A frugal life is an easy life!

I'll keep it simple, so that staff from the aforementioned companies and state bodies can understand it.

• We installed complete double glazing, including all our doors - we used more units of gas
• We fitted cavity wall insulation - we used more units of gas
• We fitted more loft insulation - we used more units of gas
• We applied a double render to the exterior walls - we used more units of gas
• We removed the gas fire - we used more units of gas
• We removed a G rated (30 year old) back boiler heating system (without thermostatic controls) and fitted an A rated "energy efficient" boiler - we used more units of gas
• We fitted thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) - we used more units of gas
• We replaced all our old pipework - we used more units of gas
• We had our meter, pipework, cooker and boiler checked by both an independant engineer and British gas' own engineer, finding no faults - we continued to use more units of gas
• We had one adult less, living in the house for four months (less baths, cooking, heating, etc) - we used more units of gas
• We installed and fired up a multi fuel burner, which has been used instead of central heating for the past 7 days - STILL we have used more units of gas!

For three years now, for the winter 6 months - October to March, our monthly costs for gas shoot up from £45 for the April - September period, to anything from £85 to £120 per calendar month. Here are some of the things we have been told, when questioning about why our usage increases;

• "Just think how much more your energy bills would have been had you not fitted all those energy saving measures!"
• "I don't know!"
• "All you can do is wait until you get next year's gas statement"
• "New boilers don't use any less gas than old boilers!"
• "I don't have an answer for you!"
• "Is your thermostat set at more than 30 degrees?"
• "I'll just put you through to pre payment now" Phone goes dead
• "I'll just put you through to pre payment now" Call is answered by another member of staff from the same department
• "I'll get a senior manager to ring you back, they can go through things in more detail" No phone call came
• "You have to be referred to our energy saving team for some energy saving advice!"
• "It will even itself up when you get your statement next year"
• "I don't know what else to say!"
• "It's colder between October and March so takes more gas to heat up your water" After being told that September was actually a colder month, but used less units of gas, they retracted their opinion
• "The gas supply to your boiler will be too high, read your instructions and turn the gas supply to it down!"

So come on British Gas, energy saving trust, DECC and OFGEM, what have you got to say for yourselves regarding your false claims of "energy saving," and the benefits of, and in our case, what has happened?

(You can have your say on twitter, email, comments on this post, etc.)

UPDATE:
We now have confirmation back that the pre payment meter that was replaced, despite being told by previous engineer that there was no fault with it, was not faulty.

The fee/charge for having the meter tested was £33 and has been waived (How much have you been charged for a meter being tested?)

A "Deadlock letter" and complaint reference number have been issued at my second request and a complaint to the energy ombudsman will be made (for all the good it will do).
I have to say, I do not find British gas' questioning of what will be reported to the ombudsman very professional.
More effort should be made to establish how a household can use more units of gas despite extensive "energy saving" measures being put in place, at considerable cost to the household, and on the advice of and marketing by British gas.

In our experience, all the energy saving advice given has proven to be false when the units of gas used are presented in a statement.
"It is not our responsibility" is not an acceptable stand to take when British gas are charging record prices for supplying what is a basic human right into our homes.

The energy saving trust (which are not impartial as they have centrica/british gas staff sat on their board and receive funding from them) have absolutely no comment to make.
All they will say is "If you have a complaint or query, please send it via our form so it can be dealt with via proper channels."

They will not comment on the issues raised here, nor will they comment on record price rises by the energy companies in any public forum.
They won't condemn any of the energy companies that provide half their funding. I think this speaks volumes.
All we get from them are guest posts on so called impartial blogs and switching websites, nothing but marketing bumph.
So here we have an open invite for you, the energy saving trust.

Frugal ways will give you an open spot, here on this website, to voice your views/opinions (for free) on so called energy saving measures and how they have failed to save any units of gas in our example.
I would also welcome any comments you have to make about the conduct of British gas in this matter and what plans your marketing organisation for the energy industry have to call energy companies to account for the way in which they are ignoring customers up and down the land.
Simply email or message myself and your response will be published word for word here for all our visitors to read for themselves.