking into it a bit more. Should be able to save some money on electricity in the long term. http://www.consumerconnect.ie/eng/Hot_Topics/Tip_Of_The_Week/Tips_Archive/Home_energy_grants.html

Cheers,

C.

Wh1skeyjack

Hi all,
I just received my ESB bill yesterday and to my considerable consternation, it showed a bill of over €900. My last two bills were estimated, but this seems to be hugely over the odds.
My meter readings are as follows

From Date To Date Reading Type Consumption
29-Jun-2009 29-Jun-2009 99,405 KWh customer reading 0 KWh
30-Jun-2009 18-Aug-2009 99,704 KWh estimated reading 299 KWh
19-Aug-2009 15-Oct-2009 75 KWh estimated reading 371 KWh
16-Oct-2009 15-Dec-2009 526 KWh estimated reading 451 KWh
16-Dec-2009 24-Feb-2010 6,163 KWh ESB Networks reading 5637 KWh
25-Feb-2010 02-Mar-2010 6,386 KWh customer reading 223 KWh

From looking at the figures, it seems like there's an outlandishly huge amount of power being used. I've a 4 bed house of approx 1100 sq ft, and it's well insulated. My bill should be around approx €150. I can't understand it. My heating is gas so that takes a big part of the possible equation out. The main draws would be the tumble dryer (used probably 2 hours a day on average), the oven (about the same) and the immersion water heater (this I'm not sure of, but even if it was on 24/7 I don't think it would have anything like that impact). I have my PC on 24/7 but it has a 450w powersupply and I'd guess it idles at 200w. So, any ideas as to what's going on? I'd appreciate any help.

cruizer101

At first I thought it was very high but consider this.

Over 8 months you have used 7000kWh thats 875 a month

Tumble dryer 2kW * 2hrs a day * 30 = 120kWh/month
PC 0.2kW *24 * 30 = 144kWh/month
Immersion 1.5kW(could be anywhere from 1-3) * 6hrs(lets assume its only on for 1/4 of the day due to thermostat cutting it off) * 30 = 270

That 534 already and they could be conservative estimates add on to that fridge, freezer, cooker, lighting anything else it might be right.

First things first check your immersion and get it on a timer, switch of your PC unless your coming back to it shortly. Also your tumble dryer running for 2 hrs a day seems a lot can you not hangs some clothes up on rads and that.

Try seriously cut down on your usage and if it is still high there is always teh possibility you have an electrical fault somewhere causing a drain.

Edit: Just looking your previous bills were very cheap anyway I'd expect to pay more than that, also if you haven't already look at going to Bord Gais since you are getting gas anyway that nearly a 10% saving.

Ste.phen

The 'turn everything you can think of off and check the meter' solution is a good one too
turn everything off and check meter usage for a minute
then plug back in tv, etc, check for a minute, etc etc

Wh1skeyjack

Bollox. I was hoping there was a mistake somewhere with the bill. After having a look at my immersion it appears it's been on 24/7, for at least the last 2 months (had my inlaws over, and we were always running out of hot water). Although it's interesting you mention a fault Cruizer101, I had smoke coming out of my fusebox a few months back and needed to get an electrician out to rectify it. He fixed the problem but mentioned that there was more there that would probably need some attention in the near future. Ste.phen, I'll try what you recommend and see what happens. Thanks for all the advice so far guys

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

You're living on another planet if you think €150 would cover the kind of usage you describe. Being kind and assuming 200w for the PC 24/7 you'd clock up almost €40 on it's own. Why have it on 24/7? The tumble Dryer every day? An immersion? I don't susupect there is any fault. I think you need to look at the loading of your appliances and consider how often they are used or how long they are left on.

€150 every 2 months for an average 4 bedroom house is low and you seem to be very wasteful in your usage.

dudara

Tumble dryers, washing machines etc draw a lot of power. If you have one on every day, especially during daytime (instead of nightsaver rates) then you're eating money.

Plus, if you were accepting estimated readings, then you have to accept the possibility of being bit by a high bill sometime.

Merged into electricity bill megathread.

dudara

Wh1skeyjack

Abril Savory Poison wrote: »

You're living on another planet if you think €150 would cover the kind of usage you describe. Being kind and assuming 200w for the PC 24/7 you'd clock up almost €40 on it's own. Why have it on 24/7? The tumble Dryer every day? An immersion? I don't susupect there is any fault. I think you need to look at the loading of your appliances and consider how often they are used or how long they are left on.

€150 every 2 months for an average 4 bedroom house is low and you seem to be very wasteful in your usage.

I lived in London for 3 years and that's the price I was paying for a house only slightly smaller than the one I live in now, with exactly the same usage patterns. Mind you, I didn't have an immersion or a dryer there (water was heated by the gas boiler as needed) so obviously those two make a huge difference. It shows the difference competition makes in the UK I guess. I take it that the bill is entirely realistic in that case and that there is little possibility of a fault. Must be a liveware problem I guess

dudara

Wh1skeyjack wrote: »

Mind you, I didn't have an immersion or a dryer there (water was heated by the gas boiler as needed) so obviously those two make a huge difference.

Anything dealing with heating water etc makes a huge difference and should be managed if you want a reasonable bill. Try to use then when the Nightsaver meter is running (if you have one).

maclek

I bought an owl electricity monitor (http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9821369.htm you can probably get it cheaper elsewhere). Really good device.

I noticed though that when I turn everything off, including unplugging the fridge, I'm still using around 250 watts. I didn't go around unplugging anything else mind you, can't be bothered to reset all the clocks!

91011

One point everyone forgets about in winter especially the one we have just had - the water temperature coming into the house has been at an average of 3 degrees since early December. In the summer this increases to 12-14 degrees.

The amount of extra electricity to heat from 3 degrees is quite substantial compared to that needed from 12 degrees.

Think of uses - every washing machine wash, every dishwasher wash, every cup of tea, every power shoer, every imersion heat.

It all adds up and there will be a few shock bills coming. - though at least their softened by lower prices this year & bord gais / airtricity.

Heroditas

91011 wrote: »

One point everyone forgets about in winter especially the one we have just had - the water temperature coming into the house has been at an average of 3 degrees since early December. In the summer this increases to 12-14 degrees.

The amount of extra electricity to heat from 3 degrees is quite substantial compared to that needed from 12 degrees.

Think of uses - every washing machine wash, every dishwasher wash, every cup of tea, every power shoer, every imersion heat.

That's an extremely valid point.
The same goes for using gas to heat the hot water.

Heating water is one of the most energy-hungry tasks there is

smelltheglove

Your high reading also seems to be around Christmas. Some Christmas window lights can use a lot more energy than expected, I remember my mam getting rid of lights once after getting a bill more than €100 more than expected. At the time she had the net ones on all the windows along with other light decorations.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

smelltheglove wrote: »

Your high reading also seems to be around Christmas. Some Christmas window lights can use a lot more energy than expected, I remember my mam getting rid of lights once after getting a bill more than €100 more than expected. At the time she had the net ones on all the windows along with other light decorations.

I'm sorry but lets nail this fallacy straight away. Yes, Christmas lights will use electricity but you would need to have 2kW burning 12 hours per day for 30 days to add €100 to the bill.

The OP's bill is not out of the ordinary and he uses all the appliances you would expect for the consumtion involved.

Ricky91t

Hello all,

We're having a few issues with Electricity, Our bills have begun Rising (as we move towards summer) there are very few things left turned on and we've got oil heating rarely use the immersion.

No PC, only a Laptop and a net book, Modems are on constantly but that wouldn't make a difference.. And a sky box on standby,There's 3 living in the house during the week and 4 on the weekends and during the week no one is in the house from 9-4..

Could anyone recommend anything we or ESB can do to review this?

Thanks.