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Energy Direct Debits: Get money back & your payments lowered Discussion
Comments
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Hi, has anyone tried to get a credit refunded from E-on? My experience so far. On 14th Nov my account said £849 in credit. I reviewed my October bill and it was £166 before the government credit. So actual payment £100 for the month. I need at least some of the credit back to pay another bill. I called Eon-next to request a partial refund. After 45 minutes on hold, I finally got through to a very helpful representative. She said they would need to do a meter reading and re-calculate the amount. As I'm on a smart meter she did that on the call and said the credit amount, after deducting my energy use for the first half of November, was now £700. She put in a request to refund £500 of the credit and told me it would take up to 14 days to come through. 14 days later, the credit in my E-on account is still £700 and no refund has arrived. I called again today. After 38 minutes on hold, I got through to another helpful representative. She said the refund had been rejected by finance, but it was because they had not followed the correct process internally. This representative then put in a new request to refund £500 of the credit back into my bank account, and told me it will take up to 10 working days. I asked if there was a way they can let me know if this one is going through successfully and she said the only way is to call and wait on hold again. So we wait, and in the meantime, I will have to pay the other bill with a credit card as it's due tomorrow. Does it really need to take two weeks when they can re-calculate the bill in two minutes?0
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kenr said:kenr said:I sent an email in as a complaint and they seem to be "working" on dropping the DD again. I wait and watch.
Maybe that will get an answer from them.
Still waiting for So to move me thats been with them since the 10/10Registered Linux user #497422 :beer:0 -
Most of the forum members reports indicate -
1. Energy companies are extremely difficult to contact and reluctant to resolve issues.
2. Energy companies are intent on extracting the highest direct debit irrespective of customers circumstances.
As all companies are now charging very similar rates (for non-fixed tariffs) the choice of which company to use is weighted towards companies giving good customer service, rational direct debits and easy communication.
Can we therefore reverse the negative reports and record positive accounts of companies that have been helpful in resolving customer issues and setting reasonable dds.
I am not happy with my company, EDF, and would be pleased to hear of your success stories.0 -
I received email from BG. They have just done my 6 month bill and review. As part of this they put up my DD from 170 to 278. Considering in June I was paying 94 (end of a great fixed rate deal) and 143 in credit. The 9/12 bill shows me 170 in credit. Used the online chat feature to speak to them. The agent checked my account and I explained that I have taken notice of all "Martin's" tips and added a jacket to my tank, reduced overall temp by 1 Degree, lowered all the TRVs in rooms not being used to 1 (just to keep the rooms from freezing. Changed the timer so that not on all the time from 6 to 11 and found the boiler was set to max so reduced it. Got out my woollies too. I have enough in my buffer to pay and actually do not disagree with the DD raising (especailly as they previously, based on old usage, that I would be over 500 in debt by next june). The agent did some calculations and said he would lower the DD to 150? I checked with the dd calculator and I reckon that the DD should be around 200. Will keep money in my savings account getting a decent rate. As an aside I also changed my breakdown provider as AA had 50% off special, went from 100 to 65. Realised that a train trip to London was 18 minutes late, 2.82 claimed. Every penny counts.
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Xs500 said:Most of the forum members reports indicate -
1. Energy companies are extremely difficult to contact and reluctant to resolve issues.
2. Energy companies are intent on extracting the highest direct debit irrespective of customers circumstances.
As all companies are now charging very similar rates (for non-fixed tariffs) the choice of which company to use is weighted towards companies giving good customer service, rational direct debits and easy communication.
Can we therefore reverse the negative reports and record positive accounts of companies that have been helpful in resolving customer issues and setting reasonable dds.
I am not happy with my company, EDF, and would be pleased to hear of your success stories.My DD, which I have adjusted several times, both up & down since they took over from Avro, is set at a reasonable level. By me! It is approx equal to my November bill, excluding the additional £66/£67. We’re high users, 2 over 70 and a younger family member, in a 4 bed detached sprawling bungalow, all day but I’ve deliberately built up substantial credit.
I have so far, requested & received 2 refunds of some credit. Both were suggested by Octopus, & took approx 2 weeks from initial request to landing in my bank account. No complaints from me.1 -
I have for the last 13 years until last November paid by direct debit and each Spring, I have had to claim a refund. Till June last year I was on fixed rates so my direct debit payment was always the same each month. But then going onto variable rates, my direct debit kept going up each month especially when I was already well covered in credit. So I saw a tip that my energy company Shell did variable direct debit. So I applied and it was accepted. Initially my credit was used and now with that clear I just pay what I owe.1
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I'd accumulated over £550 in credit on my Octopus account yet they were still suggesting (on their website) that I increase my monthly DD from £200 to £232. It took 4 emails back and forwards to answer a simple query whether the proposed increase took into consideration my credit. Eventually I was advised it did not - and more emails to get them to agree to refund £200 and maintain my direct debit at the current amount.
I had also been unable to request a refund via the website - it just errored each time I tried.
The refund took 10 working days to arrive in my bank account which seems ridiculous and is possibly an example of them holding onto customer money for an unnecessarily long period of time (to gain interest for themselves?).
The complaint I raised on 10th October regarding the incompetence in handling my initial simple query is still open - although they did suggest I could close it now I've got my refund.....errrrr.... no you don't.
Disappointed in Octopus this time who are normally great; I've recommended to several and happy to remain a customer.0 -
Why not call them and switch to Monthly Variable Direct Debit?
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Hi, I’m with British Gas, paying Direct Debit at £130 a month, I am currently in credit by £700 as British Gas say because I haven’t been billed yet (every six months ) that the dd has to stay the same. I’ve used the tool on MSE that says I should be at £78 on dual fuel, previously I’d accrued so much credit last year that I went down to £50 a month because of all the credit. I don’t want to go into variable monthly payments and also don’t want to have to wait while THEY decide I can go back down in 6 months time.The six month bill seems to be the issue with them even though I have a smart metre.Have any of you got any advice on how to resolve this apart from the fact I’m going to have an argument with an advisor. Anything at all I can do?0
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If you're not on a fixed tariff, ditch and switch to a company that does monthly billing and updates DDs more regularly.Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 4.8kw Pylontech battery storage installed Mar 22
Daikin 8kW ASHP installed Jan 25
Octopus Cosy/Fixed Outgoing0
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