Pulsacoil 2000

[AndrewJD1972]

Hi

We have a Pulascoil 2000

The timer heats up water before breakfast (comes on about 3am), and also in the afternoon

So, N Power have just changed our monthly direct debit from £43 per month to £125 per month….ouch

We are on a standard tariff with them, should we change to a tariff that uses economy 7, advice welcome!

Andrew

 

[sircerebus666]

Firstly why has n power changed your direct debit to 125 from 43 in the middle of summer?

Does the 43 a month cover the gas usage for the entire year and not leave you in debt?

Would paying 125 a month put you massively in credit ?

Did you get a letter saying they were changing this?

You need to work out what you need to pay a month to cover a years worth of gas then phone n power to change the monthly figure to that amount

Don't ask them tell them

 

[dilalio]

Does the 43 a month cover the gas usage for the entire year and not leave you in debt?

Leccie not gas

 

[JohnD]

Look first at your actual usage, per meter readings. Not the amount of the direct debit.

If you have lost your old bills, you can probably look up the history on your online account.

A year's worth will be a good start. More is better.

You can then see your annual usage, and your typical usage for various months. You may like to calculate your average daily usage for the different months of times of year. Then multiply it by your tariff per kWh, maybe around 14p, and add on the daily charge.

Then see if there was a carried-forward balance due to previous underpayments or estimated bills.

If the pattern suddenly changes, look for the reason, such as a hot water leak or a heater left on, or a sudden liking for frequent long showers or baths, or a tumble drier.

Unless you have downlighters or spots, usage by lighting is trivial cost. So are chargers, PCs, TV, radio, electric blanket, toaster and kettle unless you are running a cafe.

Presumably from what you say you have no gas supply, which is a pity, because energy from electricity costs around four times as much as energy from gas.

Rented homes are more likely to have electric heating because the property owner doesn't care about the tenant's costs. Experienced tenants avoid such homes.

Your heating times suggest it was intended to use an off-peak supply of the "Economy 7" type, and that your home might have night storage heaters using the same tariff.

It is now summer so check that all the heating is turned off.

 

[sircerebus666]

Don't forget to change supplier too, I'm betting n powers standard tarif is expensive

 

[AndrewJD1972]

Thanks for the replies!

We are electricity only, and no storage heaters in the flat

The sudden increase is because they used to come out and take readings, (the electricity metre is locked away in a cupboard in our apartment complex, so I don't have access to it, the concierge sorts it when they come out to read it). After May last year they didn't come out to do any metre readings, and just started estimating them, I should have clocked that, so my mistake

I was aware they weren't coming out this year to do the readings, so I got the concierge to get it, and sent it to them, that's when they wrote and said the change to the monthly amount will come at the end of August, so it included the fact that we've been underpaying......they've given the option of a one of payment to cover the debt, and then monthly payments go £80....which is still a lot higher than it used to be

I am going to change supplier for sure.....the Pulsacoil 2000 as I understand it is thermal store, so I think Economy 7 will be better, it does have a "Timed" setting built in to it, so when it's on, it's supposed to be taking advantage of the time when electricity is cheapest, but of course on a standard tariff that's irrelevant I think