Problem with Eon changing my DIrect Debit

4rchibald

I have a huge problem with Eon and thought I am happy with their prices, I am really fed up with their Direct Debit payments policy.

When we moved to our flat 3 years ago, Eon was a main supplier and I was told that £55 per month is enough to cover the bill... Next year I was stung with £200 underpayment, so I had to increase my DD to almost £80.
They were sending me letters every 3 months happily informing that I am paying too much and they reduced my DD to... £x (once it was as low as £51).

Every time I called them I was told that they won't do it agian...and after 3 months I had the same thing.

I kept paying more than they estimated and after second year Eon owed me about £40, just because my wife went back to work. I have calculated that if I would listen to them, I would have to pay almost £200 AGAIN!!

And now, again, they decided that their "smart" system calculated that my £66 is too much, and my payment is reduced it to £51. Great! "You don't have to do anything". Well I do, because I still owe them £40 (and winter is not over) and just 2 days after the first letter I have received another one. This time this was an explanation why bill will be higher. Quick calculation revealed that my bill is going to up by £15 more every 2.5 months, so back to square one.

I am really fed up with them. I am wasting my time and money calling them and always getting same explanations.

Is there anything I can do to make them keep my direct debit to close my account with no balance to pay and not too much to be paid by them?

JC_Derby

4rchibald wrote: »

Quick calculation revealed that my bill is going to up by £15 more every 2.5 months,

have i got this wrong you rbill is going up by a £1.50 a week?
You do know that i direct debit is changeable and that when eon decide they need to change it to either reduce the amount you are paying or increase the amount they are paying they have to tell you?
It sounds like you want a standing order....ie a fixed payment for the same amount every month?

Tupperware_Queen

if you use online account management you can change the dd yourself whenever you like, plus whenever I get one of those letters I ring up and say, please don't reduce it, and they don't.

echoecho_2

Ok, what I would recommend first of all is to get up to speed with eon's direct debit policy. Go to eonenergy.com/directdebit and view the pdf at the bottom of the page. It will give you a good idea of how the dd scheme works.

The reason why eon wants to reduce your direct debit is because it is aiming that by the time you get to your spring bill, the balance will be zero. By their calculations, if you continue paying at the current rate then your account will end up in credit. When your spring review takes place (probably april-june) the next 12 month's dd will be worked out based on the last 12 month's consumption and the prices at the time. At this point payments should be spread over about 12 months so their shouldn't be many changes.

I think the fact that your usage patterns have changed a little bit over the the last 2 years may account for the up and down pattern. I'd recommend getting an online account and you can enter your meter readings as often as you like. (The dd may go up and down if previous bills were estimates- just a thought). If you don't want your dd to go down at this time, email them. They're normally quite quick at responding and I'd guess no company would say no to you wanting to pay more than they're asking for.

4rchibald

Thanks for all answers.
We are on online tarrif and I am paying monthly DD payments with bill every 3 months. I can get a monthly bill when I provide them with meter readings.

Problem is that when we moved in, their system calculated monthly instalments (DD) at £51 and they didn't change that for almost a year. I didn't check it (my fault really) and after 12 months, Eon sent a year close out report and informed me that I am £200 in credit!!
So I had to stay another year with them to pay it back and increased my monthly payments to £85. Even that, they tried to reduce it to £50 again every 3 months. After 12 months I was £35 in debit.
So quick calc -
EONs system calculated that I should pay 50 not 85. Letter was sent 3 months after year started to 12-3=9 months x 50 = £450.

I decided to pay 9 months x £75 = £675.

My final bill was ca £640. So who is right? Me or their system? If I would trust them I would be £220 in credit...AGAIN.... How accurate their system really is?

I know that I can change my direct debit payments, but because I had to do it so many times, I can't do it online. I have to call them to change it, and to be honest I had to call them every 3 months and just asking if there is any way to FORCE EON to keep my Direct Debit as is, so they won't rob me again. I

echoecho_2

How have Eon robbed you? And do you mean you were £200.00 in debit not credit?

If you are unhappy, ring eon's complaints number found on their website and see what they can do. Find out what your annual kwh consumption is and how much you'd need to pay a month to hit a balance of £0.00 by next Spring.