Direct debit and Adlantic

celtic_yob_2

I was with Alantic until November the 8th, now changed to Powergen.
Snag is now Adlantic as taken a direct debit payment this month, they were not entitled to take (I forgot to cancel the direct debit payment, I have now)
I was in credit with Adlantic before this payment. I have phoned them for the final bill and a rebate. They say that they have not had the final reading, Powergen told me that they sent it to them a month ago.
If I owed them money, I would have had the final bill next day.
Anyone know how I should proceed now?

I went to my bank, Barclays and asked if they can get the direct debit payment back under the direct debit guarantee but the answer I got off them was because I had an agreement with Adlantic there is not a lot they can do.

To me it seems that guarantee is worthless.

Bit of advise, only pay the least amount you can get away with in direct debit, better you owe them.

Anyone know how I should proceed now?

All help thankfully received.

nh

Atlantic will refund the overpayment. Do you need the money urgently? I would just ring Atlantic to ask them to send you a cheque for the amount they owe you - tomorrow.

Are you sure the switch has been made? I am trying to switch from Atlantic to Powergen at the moment and they refused my gas even though we are £100 in credit!

rosscobley

The bank should have processed the indem claim for you. Atlantic will process the refund but before they can they need to have the final reading from powergen first. make sure you have given reads to powergen. it can take powergen a few weeks to send the read over to atlantic. as soon as atlantic get the read  it will make there billing system send you a final bill and you can get the refund back.

celtic_yob_2

Thanks for the reply nh.

I have phoned Atlantic a few times, they say they have not received the final readings.
I have been advised to phone them the final readings I give Powergen.
Yes, I am now with Powergen they took a direct debit payment at the same time as Atlantic.
No, I am not desperate for the money, I just hate being done.

rosscobley

The reason why the d/d payment was taken is because the final read has not been given to atlantic. the biling system will not close down the d/d untill the final bill have been produced. chase up powergen for the read. call and give it to someone down in atlantic and they should be able to do a final bill and issure a refund

celtic_yob_2

Thanks rosscobley
Yes, I went into my bank told them the problem and asked them about the direct debit guarantee they said it don't apply if I have an agreement with them.
And to my mind that guarantee is worthless as everyone who pays by direct debit as an agreement.
The bank as wrote a letter to them, reluctantly. She said we can't force them as you have an agreement with them.
Yes, they have had final readings on one phone call, on another they are waiting for one of them.
I see it like this, if I owed them I would have received the bill next day. As it is it's in their bank account making interest for them. So why should they rush.

rosscobley

The bank should have done that if not atlantic can process the indem claim for you best thing to do is give then the read over the phone and get them to produce the final bill there and then. (i know it can be done) there are a lot of new starters on the call centre at the moment so they may not know that much about final reads. they can check the d86 table as the read may have come in and not hit the billing system

MarkyMarkD

The bank are talking rubbish with this "you've got an agreement with them" stuff.

The DD guarantee says

If an error is made by the organisation or your bank or building society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid

.

BUT in the circumstances you have described, I don't think Atlantic were making a mistake - they hadn't been notified in a proper way of your final reading or your move away from their supply. So how did they know to stop taking the DD payments?

celtic_yob_2

Yes, they new.
I had officially changed to Powergen on November 8th.
Atlantic phoned and asked why I had changed a few days later, and about a fortnight later saying that they have now abolished standing charges, and I give my standard reply, Del boy is in charge of you, as well as British gas, now is he.
Oh they new. And I thought foolishly as I am in credit that they would not take another payment, I never thought to shut the direct debit agreement down.
that's being to trusting.

MarkyMarkD

Just being in credit is not any reason for the DDs to stop being taken.

I think it's down to what MrU said above - until they have got a final meter reading from the new supplier, as far as they are concerned you are still their customer and they will keep getting DDs from you.

celtic_yob_2

No, they will not get anymore.
I do some of my banking on the internet, and I can cancel direct debit agreements, and have cancelled the agreement with Atlantic. Should have done it a few days after I had officially changed, I did not realise I could do it then on the net.