EON billing issue

swilliam

My direct debit billing from EON is all over the place and I wonder if anyone else has the same issues. I'm on an online tariff only.


It started a few years ago when EON CS gave me a lecture on how I should be in credit around spring time to build up my funds to pay for winter fuel bills. Ok, Put this in your memory banks for later on !


Here is the dilemma :

EON request a meter reading but at the same time tell me the date my bill is due.

Example : My bill may be due on the 28th Feb but I get asked for a meter reading on the 16th Feb. So I take a reading and place it on my account on the 17th Feb and viola ! I get a bill almost straight away. BUT my 3rd direct debit does not come out until the 25th Feb. So what happens ? I'm in debit and EON increase my payments.

So I found a workaround. Don't submit any meter reading if a direct debit is imminent. At the same time if I'm going to be around £10 in debit after all my payments have been made, I make a one off payment to bring me to zero. But sometimes I overestimate and end up in credit. You guessed it, EON refund me !


Why cant EON look at my annual bills, divide it by 12 and let me get on with it. ( now check your memory banks ) I'm getting a large discount for direct debit, yet I end up having to make quarterly payments to prevent then from upping my DD by 200%.or decreasing by 200%

Its becoming a farce

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi swilliam

I'm sorry you are unhappy with your Direct Debit arrangement. Thought it might help if I give a brief description of how the scheme and our billing works.

We changed our Direct Debit policy a couple of years back. The aim now is for accounts to achieve a zero balance by the annual review in the spring.

Accounts are also reviewed after each quarterly statement to make sure this is on course. Where there is an imbalance, due to things like increased/decreased usage or change of tariff, we will alter the monthly payments to reflect this.

Monthly payments are based on the most accurate info we have about energy usage over the past year; ideally from actual meter readings. They will also include any credit/debit on the account.

We will calculate how much you need to pay to achieve a zero balance by the time of the annual review. This amount is then divided into equal monthly payments.

Each account has a billing window either side of the actual bill date. Readings received whilst the window is open will automatically generate a bill virtually immediately.

If we don't receive a reading whilst the window is open, we will issue an estimated bill.

Extra payments and estimated readings can sometimes trigger a change in the monthly payment amount, either up or down. This is basically a re-alignment as our systems deals with the changed circumstances on the account.

Hope this gives a general overview of our Direct Debit/billing process. Give me a shout if you need any more info as will be happy to help.

Malc

swilliam

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc wrote: »

Hi swilliam

We changed our Direct Debit policy a couple of years back. The aim now is for accounts to achieve a zero balance by the annual review in the spring.

Malc

This could be the key, because from 2004 until 2008(ish) we only had one adjustment in the DD amount).

So in effect I'm now on a clean slate ( last bill was £40 in credit, which EON refunded, leaving me on zero ).


I spend around £1200 per year on dual fuel, so it makes sense to pay £100 per month. But because I was in credit around this spring, my payments have been dropped to £70. During my first winter bill I am going to fall short by at least £150-£200, which means my DD will increase to around £150. Then we hit spring 2011 - I make an adjustment and the process starts again.

Where as, if I paid £100 per month now instead of £70, it should balance out.

We have ( and see no reason not to continue ) been using EON for years because no other supplier in our area can get within £200 of our current bills. It used to be so easy to forget about it all, but now, we have all the meter reading dates marked on the calendar so we dont forget .

lemontart

there appear to be a problem with the website as when you submit readings on line they register then when you log in again your readings have disappeared I have emailed eon direct already but it is resulting in an estimated bill despite submitting readings in time

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

swilliam wrote: »

This could be the key, because from 2004 until 2008(ish) we only had one adjustment in the DD amount).

So in effect I'm now on a clean slate ( last bill was £40 in credit, which EON refunded, leaving me on zero ).


I spend around £1200 per year on dual fuel, so it makes sense to pay £100 per month. But because I was in credit around this spring, my payments have been dropped to £70. During my first winter bill I am going to fall short by at least £150-£200, which means my DD will increase to around £150. Then we hit spring 2011 - I make an adjustment and the process starts again.

Where as, if I paid £100 per month now instead of £70, it should balance out.

We have ( and see no reason not to continue ) been using EON for years because no other supplier in our area can get within £200 of our current bills. It used to be so easy to forget about it all, but now, we have all the meter reading dates marked on the calendar so we dont forget .

Hi swilliam

I agree. If you are using £1200 of energy per year and your account has a zero balance in spring, then your monthly payments should be £100.

When is your spring annual review date? All accounts are not reviewed on the same date. They are all generally done between April and June.

It may be the lower monthly payments are to take you up to the annual review. They will then be increased to match your ongoing usage.

Alternatively, if your account is in credit at the actual annual review date, it may be you are not using as much energy as you think. Consequently, we will have reduced your payments to reflect this.

If neither of the above apply, I would contact us and ask for a payment review. There may be something I am not aware of on your account that is causing the imbalance. This needs looking at so we can avoid similar problems in the future.

I will be happy to look at this for you if you wish. Drop an email to the address in my Profile and I will gladly take a look.

Malc

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

lemontart wrote: »

there appear to be a problem with the website as when you submit readings on line they register then when you log in again your readings have disappeared I have emailed eon direct already but it is resulting in an estimated bill despite submitting readings in time

Hi lemontart

Sorry you are having difficulties with our website.

I have just spoken to our online team and this is a known issue. It is an intermittent problem which tends to happen more when logging in to the meter readings screen through Account History.

We are currently in the process of fixing this. In the meantime, if you would like to let me have your readings I will be happy to use these to send you an accurate bill.

Just drop an email with your details to the address in my Profile if you would like me to do this.

Malc