daveh Posted June 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Thanks for the comments. I like the idea of phoning the electricity people to find out what time the "cheap" rate applies to us here. I fail to see what our problem is apart from a dodgy meter. For the 6 months to May 2010 and May 2011 our usage of the night time electricity was around 7,500 units each time. For the 6 months to May 2012, it registered around 23,000 units used. In each of the 3 years, the November reading was estimated and the May reading was an actual. We have 7 storage radiators and the usage of them would have been the same for all 3 years. The hot water used would have also been virtually the same and we went on holiday for the same length of time at around the same times in each of the 3 years. Whatever usage we had of other electrical things in the daytime, the night-time usage woudn't have been affected.We are awaiting a phone call for someone to come around so that the meter can be checked but I will take it up with the energy ombudsman if it comes back that the meter is ok (which I very much doubt is the case). There is no way that we will wave goodbye to about £1200 or so because the meter is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilldellin Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 ^ Are you sure nobody has tapped into your supply to your shed ?Check your readings at the same time each day and you will soon know what is using all the power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted June 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 ^^ There is definitely nobody tapping into our supply. Besides, we are just talking about the power supply for our hot water and storage heaters. The usage of these has been very similar these past 3 years. We have started taking daily readings from the meter. We have tried it wih everything off, then with just the water on and then with just one heater on. On the readings so far, we are convinced that there is absolutely no way that we would have clocked anywhere near the units that we have been billed for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windwalker Posted July 7, 2015 Report Share Posted July 7, 2015 Any advice greatfully received.. I'm all electric. I'm looking to change electricity supplier and having been on a comparison site, it says I can save a lot. However the new suppliers tariffs are only peak and off peak, whilst I currently have peak, off peak and heating. They suggested that I would still save just using the peak and off peak, but this has raised so many questions. As my heaters charge up several times during day and night, that meter must be controlled by scot hydro. If I lose this meter, how will I control my heaters to only charge at night? If I only charge during the night, my heaters will be cold by late evening. Has anyone in a similar position changed suppliers and how did this work, or is it the case that Scot Hydro has me over a barrel due to being all electric? Any comments welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenCoutts Posted July 7, 2015 Report Share Posted July 7, 2015 Have you used your actual usage on each of the three rates when doing the comparison. I assume you have Day, Night and Off Peak rates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windwalker Posted July 7, 2015 Report Share Posted July 7, 2015 good thinking, if I add the off peak to the night rate that should give me a good idea of cost. I'm assuming that I'll lose the boost charges through the day that I currently get with the hydro, and the radiators will just charge the full time on off peak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who Knows Posted July 7, 2015 Report Share Posted July 7, 2015 Do you have one meter that takes all the readings or multiple separate meters? If it's the latter you will pay a separate standing charge for each meter if you move off Hydro's Total Control tariff. You can switch to one meter to avoid this but you may require to re wire your fuse box to allow this to happen and you may be charged for the meter switch unless the meter are due for an upgrade. Windwalker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windwalker Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Do you have one meter that takes all the readings or multiple separate meters?If it's the latter you will pay a separate standing charge for each meter if you move off Hydro's Total Control tariff.You can switch to one meter to avoid this but you may require to re wire your fuse box to allow this to happen and you may be charged for the meter switch unless the meter are due for an upgrade.At present I have two meters, one which is for peak and off peak and another for the storage heaters, I'm assuming that the storage heaters will have to be wired into the off peak meter and I will lose the two day and night charges of the heaters and end up with an overnight charge on the off peak. the problem with just an overnight charge is that the heaters could be cold after tea in the winter, resulting in using additional heaters at night on peak charges. The hydro then introduced the two boosts through the day, which work fine. I'm assuming this will be lost when moving to another supplier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Windwalker, most other lekky companies closest comparison would be Economy 7. That gives the lower peak rate from about 10pm or midnight onwards to about 7am or 8.30am (It depends on the supplier as to the actual hours plus they adjust for GMT). At present, you're paying for heating at one rate (or those radiators wired into the Total Heat Total Control lower rate meter), hot water at certain times on one rate and other electricity consumed on another rate (or something like that ... I need more coffee). So if you change suppliers, you are left with just peak and off-peak rates to pay. London used to be awash (pardon the pun) with washing machines humming away at 2am to take advantage of the Economy 7 cheaper electricity. Yes, you would lose the cheap boost during the day. And as mentioned, there's the change in meter cost to consider. I'm yet to find a viable alternative because there isn't a like-for-like to compare with. I'd stay as you are. Windwalker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windwalker Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Windwalker, most other lekky companies closest comparison would be Economy 7. That gives the lower peak rate from about 10pm or midnight onwards to about 7am or 8.30am (It depends on the supplier as to the actual hours plus they adjust for GMT). At present, you're paying for heating at one rate (or those radiators wired into the Total Heat Total Control lower rate meter), hot water at certain times on one rate and other electricity consumed on another rate (or something like that ... I need more coffee). So if you change suppliers, you are left with just peak and off-peak rates to pay. London used to be awash (pardon the pun) with washing machines humming away at 2am to take advantage of the Economy 7 cheaper electricity. Yes, you would lose the cheap boost during the day. And as mentioned, there's the change in meter cost to consider. I'm yet to find a viable alternative because there isn't a like-for-like to compare with. I'd stay as you are.Thanks for that, as I thought, there seems to be no similar comparison with other companies. This does make me think I'm maybe better off staying with what I have. Although I've been on comparison sites and it suggest savings of £250 a year, but I'm always wary of this, and a bit worried to change I case the savings don't end up being anywhere near that suggested. Tempting though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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