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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2022 12:52:23 GMT
At that price, I would be getting the builders in to insulate the house, and draft proof it a bit.
£450 a month is not easy to swallow.
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Post by stevew on Mar 7, 2022 13:00:41 GMT
Yeah.. we had all of down stairs windows done and replaced with wooden double glazed. Sash windows upstairs, single brick construction and wooden floor boards with air bricks all contribute to a very inefficient house. Still.. on a positive note it makes the potential for renting something like this below pretty good alternative for next winter. www.greekscape.com/properties/agios-sofia-5047
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Post by macca on Mar 7, 2022 13:01:12 GMT
Here's mine image uploadimage uploadAt the moment I pay £62 per month, that's £744 per year. In reality it's not that much as every few years when they actually bother to read the meter they do me a refund of around £500 But they estimate my use for the year just gone as £3716.50 which is an overestimate of around three grand!
Really? Despite having my records of my exact power use for the last 24 years in this property their estimate is still out by four hundred percent? My new 'estimated' bill is £5052.12, Oh my god! But wait! I can reduce that by signing up to their 'fixed' (hey you said it) tariff where I'm guaranteed to pay the same regardless of what happens with the wholesale price. (Even if that price goes down but we'll gloss over that). Because they're good guys and they'd hate to see me paying them more money then I need to. Even though they're running a business whose sole aim is to make money, they're just not like that. They're thinking of me.And even better to get this 'fixed rate' I have to go on a smart meter which will save me even more money (although it's not clear how exactly) and also means that if I don't pay/ can't pay they can cut me off with the click of a mouse rather than have to send out a gang of men to dig up the road. No-one wants all that palaver and don't you realise it costs them money to do that? And to send a meter reader out? Having to employee people to do stuff really eats into their profits, so go on, be a mensch. What a deal! No downside! Where do I sign? Or maybe they have just plucked a ridiculous figure out of their asses in order to con me into thinking I'm going to go bankrupt just switching a light on and scare me into having the stupid smart meter and the stupid fixed rate because I'm a total moron that can't work anything out for myself. You decide.
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Post by macca on Mar 7, 2022 13:08:31 GMT
Oh yeah forgot to mention that I don't have any gas appliances and haven't used any gas at all since 2013 (it's switched off at the meter) but for some reason they don't seem to have figured that out even after an entire decade of me not using any gas.
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Bigman80
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Posts: 16,071
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 7, 2022 13:11:26 GMT
Here's mine image uploadimage uploadAt the moment I pay £62 per month, that's £744 per year. In reality it's not that much as every few years when they actually bother to read the meter they do me a refund of around £500 But they estimate my use for the year just gone as £3716.50 which is an overestimate of around three grand!
Really? Despite having my records of my exact power use for the last 24 years in this property their estimate is still out by four hundred percent? My new 'estimated' bill is £5052.12, Oh my god! But wait! I can reduce that by signing up to their 'fixed' (hey you said it) tariff where I'm guaranteed to pay the same regardless of what happens with the wholesale price. (Even if that price goes down but we'll gloss over that). Because they're good guys and they'd hate to see me paying them more money then I need to. Even though they're running a business whose sole aim is to make money, they're just not like that. They're thinking of me.And even better to get this 'fixed rate' I have to go on a smart meter which will save me even more money (although it's not clear how exactly) and also means that if I don't pay/ can't pay they can cut me off with the click of a mouse rather than have to send out a gang of men to dig up the road. No-one wants all that palaver and don't you realise it costs them money to do that? And to send a meter reader out? Having to employee people to do stuff really eats into their profits, so go on, be a mensch. What a deal! No downside! Where do I sign? Or maybe they have just plucked a ridiculous figure out of their asses in order to con me into thinking I'm going to go bankrupt just switching a light on and scare me into having the stupid smart meter and the stupid fixed rate because I'm a total moron that can't work anything out for myself. You decide. Either way, you're gonna have your work cut out for you to get them to lower your expected energy bill payments. We have a smart meter, so we have been watching with some interest as to how the energy prices are affecting us. A smart meter has made me (personally) more aware of how nonchalant I was about the while thing. I now turn everything off lol..... "Dad, the internet isnt working" "Yeah, that's coz you freeloaders don't contribute!" "I can pay" says the 7 year old, then hands me £1.59 of money he's saved.....that I originally gave him. Kids, pure genius.....internet is back on and money put back on his table. Emotional terrorists.
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Post by macca on Mar 7, 2022 13:24:47 GMT
I won't have my work cut out as I'll just cancel my direct debit and only pay when I get a bill for my actual usage, you know, like in the old days?
Can see how with a whole family living in the house it's hard to keep track but in my house the only thing using power outside the living room is the refrigerator, and that's a larder fridge (no ice box or freezer compartment) and so uses very little.
I have one light which uses a 4 watt eco bulb, telly, computer/router, hifi, cable box and a small electric heater which isn't in use at all for eight months of the year. There's really no-where left for me to go in reducing energy use.
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Post by firebottle on Mar 7, 2022 13:46:25 GMT
I pay for actual usage calculated from monthly submitted readings. That won't change.
No way am I having a smart meter.
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Post by stevew on Mar 7, 2022 13:56:13 GMT
I shall be wearing Yak skin. Maybe ferret for those special occasions
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Post by macca on Mar 7, 2022 14:00:01 GMT
Another thing they have forgotten is they actually sent a bloke out to install a smart meter but because my gas meter is inside a brick-walled plinth he decided that they can't do it.
He gave me the option of having the smart meter fitted externally but that will cost a grand, and in their idiotic corporate fantasy world they expect me to foot the bill for that.
Yes I'd like to fork out a grand of my own money to fit your meter to my property so you can cut me off from the comfort of your desk anytime you choose and the benefit to me is...absolutely nothing. Because that has to make sense.
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Post by macca on Mar 7, 2022 14:06:34 GMT
I had them out about 15 years ago to change my meter because 'It is old and may be unsafe.' Transaltion - 'Your usage is very low so we think you are fiddling it somehow.'
So out they come and they umm and ah and decide they can't do it without digging up the road and leave again.
Some weeks later they come out and lift a few paving slabs, um and ah and decide they still can't do it without cutting power to the whole neighbourhood which they are not authorised to do.
Weeks later again four of them turn up, dig up even more the road, cut the power to the whole street, and finally install the new meter (which is identical in every respect to the old one).
So you can see how they love the idea of smart meters. '48 hasn't paid up! 'Click' That's him fucked.'
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Post by pete on Mar 7, 2022 14:40:23 GMT
Insulation under the floor has worked for me. Bit of a jobber much more comfortable.
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Post by stevew on Mar 7, 2022 14:59:02 GMT
Insulation under the floor has worked for me. Bit of a jobber much more comfortable. It’s a possibility… and if we were definitely staying put I’d probably be well advised to do it. Not sure how all this is going to impact house sales going forward.. but we are more and more thinking about a move. Might be tricky selling this place though
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Post by pete on Mar 7, 2022 15:21:08 GMT
Insulation under the floor has worked for me. Bit of a jobber much more comfortable. It’s a possibility… and if we were definitely staying put I’d probably be well advised to do it. Not sure how all this is going to impact house sales going forward.. but we are more and more thinking about a move. Might be tricky selling this place though Made a big difference and something I could do myself. House prices still going up but wonder about it continuing when seeing your fuel cost projection. Got our gas use down to 9500KW, but at new prices that will be around £600 a year, from £400 now.
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Post by mikeyb on Mar 7, 2022 15:33:14 GMT
… and a Goblin Teasmaid. Aye but the wife would divorce you, a Gobblin' Tease Maid is just asking for trouble 😂
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2022 20:39:24 GMT
I have read that it is a good idea to read the meter at the end of March, and take proof of that reading as the new tariffs come in on the 1st April.
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Post by stevew on Mar 7, 2022 20:58:24 GMT
I have read that it is a good idea to read the meter at the end of March, and take proof of that reading as the new tariffs come in on the 1st April. Now that is an excellent idea …!
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Post by antonio on Mar 8, 2022 5:04:54 GMT
Yeah.. we had all of down stairs windows done and replaced with wooden double glazed. Sash windows upstairs, single brick construction and wooden floor boards with air bricks all contribute to a very inefficient house. Still.. on a positive note it makes the potential for renting something like this below pretty good alternative for next winter. www.greekscape.com/properties/agios-sofia-5047That look nice, and excellent price if that's for low season. The only problem the lease is for a minimum of 6 months, ok if you want to be there that long, but I'm sure there will be similar places that can be rented for less than 6 months.
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Post by stevew on Mar 8, 2022 8:42:28 GMT
Yeah.. we had all of down stairs windows done and replaced with wooden double glazed. Sash windows upstairs, single brick construction and wooden floor boards with air bricks all contribute to a very inefficient house. Still.. on a positive note it makes the potential for renting something like this below pretty good alternative for next winter. www.greekscape.com/properties/agios-sofia-5047That look nice, and excellent price if that's for low season. The only problem the lease is for a minimum of 6 months, ok if you want to be there that long, but I'm sure there will be similar places that can be rented for less than 6 months. Hi Dave.. yeah, there are cheaper places and on shorter leases. This one is outstanding on so many levels. It’s got a pool!!.. and it’s not far from Kardamili.. a sublime little town where Patrick Leigh Fermor settled. There’s a jazz festival every May. Sit in a taverna whilst a guitarist noodles on the rocks. On the Mani (the west coast of the middle finger of the Peleponese) you fly into kalamata and drive down the coast.. Touristy without mass tourism. From what I’ve read there is a busy expat life to be had during the winter. Or we could stay here comfortable in the knowledge that oil companies are now making stratospheric profits each and every day. Put another piece of wood on the wood burner would ya?
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Post by stevew on Mar 8, 2022 8:47:16 GMT
Just sayin…
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 8, 2022 22:24:51 GMT
Just seen this:
EVERYONE needs to take gas and electricity meter readings on March 31st. Regardless of what type of meter you have, smart or otherwise. Ideally a photo of both meters showing the readings and meter serial number.
Submit the meter reading to your energy supplier right away. If for whatever reason you can't submit that day. You have photos as evidence of meter readings and the date they were taken. It's going to be a very busy day for suppliers and you might not be able to submit readings that day.
Why does everyone need to do this?
As most people now know, on 1st April 2022, the new OFGEM energy price cap comes into force. This means much higher energy rates for millions of people. It's incredibly important therefore suppliers are not given the opportunity to charge energy units used at the old lower rates before 1st April 2022, at the newer higher price caps rates after 1st April 2022
Remember Thursday March 31st, 2022, is National Meter reading day.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2022 3:46:18 GMT
I have read that it is a good idea to read the meter at the end of March, and take proof of that reading as the new tariffs come in on the 1st April. There is an echo in here….
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 9, 2022 8:09:19 GMT
I have read that it is a good idea to read the meter at the end of March, and take proof of that reading as the new tariffs come in on the 1st April. There is an echo in here…. Just making sure folk see it mate. This is from the Martin Lewis fella.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2022 8:55:32 GMT
It is an important point. Needs dragging back up at the end of the month.
Fortunately, I am not subjected to this, but my family in the U.K. are obviously affected.
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Post by stevew on Mar 9, 2022 10:34:45 GMT
Watched the Martin Lewis program last night. The October cap is being assessed right now.. the figures are really scary
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2022 10:36:56 GMT
So why is the price drastically increasing?
Is it solely down to the increase in gas prices? How many gas fired power stations are there in the U.K.?
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Post by pete on Mar 9, 2022 15:14:05 GMT
Here is a link to a live dashboard showing how energy is produced in real time on the grid. Gas is 24% at this minute, wind is 39% www.energydashboard.co.uk/live
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2022 16:25:37 GMT
You need a few nuke reactord, like what we have in France.
The Government also sets the energy prices, and my contract gives me a 10% saving on that price.
What with high petrol costs as well, I am glad I can commute on battery power. I don't need to take a new mortgage out to fill the tank.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2022 17:46:53 GMT
Here is a link to a live dashboard showing how energy is produced in real time on the grid. Gas is 24% at this minute, wind is 39% www.energydashboard.co.uk/liveFrench version here - link
11% gas - 69% nuclear.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 9, 2022 18:06:03 GMT
Here is a link to a live dashboard showing how energy is produced in real time on the grid. Gas is 24% at this minute, wind is 39% www.energydashboard.co.uk/liveFrench version here - link
11% gas - 69% nuclear. There was some talk about UK plants using nuclear power but it got kiboshed i think. This fuel crisis and resulting price hikes are going to add to the need for something like this. We don't have the solar capabilities, ADAIK, so wind power is pretty much our only green option. Some lunatic wants to start fracking again, but he's got no chance. They will have to do something, but what!
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Post by macca on Mar 9, 2022 20:32:12 GMT
They could start by turning the streetlamps down, or switching off every other one. There's just no need to have the whole country lit up like Blackpool Illuminations.
And re-nationalise the power companies, just have one government owned energy company and everyone gets their power at cost plus investment. If the shareholders weren't dipping their beaks that would cut prices for a start. Okay maybe not by much but it would help.
Privatisation just doesn't work with energy, as we saw when all those power companies went broke a while back. They're all buying on the same market. It's fuckwitted.
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