Re: The energy crisis
 

Bulb bill for gas and electric for a small 2 bed bungalow 17th October to 16th November £170.57, much higher than last bill and we have cut down drastically on our energy usage. However we are £490.00 in credit so not too worried at the mo.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Over the last 12 months or so I have cut over 100KWHs average per month from my leccy and refuse to use heating more than a couple of hours a week to dry clothes. I wrap up warm and last winter manged without and intend to do the same this winter. The increase I have seen since October therefore has not been a great deal. I have almost £400 credit but now I know it is not going up to the expected ofgem cap in April (5K iirc) I am going to pull a ton out of it and enjoy spending it

Re: The energy crisis
 

The daytime temperatures have dropped one degree each day over the past 4 days. The kitchen and dining room have lingered at 19.5c, as have the bedrooms. But this morning it's 17c everywhere, but 14c in the hall and landing, and only 7c outside.

I feel warm enough, but I shall keep an ear open for the family moaning about it being "cold". The lad is bombproof, as he is still wandering the house in his underwear in the mornings. :shocked:

Re: The energy crisis
 

Our neighbours have affected us. They've build extensions over the road that blocks early morning sun from hitting our house and keeping the hall where the thermostat sits a little warmer so heating stays on longer.
It's our terribly uncivilised weather. It really shouldn't drop much below 20C but we get lots of cold and damp where if we really got cold we would build for it and be used to enjoying it.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Save for the future! Atleast for fixing your frozen pipes. :D

Re: The energy crisis
 

I live in a council house, Just close the tap call the council it will be an emergence and Roberts is your Dads Brother.

The only real point of concern is where the garden tap enters the mains line. It is lagged with a towel but have a jacket coming free off Severn Trent. The house is insulated and the boiler has a frost mode. I think the stat also does not go as low a zero so if the house internal temp drops to 0 (which I doubt will happen as there is always electrical devices creating heat) the boiler will kick in anyway.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I have turned the heating on, 3c out there, 13c in the hall and 15c everywhere else.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I suspect now I am at home this weekend rather than at work I may pop it on during the day, it's already set at 20c to come on at 8am for 1.5hrs then again at 5pm until 10pm unless at work for which case I turn it down to 18c so it doesn't trip on.

Sitting here in jumper and thermal underwear trousers which is currently ok.

Still contemplating getting a wired Tado thermastat to give me a little more control so I don't forget to turn it down when leaving the house like yesterday but I don't want to pay a monthly fee!

Re: The energy crisis
 

Re: The energy crisis
 

It does, but it requires less energy than if you had kept the house warm all day

Re: The energy crisis
 

18C seems a little bit low (to me anyway).

Mine runs at 22C in the evenings, plus as a boost in the early morning (when little one gets up) - the rest of the time it runs at 21.5C.

Hive shows my boiler runs for an average of 3 hours a day atm (for heating).
On top of that, my water runs for 30 minutes, 3 times a day.

My current gas usage (according to my bills) is about 1000 kWh per month.

My electricity use is always way higher than the so called "average".
I have no ide how anyone manages to only use 3000 kWh per year, I use at least double that.

Could I cut either down ? Probably ..
I work from home and my grandaughter lives with us.
Therefore I'm not inclined to be sitting here getting cool.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I am down to somewhere between 2500 and 2750 kwh electric. I am on my own and do not use the washing machine more than a couple of times a month as I wait till there are full loads but I do have a high powered PC and 2 screens on for 16 hours a day at least. My gas consumption should be less than 2000 kwh

Those who can afford should be comfortable in their home not matter the unit rate and fair play to those who have a nice toasty house. I could afford to have a warm house but I am choosing to spend the money on other things and wrapping up

I do expect a shortage of gas at some point over the winter and have media on my phones ready to stop me getting bored and a lamp to at least give me a little light

Re: The energy crisis
 

If there was only me, I would expect to use far less than I do.
However, there are four adults and a 16 month old child in my house, its basically never empty.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I saved the planet! and I made a tonne of money!

Re: The energy crisis
 

So ... you saved 27p ?

Re: The energy crisis
 

I thought it was about avoiding potential blackouts by shifting when you used the energy. A similar total amount of energy would still be required, so no real saving on CO2.

Re: The energy crisis
 

That doesn't seem a bad return for only saving 116Wh. What was the duration of the Saving Session, Ms NTL? And did you intentionally reduce your usage?

It will if it can be moved to a time when there is low-carbon generation. I assume it was done today because of the light winds.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Impressive, isn't it?;)

---------- Post added at 22:44 ---------- Previous post was at 22:39 ----------

Between 5-6pm, we shut the main switch off and we went to bed for the hour. During the previous 3-4 weeks, we had focussed all electrical consumption between 5-8pm, clearly worth the massive amount of 27p :rolleyes:

Re: The energy crisis
 

OK, something fishy going on there ;)

Re: The energy crisis
 

Setting the boiler temperature for 50c is not working for me. 2 hours running has only got the bedroom to 17.5c and the hallway to 16.5c. It almost dropped to 0c outside last night, and is now only 2c at 10am.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Re: The energy crisis
 

I find staying under the duvet most economical and warm at this time of the year.
Hibernation is the way forward, hedgehogs have got it right.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Re: The energy crisis
 

I think most of us know of atleast 1 of those hedgehogs!

Re: The energy crisis
 

Don't know what our maximum gas generating capacity is, but at the moment we're importing 4.5GW from Europe.

Re: The energy crisis
 

This the latest I can find…

https://www.edie.net/in-numbers-the-...s-predicament/

Then there’s this

https://grid.iamkate.com/

Re: The energy crisis
 

I was referring to electricty generated by gas. Perhaps it's cheaper importing from Norway, France, Belguim, and the Netherland, but the links are getting a bit near capacity.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Re: The energy crisis
 

The BBC are really not good at representing some things well when its politically related.

Saying a typical household bill is misleading, I still hope for Ofgem to stop this average bill nonsense and just quote unit rates instead, but the BBC are not helping matters by using an even worse word. :(

Re: The energy crisis
 

Ditto, the 'average' figure is largely meaningless, certainly to me.

On the bright side, Bulb seem to be crediting the "Warm Home Discount" automatically.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Have they started paying it or have they announced they are going to? Last year i did not get mine to January. I am a little nervous about the criteria for automatic payments and how they decide if you need it or not.

Re: The energy crisis
 

That's way it's done now, although there are extra conditions.
Link

The problem with thresholds(of energy costs) is that you could be just £1 below the threshold and not get the discount, but if you were £1 above it, you would get the £150.

Re: The energy crisis
 

From how I read it it is not done on how much you pay but the building you live in

Scroll down it gives full info

https://octopus.energy/blog/warm-hom...#england-wales

Re: The energy crisis
 

It's no longer a "first come, first served" system.
Link to simple checker

People that were eligible before, now won't be.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I have no idea the square meter size of my house and to be honest have no way of knowing how to add it up hahaha but 88 square metre is a no 89 square metre is a yes. Average end terraced on a search (old type so not small) is 1087 square feet so it is touch and go

Re: The energy crisis
 

So if potential high energy costs, not actual.Not all the floor space needs to be heated.

---------- Post added at 15:13 ---------- Previous post was at 15:12 ----------

Google maps and measure distance tool.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Googled how to measure it and if they count loft space I am about 90 square metres if they do not then I am stuffed at about 60 square metres

---------- Post added at 15:22 ---------- Previous post was at 15:16 ----------

My property apparently does not have a EPC either

Re: The energy crisis
 

Also depends on age of building. You can use the checker and keep changing the floor space size.
It seems to kick in at around 75-80m2 for my bungalow built around 1979.
Where I used to live which was pre-1900 would qualify, even though it has since been upgraded and made more energy efficient.

Re: The energy crisis
 

For an end terraced built between 1959 and 1966 it seems to be 89 m2 my house is approx 6 meters x 5 meters

---------- Post added at 15:36 ---------- Previous post was at 15:29 ----------

I would imagine loft space would count as it is an area of heat loss so therefore energy efficiency so that would make in 90 m2

Re: The energy crisis
 

Unless the loft has been converted, it isn't floor space. It's not a volume that has to be heated.

Re: The energy crisis
 

It was credited today, thats why I mentioned it. :)

---------- Post added at 20:20 ---------- Previous post was at 20:09 ----------

Until today, I have never even heard of an EPC.
Checking the Govt site, my address doesnt have one.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Oh right. Nice one :)

Re: The energy crisis
 

I had to get an EPC when I put my house on the market, can't remember how I did that but the estate agent emailed me it.

Re: The energy crisis
 

A neighbour's husband was moaning about having to put extra credit on both the gas and leccy meters. I asked him about the money he should have already had from HMG, and he looked totally puzzled.

The money has gone into his wife's account.

And she still insists on having the living room and master bedroom windows open... whilst the heating is on!

Re: The energy crisis
 

You can't cure stupid,

Re: The energy crisis
 

Last year my November bill* was
Gas Units 1196kWh
Gas Cost £42.14

Electricity Units 492kWh
Electricity Cost £88.02

This November
Gas Units 990kWh
Gas Cost £101.34

Electricity Units 371kWh
Electricity Cost £122.54

Gas usage reduced by 17%
Gas cost increase of 141%

Electricity usage reduced by 21%
Electricity cost increase of 39%

Total bill last year £130.16
Total bill this year £223.88
Total increase of 72%

An increase of £93.72 (reduced to £27.72 with the Government’s £66).

We’re lucky, as we have savings - what are the 10% (or 20%, depending on source) who have no savings going to do over Winter?

*October 26 - November 25

Re: The energy crisis
 

Great info, thanks for sharing, really useful, I will change my life.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Well done, you.

Mate, if I have helped you in any way, that’s satisfaction enough; no thanks necessary…

Re: The energy crisis
 

Wow that's an impressive achievement, helping someone to change their life for the better with one post, well done Hugh, great work :tu:

Re: The energy crisis
 

In the old days people used the village baker's oven to cook their food. Bakers worked early and once finished baking the ovens had residual fuel and heat that could be utilised.


I am aware that bakers are different these days, it seems the only ones with similar ovens would be artisan pizzerias but wonder if communities/neighbours could work out something similar. If you have space in your oven when cooking something up could something else be fitted in benefiting someone else and then swapping over next time. More shared meals would have the same idea and maybe help even more as often bulk buying ingredients is cheaper.

Re: The energy crisis
 

When I lived off-base in Cyprus, we took it in turns to light and tend to the baker's oven. During the colder months, the heat from its chimney that snaked through the external wall warmed the proving room where the baker slept. After the morning bake, everyone used to fill the oven with sealed pots of stews and soups for long, slow cooking.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Yeap, indeed, together with 4-5 neighbours, we buy bulk meat, usually from here

https://berkshiremeattraders.co.uk/

and bulk fish from here

https://bradleysfish.com/

We use a digital scale to split the packets and ziplocs to repack it. Restaurant quality.

Note: The fishmonger has a special section for brexiteers, all fish in this section has blue Uk passports and a photo of Farage up their arse

https://bradleysfish.com/product-cat...-in-uk-waters/

Re: The energy crisis
 

Should the power have to be cut off (which msy be for up to two days) the BBC will be using Radio 2 & Radio 4 FM/LW to broadcast emergency announcements and advice:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.the...nter-blackouts

My worry is for those on VOIP landlines as they may need to contact someone in an emergency after the battery has run out.

Mobile phones, ATM's, traffic lights etc may all stop working.

Re: The energy crisis
 

https://media.tenor.com/JA7DqiW6_4kA...mainwaring.gif

Re: The energy crisis
 

Of course also most high end phones dont have the FM capability, (I think disabled at request of telco providers), low end phones its usually still enabled.

There will be questions asked if we impose blackouts whilst not asking people to save energy as well as industry.

Re: The energy crisis
 

We had a 4 hour black out (or a local problem) this morning. How did they get my mobile number to text me?

Re: The energy crisis
 

I get those messages on my work phone (which I have previously used to report power outages) but not my personal one

Re: The energy crisis
 

Would your energy provider have passed it on as part of their contract with your local energy infrastructure owner? It's not marketing, it's a service text message.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Definitely not what happened in my case, as Mrs P is the account holder, not me.

Re: The energy crisis
 

So maybe it's geographical then via your phone provider as part of essential emergency information?

Re: The energy crisis
 

Nope, because my personal phone doesn't get them

Re: The energy crisis
 

They have probably requested mobile numbers where necessary to fill in gaps in their records. If you’ve previously called your DNO then they will have your number on file, if you haven’t, they have most likely filled in the gap with data from the supplier who controls your meter.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I believe if you on the priority register it might be passed on so you get alerts.

Re: The energy crisis
 

The smart meter has a battery that notified them of the power cut. My smart meter is associated with my mobile number and thus the text. I had forgotten that I gave the mobile number to the installer.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Octopus want to lower our monthly payment from £136.18 to £120.32 and we are in credit by £481.60. We're staying safe and keeping things as they are, we don't want any nasty shocks.;)

Re: The energy crisis
 

I have pulled £40 out of mine for some extra spends. I am not expecting to get the WHD this year due to the changes even though I have had it every other year but I have run an estimated budget for April with energy increases and the new ESA rates and I am ok

Re: The energy crisis
 

Thats a lot of your money they have.

I switched to Variable DD, which means they just work out my bill each month (around the 21st) and then debit that amount two weeks later.

I keep my money (and interest) until its needed.

Re: The energy crisis
 

You might have a nasty shock if Octopus went bust with your money !

Re: The energy crisis
 

why it is all protected and has been across all the suppliers gone bust over the last few years

Re: The energy crisis
 

Getting you final bill and any credit transferring to a new supplier can take several months after a collapse ( I know!)
Best not to build up hundreds of pounds of credit, it's not for your benefit.

Re: The energy crisis
 

It seems daft to me that the country gets left with the bill (and ultimately the citizens) if energy companies go bust. Certainly the supply needs to be maintained but it should be treated similarly to any other company going broke. If you are owed money then you join the line of creditors and wait your turn. If you owe money then the administrators will work out payment.
I mean if you took the risk of low bills with some company you should accept the risk and not just the benefits. Those who chose to pay more to a "stable" supplier should now not have to cover the costs of those who didn't and maybe even benefit from smaller price rises.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I think it's keeping the supply going that means the state has to intervene. The trouble is that regulation was too light-touch enabling lots of poorly-backed companies to set up.
In the case of Bulb, the company became too big to fail as no companies wanted to take on its customers.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Re: The energy crisis
 

they are not the suppliers. They also operate outside of the uk. That is where the profits are earned.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Re: The energy crisis
 

I own shares in Centrica and even I think it's wrong. I'm not interested in earning money off the backs of poor people who can no longer keep warm.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Are you getting rid of your shares then?

Re: The energy crisis
 

Bulb have credited the EBSS for Dec, from this month its £1 more (£67).

---------- Post added at 23:43 ---------- Previous post was at 23:40 ----------

It also looks like we'll be moving to Octopus just before Christmas. :(

Re: The energy crisis
 

I can't for various reasons, but I shall continue to donate money to charitable causes each and every month to help those less fortunate than myself as all decent people should do if they are in a position to do so.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Once Bulb is fully owned by Octopus it will take them months to migrate everyone to Octopus systems and tariffs. You’re unlikely to see any practical difference to your account management until well into next year.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Octopus are a pretty good company IMO, never had any problems with them after 4 or so years and easy to contact.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I've always been really happy with Bulb so I hope Octopus are the same.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Better website for a start

Re: The energy crisis
 

According to their tarrifs page, they are more expensive.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Ofgem were going to ring fence credit balances, but have sadly now backed out of it. :(

Seems they didnt learn from last year's events.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Setting the boiler temperature for the radiators at 47c and 53c meant none of the rooms got up to 18c within 4 hours after being off all night. And that was during a cool, but not cold period. With subzero nights forecast for the next week or so, I've upped it to 61c and the rooms reach 18c within a couple of hours and stay there.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I lowered mine to 65C last week.

Its certainly running more now the temperatures have dropped.

Re: The energy crisis
 

Bulb suggested I reduce my DD to £83 a month so I did, next month they will want it back in the 90s again most likely.

Re: The energy crisis
 

But they DON'T set the prices gas and electricity are bought at.

Should any profits made in Ireland or with Dyno Rod count?

Re: The energy crisis
 

What a silly suggestion. If it worked like this, none of the new start ups would succeed in gaining customers and would inevitably fail- thus reducing competition and allowing the big firms to have sole control the market.

Allowing new start ups to enter the market was one of the reasons why Thatchers Government believed that privatisation would reduce costs for consumers.

Re: The energy crisis
 

I think Tweetiepooh has made the case for nationalisation. Tbh we all now pay about the same energy price cap, so no competition and no point to privatisation. We've been nationalised by the price cap/ofgem already, but dont say that or the Tories won't like it !

Re: The energy crisis
 

I had been unable to find any place that could do my MOT test before it expires next week.

The garage I normally use for servicing and MOT has had so many no-shows this week that they called those due in next week. Almost half said they are taking their cars off the road due to high fuel costs, so won't be needing MOT tests or servicing.

So the boss called me and offered me the first slot next Monday! The day the MOT expires!

Fingers crossed the car passes. They will do the MOT checks before the servicing, just in case.

Re: The energy crisis
 

£25 cold weather payment triggered for a fair bit of the UK today

Re: The energy crisis
 

Re: The energy crisis
 

:rofl:

And it failed. Privatise the profits and nationalise the losses. Welcome to capitalism.

Re: The energy crisis
 

The police are very unlikely to do anything if they stop you and your MOT has expired, as long as you have a set appointment to get one.

As long as visually the car doesn’t look like a death trap of course!

Re: The energy crisis
 

You are legally allowed to travel to an MOT appointment if yours has expired.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot

Re: The energy crisis
 

They may have got customers who are willing to take the risk and pay less for their fuel. The risk is that you could face much bigger increases if things don't work out.
Companies could have offered a higher rate but will some sort of guarantee to buffer future rises and protect against the company folding.
If you choose to take the risk you need to be willing to face the risks too. Same with any other purchase. You can buy top end stuff knowing you will get support and good goods, or take a risk with some cheap label sticker in China from a market stall in cash. You may be OK with the cheap version, it may all be fine but you don't know and if it fails you will be out of pocket.

Re: The energy crisis
 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f...10970b50ba7ce3

Re: The energy crisis
 

Loans which will have to be repaid.:rolleyes:
Shows that the suppliers are NOT making profits.