Energuy Costs : Possy OT

[Stuart]

If you were a single occupant of a 2 bedroom flat with gas CH,Gas cooking( electric oven),gas fire and all the usual devices like TV ,etc would you be happy to pay £76 a month for both gas and electricty for 12 months .Thats what Staywarm have quoted me for the next 12 months ,cancellation being possible at a months notice during that time .Bear in mind that the winter is just starting so I could change back when spring arrives .. I'm presently with EDF but like all the rest they have just put a massive hike in their prices .

Stuart

[Jonathan Pearson]

You're probably the best one to answer your own question by looking at your old bills - having said that we pay less than that currently for a 3 bed

1904 built terrace, but then again we are out all day!, Like you we are with EDF and was also a bit miffed that they have upped the prices by 20% again!! - but plugging in my details into uswitch etc. still makes EDF the cheapest for us!

Jon

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If it is a fair average price to pay over 12 months, and they let you cancel without penalty after the heavy ones of usage, draw your own conclusions.

Somehow I doubt you've read their conditions correctly. Free lunches are out of fashion.

[manatbandq]

No! I pay less than that for a 4 bed detached with a family of 5.

Staywarm is a fixed rate scheme designed to give peace of mind to the elderly. If that's what you want, what you are, and you are also a particularly profligate energy user then it may be OK for you. Otherwise, steer well clear since your bill will be loaded to subsidise those who are wasteful.

See also

MBQ

[Stuart]

I do know what Staywarm is all about .It is for those over 60 not "The Elderly" as you describe them . My gas bills are almost certainly high because I have a 25+ year old Potterton CH Boiler which is rated as very inefficient so I can blame it for high gas bills . Unfortunately I cannot see me getting it replaced unless parts become redundant and I can claim a new one under the Warm Deal Scheme . I'll have another think about switching back to Staywarm anyway .

Stuart

[Owain]

Jeezoh! 1 bed flat, £20 a month.

Owain

[manatbandq]

Then you should be able to make an informed decision.

That's eldely to me ;-)

MBQ

[meow2222]

No way. Even with a crappy 55% boiler one should be able to do better than that in a 2 bed flat. Spend half that money elsewhere, mainly on insulation and perhaps then some on solar flat plaste space heating. Even if youre brassic, insulation can be done for naff all using cardboard and borax.

NT

[Broadback]

I have no idea if flats would come under the same scheme, but I am with Staywarm, I live in a 2 bedroomed detached bungalow. Staywarm, at their request, sent around a young man to do a survey of my property. I have a modern boiler, however he said it was not unknown for people to have them replaced free of charge if they had old inefficient ones. However I had no insulation of any description, I now have full thickness loft insulation and cavity wall insulation, paid for completely by government grants and Staywarm. If my heating bills go down to below what I pay Staywarm then I will migrate elsewhere.

[Phil L]

£76 is way too much 2bed semi, uses GCH (all day in winter and when it's cold), gas cooking, gas fire. Normal electrickery, lights, TV, PC, tumbledrier etc.

Scottish Power, well insulated (walls, loft, DG, cond boiler) but North facing gable wall..

Gas equates to £400 per year. Leccy equates to £250.

*About* - certainly nowhere near £900 that you've been offered, I'd have said closer to £55 PM for a flat and even that is expensive.

[Dave Liquorice]

I'd agree, don't have gas so can't comment on that but our lecky is =A324/month (Scottish Power Online Standing Charge tarrif). We use aroun= d

23/units a day and cook by electric. I expect that two computers on 24/7= with another couple during the day make a significant contribution to those 23 units/day, not to mention that there are lights on (mostly CFL)= and someone in everyday.

When I lived in a two bed flat using gas for CH/HW and cooking the gas bill was 1/2 to 3/4 the electric one so on that basis something around =A340 would be reasonable.

Looking at other posts is this Staywarm tarrif a fixed price no matter how much you actually use? It might be worth it if so but =A376/month do= es sound an awful lot. You need to dig out you old bills, work out how much= gas/electric you have actually used in the last year(*) then visit a few= of the tarrif comparison web sites to see how much you'd have to pay on = a metered tarrif.

(*)Assuming this last year has been typical of your usage.

[meow2222]

Isnt it funny how companies dress up these advantage-takes as social good deeds. It may be a good deal if youre an amateur aluminium caster.

NT

[dcbwhaley]

You could afford to smelt the bauxite at that tarrif :-)

[Bill Taylor]

Where can I get that tariff, it's less than 3p/unit and I thought most suppliers were charging about 8p/unit! Works out at about £60 p.m for your usage.

Bill

[Dave Liquorice]

Scottish Power Online Standing Charge. Trouble is I was incorrect about =

the monthly payment. B-)

It *was* =A324/month when we migrated, donno why I told 'em how much we =

used but I'd rather have the money than them... Needless to say it didn'= t cover the actual usage by a long chalk, last year was =A389/month to cat= ch up. It's now =A347.50 month.

Looking at my last online bill (July) I pay 7.191p/unit + 5% VAT, Monthl= y Direct Debit, Norweb region. I also appear to have a rather large credit= , I might get the monthly payment reduced...