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

rhiwfield

We used about £100 of extra electricity this summer to dry out our house after water leaks. Our underlying usage had fallen so I emailed E.On to advise them that this was exceptional and that our DD did not need to be increased. If necessary I would make a one-off payment. 2 weeks ago E.On sent the latest bill and said DD needed to go up from £62.50 pm to £77 a month. This was because I was barely in credit despite the heavy usage months ahead. When I re-explained the circumstances the increase was cancelled.

Like a previous poster I submit meter readings online monthly and know what usage is from own records and E.On's energy tracker. This helps to prevent nasty surprises. If/when prices fall in the New Year I'll probably be looking for a reduced DD payment.

One thing I find useful is to use energyhelpline.com to check whether my tariff is in line with the market. That way I know when to switch tariffs internally within E.On or to consider a move to another supplier.

E.On_Worker

Hi Jon S, if you found a cheaper price than thats fair enough, obviously the cheaper the better. The only thing i would say when using comparison websites is to double check the prices with the actual company because i've heard too many complaints about websites promising big savings but it turns out that the website hasn't got the companies new prices as tarriffs change all the time and obviously prices differ in each area. Just be careful.

Sagalout1954, im sorry for the experience you had with ourselves regards your mother. I wasn't in the conversation so can't stick up for either party but i can assure you this would have ben a one off, E-ons rated very high for customer service. Sometimes we are able to change direct debits, sometimes we aren't. If we are unable to, there will always be a reason that the advisor will be able to explain in full. I know it's not a nice thing, paying more, but if people use more than a payment adjustment needs to be made. But if you call us, we can advise what needs to happen.

As for the price decreases, adl999, i too would love to know when prices are coming down, i pay the same bills as everyone else. Nothings been announced at all yet regarding prices falling but i would say to expect to here something in the new year, about March - April time. Dont forget though, if you are on a FIXED product with your company, your prices will not fall so if possible you will be better off switching onto a non fixed rate. If your on a CAPPED product, your company will pass the decrease on. Be careful to check if your company will not charge you for leaving a FIXED product. E-on don't charge anything for you to switch tarriffs within E-on but from what I've heard British Gas and the rest do.

If you've got any questions, i'll be more than hapy to help. I check the site afew times a day so you will get a pretty quick response.

Thanks

Kazby

I notice in the article that Martin hasn't been able to get details on Scottish & Southern's refund policy - I am with S&S and last year they refunded me around £200 on the 23 December. I joined up with them in May 2006 so it's not an anniversary thing. As a cynical grumpy person I was not particularly impressed - I budget for Christmas perfectly well by myself thank you very much and the only sort of rosy warm glow I want to experience in relation to my energy supplier is the one I get from my heating! I'd much prefer my monthly payments to be more accurate in the first place.

cactiphile71

£60 > £118 rise from Npower on my gas DD. It took 3 phonecalls
(as the figure was locked due to a dd payment pending) but they agreed that £62.00 should be about right after all.

I have previously switched from Powergen after they refused to alter my DD based on the 3 years consumption figures I had.

geranium72

Just entered up to date online meter readings for Scottish Power a couple of days ago and found I was in credit by £40 - so all well and good

Then to day I get an email saying they are increasing payments by £15 - and we are on a fixed rate!

tried to ring the number given on the email 0845 to be met after lots of automated options with a " we are busy, call back " then being cut off.

I found the alternate number from saynoto0870 and got straight through and spoke to a slightly depressed man who immediately said - it's about your DD increase isn't it

I said yes, we are in credit so I was surprised - and he immediately said he would cancel the increase and leave it where it was

So 2 tips

Find an alternative number from saynoto0870
Be nice and pleasant

Very quick and easy and no trouble at all

Jon_S_4

E.On_Worker wrote: »

Hi Jon S, if you found a cheaper price than thats fair enough, obviously the cheaper the better. The only thing i would say when using comparison websites is to double check the prices with the actual company because i've heard too many complaints about websites promising big savings but it turns out that the website hasn't got the companies new prices as tarriffs change all the time and obviously prices differ in each area. Just be careful.

Thanks for your advice.

But im sure your aware this website is moneysaving expert and most people who use this site will be clued up as to which comparison websites to use.

i used two sites to check on tarriffs for my area, www.moneysupermarket.com and www.energyhelpline.com.

Both of these showed the same tarrif as £67 cheaper than my current Eon tarrif, so ive switched.

If Eon hadnt of contacted me and told me that my DD had to increase to £145 per month i wouldnt of searched for a cheaper tariff.

So Thanks Eon, youve saved me £67 per year!

Just to add, the 2 people i talked to at Eon Yesterday about reducing the ridiculous £145 per month amount, both seemed quite aggressive and adamant that the DD wouldnt be reduced.

24stubbs

Scottish gas tried to increase my DD by over £20. The call center rep and his boss were not interested in listening to any logic - even though we were £200+ in credit. According to Scottish gas the price increase was non negotiable. With flame coming from my ears I demanded a cheque back covering my credit and cancelled my direct debit. I'll now put the money away and pay the bill once I've received my FINAL reminder. The money's better off in my bank account than theres.

lalibeila

Don't talk to me abou Scottish Power, 6 months ago I was happily with Edf paying £87 per month. My bills levelled themselves over the year. I got a call one night from Scottish Power - I was not looking to change but this guy offered me such a great deal I couldn't refuse. I asked questions - like how can this work when my charges are based on consumption? he just kept saying they had this great fixed rate until 2011 and my monthly charge could come down to £67.
A month ago Scottish power put my monthly rate up to £147.50 and this month they wanted to put it up to £155.50. I rang and found out I am not even getting the fixed rate plan!
I've managed to get the monthly figure down to £90 but am steaming mad that high pressure salespeople convince you to change and then screw you with a different package and a few months after signing put up your monthly rate by 120%. I'm waiting for their sales team to contact me to sort out the misselling aspect of all this. Scared to change again because anything I owe will have to be paid straight away.:mad:

logie28

BG increased by dd from £35>£49 in September. Then £49>£73 December, i rang and asked for it to be lowered as i am £130 in credit!! said it wasnt possible.
I sent an e-mail of complaint, got a standard response saying everything was correct, I wasnt happy with this so ive complained again, i wasnt even given notice on either increase!! if I'm not happy with there response ill write to the obmbudsman,

I may be being cynical here, prices are almost certain to drop in the new year, does any one else think they will be using this "imminent" price cut to get away with lower cuts?? i.e say a 7% cut, when we all run to the comparison sites and put in our monthly DD cost i.e £73 in my case (£35 this time last year,, not a 100% gas price increase !!) the computer will spit out what we should "really" be paying!!


Making us all think wow wonderful savings,, my new DD is £54 not £73, Massive savings!! But when we stop and look at it, we will get a small decrease in price, but pay the right amount!!


Plus they will still have in their accounts the monies they have overcharged us this winter!!

Or am i really spending to much time thinking about this!!!lol.

eagtav

Any MPs reading these? The point of denationalisation was to encourage competition and choice. But instead we have half a dozen firms operating a scandalous cartel. They charge the same, they adopt the same tactics. Odds are that Dave will be pm not far from now, but will he stop it? Willie Eckerslike ! All these fat cats are goods mates of his. So, as with phones and water, we're all lumbered for eternity.