Energy bill increases

[Daninplymouth]

Metered??

Yes. It’s a nightmare really sww have the highest charges by far in the country closely followed by some of the lowest wages 🤦🏼‍♂️

 

[cougie uk]

Interestingly they show you how much your bill means in baths/showers.

AMAZINGLY we are using 594 litres a day. Which is 7 baths or 13 showers and is normal for a household of 6.
There's just 3 of us. Unless the cat is having constant baths when I go to walk the dog. It's possible that he'd do that just to spite me.

Update on this. In the last week the usage has been 285 litres a day which is about normal for a 2.5 person family.

I think what has happened here is that the usage has been forecast since the meter was fitted and then when I read it after they had estimated it in February it was out - so they have put the whole discrepancy into the next months usage.

Lets see how the water bills go now cos they put that up when I gave them the reading. Doh !

 

[Daninplymouth]

Just checked my bills and we use about 300ltrs a day which I guess is around the average. Had my numbers completely wrong though it’s about £60 a month 🤦🏼‍♂️

 

[wiggydiggy]

Shell have asked for a meter reading, on Monday April 6th, the next time that occurs is in 2026 so I think I'll send them one earlier than that

 

[fossyant]

Just had an email from SP saying prices are expected to fall. I shall be taking my £400 plus credit out of my account as I'm paying more than i'm using again.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Moved into our house in May 1984 been paying the private water company that we have no choice but to use to remove our surface water, it has now come to light that they haven't been doing that until June last year, still trying to get all our money back, it's like a hot potato, we're on our 4th case worker.

 

[mjr]

Moved into our house in May 1984 been paying the private water company that we have no choice but to use to remove our surface water, it has now come to light that they haven't been doing that until June last year, still trying to get all our money back, it's like a hot potato, we're on our 4th case worker.

What was happening to the surface water and did you not have the choice of installing a cistern/tank and using the runoff for other things (irrigation, toilets, whatever)?

England seems very backwards in water management. Looking at the low countries across the North Sea, I understand Flemish houses now must have a storage tank of at least 5,000 litres installed when built which I think is part of the Blue Deal and I expect the Netherlands will have a similar requirement.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

What was happening to the surface water and did you not have the choice of installing a cistern/tank and using the runoff for other things (irrigation, toilets, whatever)?

England seems very backwards in water management. Looking at the low countries across the North Sea, I understand Flemish houses now must have a storage tank of at least 5,000 litres installed when built which I think is part of the Blue Deal and I expect the Netherlands will have a similar requirement.

It was supposed to go into the main surface water sewer down the centre of the road, but by all accounts the pipe went up the sewer then stopped the actual connection was never made so effectively a soak away, which eventually over 50 years backed all the way up our pipe up our drive.

But British builders are not interested in the environment, all they seem to be interested in getting as many houses on the smallest plot possible, I believe in Wales there is a requirement for at least 3 solar panels on new houses, so what are the builders doing, yep only 3 panels.

 

[cougie uk]

It was supposed to go into the main surface water sewer down the centre of the road, but by all accounts the pipe went up the sewer then stopped the actual connection was never made so effectively a soak away, which eventually over 50 years backed all the way up our pipe up our drive.

But British builders are not interested in the environment, all they seem to be interested in getting as many houses on the smallest plot possible, I believe in Wales there is a requirement for at least 3 solar panels on new houses, so what are the builders doing, yep only 3 panels.

And the panels are in place of tiles usually so not easy or cheap to add more. 3 panels is not going to make a dent i would think.

 

[Alex321]

It was supposed to go into the main surface water sewer down the centre of the road, but by all accounts the pipe went up the sewer then stopped the actual connection was never made so effectively a soak away, which eventually over 50 years backed all the way up our pipe up our drive.

But British builders are not interested in the environment, all they seem to be interested in getting as many houses on the smallest plot possible, I believe in Wales there is a requirement for at least 3 solar panels on new houses, so what are the builders doing, yep only 3 panels.

Not sure you can entirely blame the builders for trying to get as many houses on the smallest plot possible. When we were buying a house about 3 years ago, we always had a look at the local LDP, and at any resulting planning permissions that had been granted in the area. And the planning permissions always required a minimum number of dwellings to be built.

That di rather surprise me, because I had always thought, like you, that is was the builders responsible for cramming in as many as possible.

 

[Alex321]

And the panels are in place of tiles usually so not easy or cheap to add more. 3 panels is not going to make a dent i would think.

There is no actual requirement to use solar panels. The requirement is to meet the specified standard of energy use (which is 37% less than previously required). It applies to all new "affordable housing" in Wales from October 2021, and to "market" houses from 2025.

The Welsh government have not specified how this target is to be achieved by the builder, but solar will probably be the most frequent answer.

https://record.senedd.wales/WrittenQuestion/85579

https://www.gov.wales/sites/default...ity-requirements-for-housing-associations.pdf

 

[mjr]

Not sure you can entirely blame the builders for trying to get as many houses on the smallest plot possible. When we were buying a house about 3 years ago, we always had a look at the local LDP, and at any resulting planning permissions that had been granted in the area. And the planning permissions always required a minimum number of dwellings to be built.

That di rather surprise me, because I had always thought, like you, that is was the builders responsible for cramming in as many as possible.

The number in the planning permission comes from the number in the application submitted by the builder, so they're not off the hook yet.

It's possible that a development planning policy could set limits for the density, but I don't remember them being especially tight.

 

[Alex321]

The number in the planning permission comes from the number in the application submitted by the builder, so they're not off the hook yet.

It's possible that a development planning policy could set limits for the density, but I don't remember them being especially tight.

The ones we looked at were certainly a lot tighter than *I* would have liked. And thinking about it, that was actually from the LDP, not final planning permissions.

I still have a copy of the one covering the Vale of Glamorgan, where we eventually moved to, and having just checked, all of the residential sites in it are expected to be built at between 20 and 30 dwellings per hectare (usually closer to 30 than 20).

 

[fossyant]

I've finally been 'allowed' to reduce my DD as the cap has reduced. Saved £30 a month. Still over £150 in credit though, despite taking £400 back in April.

 

[tom73]

I've finally been 'allowed' to reduce my DD as the cap has reduced. Saved £30 a month. Still over £150 in credit though, despite taking £400 back in April.

Ours is the same never been reviewed and put down. I've taken back over £400 and still in credit and it's building back up again.
Funny how it takes days to get the money sent to your account but no time when they want to put the DD.
The big problem now is yet again the smart meters have stopped working and as last time no-one wants to know or take charge to sort it.
They spent more time in the last two years not working than working.