I bought a monitor to self check my electricity usage last year and have been staggered by how much we seem to go through - but put it down to being at home a lot with two small children and doing lots of washing / drying / cooking etc, but having been on holiday last week for the first time since having the monitor I am now completely at a loss as to why our bills are so high.

In the seven days we were away our unoccupied house consumed 127kWh. Before we left I made sure all TVs, computers, printers, chargers, baby monitors etc were turned off at the wall. Our gas boiler should not have required any electric for its control panel as I had set the heating and hot water so that they wouldn't come on. The only thing still on were a fridge and freezer.

Our usual usage is between 180-190kWh per week - but I am amazed that it seems that only around a third of this is something I can control. On this basis I am paying nearly £1000 a year before I even turn on a light - does anyone have any suggestions / explanation for this? I live in a nearly 100 year old detached house which had the wiring and meter completely replaced around 2 years ago.