New research suggests tenants could save an average of £147 per household on their electricity bills each year by switching off so-called ‘vampire electronics’ which drain power when left on standby.

The study by British Gas reveals that almost one in five people are unaware that many household appliances use up electricity whilst not in use, with 44 per cent admitting they only occasionally switch these appliances off. 

Surprisingly, 21 per cent of those questioned say they will continue to leave appliances on standby when inactive despite the fact it could save them money – these people cited the effort at turning the vampire electronics off standby or admitted they did not care about the costs.

British Gas used average costs of wattage from typical consumer products when left on standby to calculate its figures.

It says a TV clocks up £24.61 per year while a set-top box from Sky or Virgin Media can cost £23.10. Games consoles left on standby work out at an average of £12.17, while computers could cost about £11.22.

Other costs include a microwave oven (£16.37), power shower (£9.80), washing machine (£4.73), computer printer (£3.81) and mobile phone charger (£1.26).

Energy expert Marc Robson at British Gas says: “With household costs on the rise, there are some actions we can take to reduce our energy usage at home which will really help the bank balance and the environment. 

“Almost a third of total heating costs in the home are wasted through the roof and the walls and with vampire appliances, this figure is almost half of our electricity bills on wasted energy. 

“Just switching some of these off can really help save straight away and those with a smart meter will be able to see the impact of this in real time. Turn it down or turn it off is a great motto for fighting the vampires.”

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