Scottish Power - another increase in my direct debit

redrabbit29

For about a year and a half I was paying £40.00 per month for both gas and electric. When I actually did get billed for the usage I usually had some credit left over.

On 4th November 08 it was increased to £56.50.

I've had another email today saying it's been increased again to £66.50.

Has anyone else experienced this. £26.50 increase over the space of 3 months seems a lot of money compared to what I was paying. Now may be the time to start shopping around for an alternative provider?

Thanks.

lrr_2

Wish I was that, im £107.50 per month duel fuel from them!!!!

What size of house do you have and how many living in it if you dont mind me asking?

Magentasue

redrabbit29 wrote: »

Has anyone else experienced this. £26.50 increase over the space of 3 months seems a lot of money compared to what I was paying. Now may be the time to start shopping around for an alternative provider?

Thanks.

How much credit do you have? Do you have enough to get you to zero in April? That's what SP will want.

kjsmith7

You obviously don't need to actually answer this on here, but do you have any debt on the account? Where you previously on a fixed price tariff that has now ended? If you were, then your rates may have increased the first time due to increased consumption and the second time due to the fact your rates have changed. If you are on a standard tariff, your consumption/amount you have used may be higher for this quarter than the same quarter last year... There are numerous reasons why DDs go up and down, to be honest, the discounts probably aren't worth it. If you can, just pay quarterly by cash/cheque/card (and put the money you would have spent on a DD in a savings account, even though you won't earn much money on it now!) or by a direct debit every quarter that only takes what you owe.

claireac

Mine's just gone up from £70 to £150 (see my post below)!! Another satisfied Scottish Power customer..............

redrabbit29

My god claireac - that's a huge increase.

No debt on the account, in fact I think it's about £55 in credit. Never been in debt either. I have always been dual fuel direct debit with them.

The house is a two bedroom, end terrace. It's only 8 years old, and there is only two of us here.

Magentasue

redrabbit29 wrote: »

No debt on the account, in fact I think it's about £55 in credit.

There's your reason - that's only £18 a month credit for three more winter months (Jan/Feb/Apr). By April, you should be able to work out how much your gas and elec will cost for a year and divide by 12. Your payments have climbed this winter to catch up with the price increases as the highest use time of the year.

lrr_2

£66.50 in total for both I think you are doing well. As I said I am £107.50 in total for both. 3 bedroom semi, single parent (full time student) with one child and can honestly say its a total stuggle to pay this.

kjsmith7

It may be a little bit of a search (if your records are anything like mine!!), but if you can I would suggest digging out a few of your bills for this quarter but for last year... and maybe the quarter before, too. Compare the actual usage (in kWh/units/whatever it says on the bill) to your usage on this years bills, and see if there has been an increase. Of course, prices are going to rise because of price increases, but if you are on a Fixed Price tariff, this shouldn't have happened twice in quick succession. (Sometimes they go up straight away as a premium/other associated charge gets added on)

Are there numerous estimated reads on your account? It could be that it appears you have used more due to the fact that you had estimates last year.

Another thing I would suggest is so pay quarterly. Always check your meter reading is accurate on your bill so you don't settle too much/too little and therefore have a large credit/large debit later on!!

You could pay by cash/cheque/card when you get your bill (in which case, work out how much you think your DD should be, perhaps go for a straight through the middle figure at first, and save that money every month so you can afford to pay). You may get a prompt payment discount? Or, you can may be able to pay by quarterly direct debit, where it only takes one direct debit shortly after you receive your bill every quarter, and only takes what you actually owe. The only time you may have a hard time is for your Winter bill.

I have recently begun to do this (so that I have a little more control!) and find it works really well. I save the same amount every month - my DDs went from £80 to 160 so I save around £110 per month, every month, even in Summer, so that I still build up a credit for Winter, but also so that I earn maybe 0.00000001% interest in my ISA haha!). If you notice it's not enough, up the amount you save, as you have to settle the bills when they arrive and you don't have the security of being in debit for a bit. Simple! As everyone is disclosing the amounts you pay, my bills work out around £100 a month for both, student, also employed).

Hope that helps x

lrr_2

This is the reason that when I graduate (a long way to go yet though), im emigrating to a warmer country!

kjsmith7

lrr wrote: »

This is the reason that when I graduate (a long way to go yet though), im emigrating to a warmer country!

Haha! Don't blame you!! Just to let you know, my grandad lives in Spain and he says elec bills are HUGGGGEEEEE where he lives so strike that one off your list

I think I might also emigrate! What are you studying? I study History, so not really a 'useful' degree (as my parents put it anyway!).