Got bill shock?

If you’ve recently opened your energy bill to discover a cost much higher than you were expecting to pay you’re in the right place. There are many reasons why your bill may be much higher than usual but we’ve listed a few of the common reasons below to help you in your efforts to discover why your most recent bill is much higher than the last.

Your Home Isn’t Energy Efficient

An energy insufficient home can often lead to an increased energy bill. Insulation issues such as improperly sealed doors, un-insulated roofs and single glazed windows can allow hot and cold air to escape leading to more energy being used to heat up or cool down your home. Appliances being left to charge or left on standby can also use a huge amount of energy. Some quick ways to cut down on your energy usage:

• To reduce the energy used by your air conditioner to cool your home, ensure curtains are closed on sunny days to stop the sun’s rays from heating your home.
• On cold days, don’t heat your entire home, only turn the heat on in rooms that are occupied and ensure doors are closed to reduce heat escaping.
• Always turn appliances off fully as electrical items left on standby will still use energy.

See more of our energy saving tips here.

Something has Changed Since Your Previous Bill

Lifestyle or household changes that result in changes to energy consumption can often alter gas and electricity bills. Think back to your last bill, has any of the following occurred? If so, they may be the reason why your bill is higher than usual.

• You’ve had guests – have you had friends or family to stay since your last bill? It will come as no surprise that more occupants in your home will use more energy which could explain the increase in energy bill.
• You’ve bought a new appliance – a new purchase for the home can be an exciting time, but additional electronic goods can also consume more energy than you expected.
• It has been unseasonably hot or cold – if the weather has taken a dramatic turn since your last bill, chances are you’ll have been using more energy to heat or cool your home than you were during your last billing period.

There is a Problem With Your Meter

This is unlikely, however if there is a problem with your energy meter it may not be recording your energy consumption correctly which could explain your unexpectedly high bill. If you think your energy meter may be faulty, you can ask your energy retailer to find out for you, however if it turns out that the fault is not the meter your retailer may charge you for having it checked.

You’re not On The Best Tariff For Your Needs

It is not uncommon that both businesses and homes are on energy tariffs unsuitable for their needs. If this sounds familiar and you’re considering switching your gas or electricity suppliers why not get in touch with us at Zembl? We take the hassle out of switching energy retailers to get the best deal for you.