Electric Ireland: Low usage levy

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DannyBoyD

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A property I own has a usage of around 1800 - 2000 kwh per year. According to Electric Ireland average usage is 4200 per year. So around half the average.

My problem is that EI are slapping on a standing charge of €1 per day (€60 per billing period) which is effectively doubling my bill.

I should be able to save money by switching, but not if I'm going to end up with this standing charge again.

Can anyone recommend a supplier that doesn't do this low usage charge?
 
Savvy said:
Are you sure the charge is something specific to low usage?

My understanding is that all providers charge a standing charge which vary somewhere in the €200 to €400 a year range
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That's from reading up on their website.
 

What is the Low Usage Standing Charge? | Electric Ireland Help

This is an increased Standing Charge that only applies where you use two units or less of electricity on average per day in a billing period.
www.electricireland.ie www.electricireland.ie

What is the Low Usage Standing Charge?​

The Low Usage Standing Charge no longer apples from the 1 May 2022. In the interim, all LUSC rates are now the same as the normal standing charge rates. Customers should no longer see LUSC on their bill but if it appears it will be charged at our normal standing charge rates.
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In other words, they don't call it that, but are charging it anyway.

Still doubling my bill :(
 
Yes but 1800 units per year shouldn't be enough to trigger that charge, so is it part of the year where you are going below 122 units per bill?
 
Savvy said:
Yes but 1800 units per year shouldn't be enough to trigger that charge, so is it part of the year where you are going below 122 units per bill?
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Last Bill for the months of Aug / Sept was 148 units day, 65 night. That's probably on the lower side.
 
that webpage suggests the charge has been abolished. Show us a picture of your bill - every provider charges a standing charge, and it's higher for rural properties.
 
DannyBoyD said:
Last Bill for the months of Aug / Sept was 148 units day, 65 night.
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The standing charge for dual tariff meters is a lot more than a single tariff meter.
It's also more expensive in a rural area than in an urban area.
Also the day unit charge is more expensive with the dual tariff meter.

You might be better off switching to a single tariff meter. I think you need to use about 3 units per night to break even with the dual tariff meter.
 
Everybody pays a standing charge, it varies slightly between suppliers, if you are a low unit usage then choose a supplier who with a low standing charge, if a high user then usually the lower unit rate will be the better.

I use about 2,400 units per year give or take but have never been charged a low usage charge, I know there was on my father's house at one stage obviously before it was abolished but the house was empty and it was just security lighting, fridge etc so extremely low usage.
 
DannyBoyD said:
Thats pretty much the question I came in with!
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Well when I say low they are probably not as low as you would like, they only differ slightly, maybe 40/50 quid a year between dearest and cheapest, you'll still be paying the bones of 200 a year standing charge.
 
Monbretia said:
I use about 2,400 units per year give or take but have never been charged a low usage charge,
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I believe they charge based on the 2 months of the bill in question. My experience was they charged me for it when I first bought because it was empty during the whole sales process. I requested a refund based on the fact that I was more the length of the sale and that I would be now a fully fledged payee which they gave me credit for on the next bill.
 
I don't believe such a charge exists. I certainly haven't come across it in a couple of very low usage properties.
 
charlie007 said:
I don't believe such a charge exists. I certainly haven't come across it in a couple of very low usage properties.
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I have a property with Electric Ireland that used 20 kWh units in the last two month billing period and the standing charge was 59 days @ €0.6303 / day = €37.19 ex VAT. There's no mention on the bill of low usage issues/charges. It does project the annual usage to be 240 units. But I'll hopefully have sold it well before then...

Edit: 24 hour old (non smart) meter on the ValueReward Electricity tariff - which I think is their standard tariff?

Pricing Terms and Conditions | Electric Ireland

Click here and read our Electric Ireland pricing terms and conditions in full.
www.electricireland.ie www.electricireland.ie
 
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My standing charge with EI for my home is the same rate as quoted above (.6303 per day).
 
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