Agreed and while they are of course big energy bills, it is considerably less impactful to me than for the millions who might well be seeing smaller increases in absolute terms but are at the point of destitution as a result of it.
Energy Prices (Strictly NO referrals!)
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Agreed and while they are of course big energy bills, it is considerably less impactful to me than for the millions who might well be seeing smaller increases in absolute terms but are at the point of destitution as a result of it.
Soldato
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it amazes me that even in these desperate times of insane energy prices.... electricity throughout most of tonight is bouncing between 0 and negative 3p import prices.
as a country we really need more storage to make more use of it,. electric cars are the obvious answer and once we have a surplus of old car batteries more homes need to get house batteries. (or at least sand/stone batteries).
as a country we really need more storage to make more use of it,. electric cars are the obvious answer and once we have a surplus of old car batteries more homes need to get house batteries. (or at least sand/stone batteries).
Fair enough. When we were looking we found that the 1950s semis near us were actually commanding a premium over the new build estates, so not only is our mortgage lower, our energy bills are too.
I understand the sentiment of wanting more space, more character etc., however I’ve seen a significant number of colleagues’ and friends’ mindsets change towards wanting a newer build now, with the compromise of lack of land and space (although to be fair our house is only a few percent smaller in floor space than most of the semis around here) being outweighed by energy efficiency, be that just to have lower bills or for environmental reasons.
I think it’s hard for people to ignore that, when we’ve compared usage, I’m using barely 1/3-1/2 of their usage to keep our house at a higher temperature, especially when they have younger kids or babies that they need to keep warm.
Soldato
Just got my bulb bill for December, a whopping £468 (£294 elec , £174 for gas, 5 bed detached). Pretty much swipes out my credit. Happy new year 
Slight pedantry but obviously you don't HAVE to be in an estate to be a new build.
We'll be looking for bigger with character for our next move but I will absolutely consider newer/new build if the plot is right and I've seen plenty where that is the case.
Soldato
If you put the difference in bills payable towards reducing a mortage and its thousands per year in cost reduced that will be an exponential advantage and you can move wherever you like next with far less debt then purely the aesthetic ideals
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Soldato
I had the joys of changing over from my good rate to the current rip off rates with EDF this month.
2 Bed <100m2 ex council house, up to last August I was paying £59 for both which was then bumped up to £82 for no reason at all since i was still within budget (fixed) and now I've been bumped onto the standard variable as it was the only option of £125 a month. Although quite minor compared to a number of figures quoted here and in Home and Garden, it still isn't nice to see. Waking up this morning I would normally have my smart meter reading of £1.03 after I've finished breakfast but today it read £2.18 before breakfast so that's 1hr of heating and hot water and minimal appliances running in the background. It's certainly getting me more determined to find a plot of land and building a zero energy home so i don't have to deal with such things!
2 Bed <100m2 ex council house, up to last August I was paying £59 for both which was then bumped up to £82 for no reason at all since i was still within budget (fixed) and now I've been bumped onto the standard variable as it was the only option of £125 a month. Although quite minor compared to a number of figures quoted here and in Home and Garden, it still isn't nice to see. Waking up this morning I would normally have my smart meter reading of £1.03 after I've finished breakfast but today it read £2.18 before breakfast so that's 1hr of heating and hot water and minimal appliances running in the background. It's certainly getting me more determined to find a plot of land and building a zero energy home so i don't have to deal with such things!
Soldato
Just discovered my gas meter isn't working and hasn't been for at least 3 months now.
Going to call them tomorrow, however, what happens now for the last 3 months. I'm with bulb/now octopus.
Will they likely go back to the 3 months prior and and estimate, or watch 3 months ahead and estimate (those being the freezing jan/Feb months with higher usage so not ideal), or something else?
I also assume, I migjt as well blast the heating on now given the usage until its fixed will now make no difference?
Going to call them tomorrow, however, what happens now for the last 3 months. I'm with bulb/now octopus.
Will they likely go back to the 3 months prior and and estimate, or watch 3 months ahead and estimate (those being the freezing jan/Feb months with higher usage so not ideal), or something else?
I also assume, I migjt as well blast the heating on now given the usage until its fixed will now make no difference?
Caporegime
You will not get a decent plot on a new build unless you buy the land yourself and build the house on it. No one is interested about making nice houses to live in but maximising profit. Obviously you will get a couple but 90+ % will be like this. On roads that can barely fit 1 car down too.
My house is 1970. Double glazed, wall and roof insulated and going buy some posts on here is no different to a new build anyway.
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What meter is it, an older one with dials or physically rotating numbers? Or is it a digital or smart one? If it's the former, then I'd be tempted to flog it. If it's digital or smart, then I have heard of stories about the digital displays dying yet they continue to register your usage.
From what I understand, the suppler should estimate your usage based on proven data, such as last years usage. You could argue that December was quite cold, so you have an advantage already.
Soldato
It's digital and definitely not updating usage as it was due to only seeing £8 per month usage in the app that I thought I better do a manual reading and it was exactly what they have had for the last 3 months.
I guess I'm concerned mostly that telling them right before the coldest time of year, might screw me over. Better to wait until mid March when it's warmer and then if the estimate is on usage, it'll be barely anything.
Either way, today we will be lounging like we are in a suana
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Honestly, I'd be sceptical in case it is monitoring your usage while appearing dead. It's up to you though.It's digital and definitely not updating usage as it was due to only seeing £8 per month usage in the app that I thought I better do a manual reading and it was exactly what they have had for the last 3 months.
I guess I'm concerned mostly that telling them right before the coldest time of year, might screw me over. Better to wait until mid March when it's warmer and then if the estimate is on usage, it'll be barely anything.
Either way, today we will be lounging like we are in a suana
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Soldato
Yep this basically, risk is there that you will wind up paying for usage.
Soldato
Aye but you do generally also pay a premium for that as it will be something like Spitfire, Cala Homes, Bloor, and such rather than Barretts or Taylor Wimpey generally.
And those % premium are often as high as 20% for the about a 15% land increase and property increase and not on an estate.
More like 6-12 home developments for those in a similar location to housing estate if you takenit as distance outside of main town as example.
Man of Honour
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I’m actually pretty happy with that. Used less gas than any of the coldest months last winter, considering we were home for half of December and had guests over for several days. New dehumidifier arriving tomorrow that will also remove any excess moisture from the house.
Worked out at just £170 after the governments £67 reduction. Was expecting far more for what will likely be the worst month of the year. Result. The joy of a new build I guess.
Would be about £420 without the price guarantee though. Yikes.
Electricity in January now up to 65p a unit and gas 16p. Didn’t realise they had gone up so much.
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Soldato
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well true..... but if a 4 bed on an estate was out of our price range..... I didn't even look at the nicer more exclusive ones. obviously YMMV depending on where you live but near Cambridge I already live in the cheapest area and could not (sadly) contemplate looking out of the town I live in.
so in the end we converted our 3bed semi to a 4 bed and extended our box bedroom 3 with a 2 story extension to make a very generous single bed/small double for a fraction of the cost of moving.
bit OT sorry.
back on topic. new windows, wall and attic insulation has made a big difference to energy effiency tho I admit probably still not quite as good as a.new build.
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Soldato
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could be wrong but are they not responsible for the gas meter? if so maybe they will have to write it off.
Soldato
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just outside our crescent a bungalow has been demolished.... in its place 2 detached 4 beds and 2 semi 3 beds are in their place.