Energy Direct Debits: Get money back & your payments lowered Discussion

Rickety_2

My sister and I live in a three bed house -are out all day at work - do not have heating on during summer - bearly have it on during winter, and yet seem to be paying an extortionate amount for both gas and electricity.
Our payments were set at £30 each for gas and
elec per month but were then hit with a massive £225 outstanding at the end
of the year.
Due to this - the payments have increased to £176 per month for both to
take into account the payment in arrears. We
have contacted NPower but they have only said that if we clear the £225
debt they can only reduce the payments to £145 per month but that's the
lowest they'll go.
Is there any advice that anyone can give. We live in the Romford area and have compared prices but NPOwer keeps coming up the "cheapest". The lady sitting next to me is only paying £105 per month for a family of four!!!

We need help!! If anyone can offer any advice we would be most grateful.

Rickety

mynameisthehulk

Dealing with these type of issues is very simple.

1 - Know how much energy you use, on average, per year in kWh
2 - Work out how much this equates to at your current prices
3 - Divide by 12
4 - This is what your Direct Debit should be set at unless you owe any money, if you do then divide that by the time your supplier is giving you too repay this and add that to the figure

This is the figure that you need to pay. Someone in a previous post stated it is up to the consumer how much the Direct Debit should be, this is nonsense, you dont go into Currys to buy a TV and tell them how much its going to be! Also, those of you who pay off your debit balance each quarter and therefore feel that you should be able to pay a Direct Debit which is lower than your usage should take into account the reason you get a discount for paying with this method is because you pay for your energy in advance, or as you are using it, rather than in arrears (which is essentially interest free credit as you have used the product over 3 months before you paid for it). You are therefore making costs higher for those of us who operate within the way the Direct Debit schemes work, know our energy consumption, and arent convincned that the energy suppliers are a foriegn owned cartel hell bent on making a few quid in interest from your piddly £40 credit. And for those of you that do think this is the case, as quoted in the main article, you can save 10% or more by paying by DD, where are you going to get an interest rate like that on your money.

Its time for people to start to realise that energy is a product, just like any other, if you dont want to pay for it, generate your own.

Carp3Di3m

I have just today received my 6 month electricity bill from Southern electric and they have overcharged my 10 times more.

I owe them 9.95 but they want 1031.76£ from me.

This is the second time this year that they are trying to overcharge me

audes

Hi,

I have just checked my online bill ( Atlantic Gas & Electricty) and have noticed that my gas account is in credit by just over £1200 yes One Thousand Two hundred pounds!!!

My DD's were increased from £59 to £181 (Gas only) in Nov last year as the £59 which i had been offered to switch would not pay my projected usage for the coming months so i lived with the increase. Now i will admit that in the past i have never been very good at giving my meter readings however i entered a reading on their web site last month which seems to have resulted in a recalculation of my bills over the last year.

So i would have expected them to tell me that they were arranging a refund of the credit but it just says that they will use this money to pay my future bills. I'm not happy with this and i have just emailed them to ask that they refund this credit and review my DD payments.

Has anyone had a similar issue and do you think they will refund me? If they don't should i cancel with them and switch?

Thanks

MORPH3US

I input my meter readings once a month (reminder on my phone to do it). This helps me keep track of what i'm using and helps to monitor trends in usage.

Last night I put my readings in and got a message saying that they were reducing my DD from £42.50 to £34... really pleased with that.

I was £75 in credit after submitting last nights readings but that should be wiped out for the rest of winter so I think £34 will be about right.

basieman

Just switched to npower and they have offered me an alternative to DD whereby I just go to a PayPoint and pay an amount roughly consistent to weekly or monthly usage -my choice. After 3 months I am billed and either make up the deficit or carry through the credit. That's how they have explained it to me. It seems relatively straightforward, if you already know your approximate usage, plus it seems to have the added benefit that YOU are in control of your heating costs and not the suppliers.
However, am I being naive here?
I would be grateful to fellow subscribers to this forum if you have any horror stories of this system. Thanks in anticipation.

KimYeovil

basieman wrote: »

Just switched to npower and they have offered me an alternative to DD whereby I just go to a PayPoint and pay an amount roughly consistent to weekly or monthly usage -my choice. After 3 months I am billed and either make up the deficit or carry through the credit. That's how they have explained it to me. It seems relatively straightforward, if you already know your approximate usage, plus it seems to have the added benefit that YOU are in control of your heating costs and not the suppliers.
However, am I being naive here?
I would be grateful to fellow subscribers to this forum if you have any horror stories of this system. Thanks in anticipation.

You're 'aving a larf (aren't you?)

basieman

Just switched to npower and they have offered me an alternative to DD whereby I just go to a PayPoint and pay an amount roughly consistent to weekly or monthly usage -my choice. After 3 months I am billed and either make up the deficit or carry through the credit. That's how they have explained it to me. It seems relatively straightforward, if you already know your approximate usage, plus it seems to have the added benefit that YOU are in control of your heating costs and not the suppliers.
However, am I being naive here?
I would be grateful to fellow subscribers to this forum if you have any horror stories of this system. Thanks in anticipation.

basieman

Hi Kim Yeovil - which bit are you "larfing" at? At least I am determing my expenditure and not the suppliers. Also, the added benefit of having money in my pocket and not accruing interest for the fuel providers.

KimYeovil

Sorry, it's just that that sounds like bog standard 'quarterly billing' - you know, like we have had for decades. It tends to be more expensive (with nPower you'll pay £105 more per year dual fuel for the privilege.) But if you read your meters it may be worth it. Of course your payments will be higher in winter.

Edit: it also depends on whether or not they are giving you a 'prompt payment' discount to counter the higher prices. Some suppliers award a £150 discount if you pay promptly.