Do quarterly bills still exist?

Cardew

Frugallass,

They don't do monthly billing, the only company I know who does monthly billing have some of the most expensive gas and electricity in UK and you pay that by Direct Debit I believe; or pay even more(not sure of that latter point)

Several companies have a similar system to the one you have - a fixed monthly payment; but they, not you, decide the level of that payment.

As they do quarterly billing for other customers, they must have a reason for not allowing you on that tariff. Either you are a new customer at that address(I doubt they take into consideration you were a customer at a previous address. and that is their policy for new customers. It could also be that you have failed a credit check or, as intimated above, it could your refusal to to pay the monthly sum they request.

SwanJon

frugallass wrote: »

the Post Office manage to bill me on a monthly basis for my broadband / telephone calls

Correct me if I'm wrong (it has been known to happen), but do you not pay line rental in advance for your phone line?

frugallass

SwanJon wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong (it has been known to happen), but do you not pay line rental in advance for your phone line?

I've got no idea but my point was that I receive a bill after the calls have been made

frugallass

Cardew wrote: »

Frugallass,

They don't do monthly billing, the only company I know who does monthly billing have some of the most expensive gas and electricity in UK and you pay that by Direct Debit I believe; or pay even more(not sure of that latter point)

Several companies have a similar system to the one you have - a fixed monthly payment; but they, not you, decide the level of that payment.

As they do quarterly billing for other customers, they must have a reason for not allowing you on that tariff. Either you are a new customer at that address(I doubt they take into consideration you were a customer at a previous address. and that is their policy for new customers. It could also be that you have failed a credit check or, as intimated above, it could your refusal to to pay the monthly sum they request.

Ok so I accept that they don't do monthly billing (yet they can demand a monthly payment from me)

I don't know what their reason is (and I will find out) for not letting me pay quarterly but I think you may be right on your first point in that I am a new customer at a new address. I doubt that I have failed a credit check and I have only been there two months and didn't even know that monthly payments were my only option until I received a letter saying my payment was due

Anyway, thanks for all your comments and advice - once I receive a final decision / explanation from Scottish Power I'll look for another electric supplier

SwanJon

But you

frugallass wrote: »

do not believe in paying these people for something which we haven't yet used.

Surely you'd know if you were paying the Post Office for line rental you havn't used yet?
Bottom line is that even if you pay monthly, you have been using electricity up until the date of payment, so in fact you are paying after you have used it.
Just make sure you give them accurate reads, monthly if you like.

Cardew

Unmetered water, BT telephone rental, Sky, Virgin, Most Broadband providers, Most mobile phone providers, Insurance policies all require you to pay in advance.

galba

Cardew wrote: »

Unmetered water, BT telephone rental, Sky, Virgin, Most Broadband providers, Most mobile phone providers, Insurance policies all require you to pay in advance.

It's quite scandalous !! Why do we put up with it ?

1carminestocky

Cardew wrote: »

Frugallass,

They don't do monthly billing, the only company I know who does monthly billing have some of the most expensive gas and electricity in UK and you pay that by Direct Debit I believe; or pay even more(not sure of that latter point)

Several companies have a similar system to the one you have - a fixed monthly payment; but they, not you, decide the level of that payment.

As they do quarterly billing for other customers, they must have a reason for not allowing you on that tariff. Either you are a new customer at that address(I doubt they take into consideration you were a customer at a previous address. and that is their policy for new customers. It could also be that you have failed a credit check or, as intimated above, it could your refusal to to pay the monthly sum they request.

:rolleyes: Just to add some balance here, I have just signed up with the company Cardew has alluded to, my gas and electric accounts go live wef 31/7/09 and I will be paying monthly in arrears for the exact usage (meter readings) I will have inputted on my account at the end of the previous month (so effectively I am paying by variable standing order even though it is direct debit). Oh, and I pay considerably less than I would with ANY other company or tariff by taking advantage of the initiatives they offer. Oh, and not a sniff of an exit fee with this company - not happy you can booger off whenever you wish.

Ps You also get a paper bill every month.

BallandChain

Carmine, which company are you with? I'm looking to switch and just so fed up with customer services with my current supplier.