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Will pay the heating bill thread

I've loved this post, not necessarily for the bet put up, but for the thread title and concept.

On a point of general principle, and even though I'm 63 next month, I refuse to put on the heating in my Hampshire Fastness unless a General Practitioner specifically informs me I will definitely expire if I don't, such is my love of seeing money in my bank account and not in that of some energy company.

So, come on, Circuit Breaker!
 
Following Slim's bets isn't a legal requirement (though arguably it should be) and having a smart meter isn't a legal requirement either.

I'd advise anyone who asked me to refuse to ever have one installed.

I'd also advise them Circuit Breaker's race today is now due off at 5.15, but retains its official start time.
 
barjon said:
Dunno how people keep warm. I’m mesmerised by the damn smart meter and we’re up to £23 already today.
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I learned nearly 40 years ago that modern housing is so much more fuel efficient than older housing and standards have improved constantly since.

Our first house was a brand new mid terrace but it was the old brick and block with real plaster interior walls, one electric fire and minimal, if any, internal insulation.

Our first winter in that house ('81 into '82) was a very cold one and we had Calor gas heaters to help keep the electricity bills down but I didn't realise the heaters created a lot of moisture and more than once on a cold winter's morning, after the heating had been off all night, we would peel at the layer of ice on the inside of the large front window (ceiling to floor). Catch it at the right spot and the entire sheet of ice came away. We'd then take it in chunks into the kitchen to chuck it out the back door.

That next summer, instead of a holiday, we got gas central heating installed and what a difference that made, gas being so cheap at the time.

After that we moved to a bigger older house and found it cold, even with gas heating.

Our next was a brand new detached house, just as 'superwarm' timber frame design was coming into vogue. It was a brilliant house, complete with proper insulation and double glazing. It was super-efficient for its time.

For just over a year while our huge self-build house was in progress we were in an older rented place and it was freezing. Even with the heating up to the max 24/7 in winter we had to wear multiple layers just to feel somewhere near comfortable. I vowed we'd never go back to an older house.

Standards have moved on again and we're now in another new (just had our third Christmas in it) and for such a big house it is impressively energy efficient with solar panels on the roof but energy companies are ripping the UK public off for thousands a year.

I shudder to think how people in older houses get through cold weather in spring and autumn, let alone winter. Their energy costs must be like a mortgage.

I think we average £35 per MONTH for electricity but all the appliances were brand new and up to the latest energy efficiency ratings and all the lights are low wattage LED.
 
Ian_Davies said:
Following Slim's bets isn't a legal requirement (though arguably it should be) and having a smart meter isn't a legal requirement either.

I'd advise anyone who asked me to refuse to ever have one installed.

I'd also advise them Circuit Breaker's race today is now due off at 5.15, but retains its official start time.
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Lol tight arse.

I need something like your trifecta to pay mine considering how the mrs likes the heating on !

Had & got nothing of my own anywhere for days so had a squint, I like Bashful Boy best, then Fascinating Shadow & Circuit Breaker about level as per the betting I've just looked at.

An interesting point is that FS's trainer James Owen is the only one with strong course stats by my calcs.

Well done if it wins, I'll watch the betting & the race.
 
The energy inflation caused by the Ukraine war knows no bounds. My electricity is roughly €65-€75 a month. Anyone with gas heating probably needs a credit union loan to clear their January bill after the recent cold snap.

Summary

Circuit Breaker better f$%^ing win
 
pawras said:
Lol tight arse.

I need something like your trifecta to pay mine considering how the mrs likes the heating on !

Had & got nothing of my own anywhere for days so had a squint, I like Bashful Boy best, then Fascinating Shadow & Circuit Breaker about level as per the betting I've just looked at.

An interesting point is that FS's trainer James Owen is the only one with strong course stats by my calcs.

Well done if it wins, I'll watch the betting & the race.
Click to expand...

Not even Janes Owen can resurrect a horse from Shark Hanlon and don't get me started on David Pipe. Circuit Breaker should be fav.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I remain unconvinced the Ukraine war is to blame. It was in the beginning but not any more. Energy prices are lower across Europe..

It is sheer profiteering by energy companies.
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It was certainly to blame for the spike. Had there been a proper cold winter in the last two years, I predicted default rates on energy bills would have surged to the point where companies would have needed a government bailout. They have avoided it only because the weather has been relatively warm
 
Conflict in Ukraine certainly caused the spike as European govts/gas wholesalers were caught out with depleted stocks first time around. Since then in general European stocks have been maintained to a high level to meet consumption demands during the winter and other cold snaps.
On the lecky side of things whilst we are more green, or at least more conscious of consumption, the suppliers now have a suite of levy’s added on to the pure consumption charges to (ahem) assist them in maintaining their income flows.
B*st*rds
 
Copied and pasted from a simple google search:

Energy companies have made hundreds of billions in profits globally and tens of billions in the UK since the energy crisis began around 2020, with major players like Shell and Equinor seeing huge gains, while UK-focused firms also reported significant profits, totaling over £125 billion in the UK alone by late 2025, with some reports indicating annual profits reaching £30 billion in 2024.
 
Danny said:
Don't blame the Mrs heating Pawras towers 10 bedrooms and orangery are probably the main culprit.
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I've done my time with ice on the inside of windows etc cos I had fk all, no chance of that now unless I have to.
I've seen more than one live cheap , sitting in the cold etc etc when they didn't have to thinking they're somehow 'winning', an uncle being a prime example, and laughed when they croaked and saw how their kids had no qualms about spending it.

Anyway got the log burner going and the radiators on :cool:

Oh yeah and in the summer I have the aircon on rather than sit and sweat
 
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pawras said:
I've done my time with ice on the inside of windows etc cos I had fk all, no chance of that now unless I have to.
I've seen more than one live cheap , sitting in the cold etc etc when they didn't have to thinking they're somehow 'winning', an uncle being a prime example, and laughed when they croaked and saw how their kids had no qualms about spending it.

Anyway got the log burner going and the radiators on :cool:
Click to expand...

🤣
 
pawras said:
I've done my time with ice on the inside of windows etc cos I had fk all, no chance of that now unless I have to.
I've seen more than one live cheap , sitting in the cold etc etc when they didn't have to thinking they're somehow 'winning', an uncle being a prime example, and laughed when they croaked and saw how their kids had no qualms about spending it.

Anyway got the log burner going and the radiators on :cool:

Oh yeah and in the summer I have the aircon on rather than sit and sweat
Click to expand...

Wouldn't have thought you'd need Air con takes the fun out of the maids fanning you.
 
barjon said:
Dunno how people keep warm. I’m mesmerised by the damn smart meter and we’re up to £23 already today.
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Crikey Barjon have you got a pool ? My bill's only about 120 per month at the moment was 180 but dropped suddenly when they put the new meter in. Mind I'm such hot stuff ( like a fat Yul Brynner ) that I practically warm the whole house just by being in it.
 
Danny said:
Crikey Barjon have you got a pool ? My bill's only about 120 per month at the moment was 180 but dropped suddenly when they put the new meter in. Mind I'm such hot stuff ( like a fat Yul Brynner ) that I practically warm the whole house just by being in it.
Click to expand...
No such luck! We’re all electric for our sins
 

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