Can they do this? eOn gas and electric plan problems

byjingobingo

Hi all

Having problems with eOn for the first time in 12 years as a customer with them for duel fuel gas and electric.

I have always paid a monthly sum in line with my overall year's usage. Currently, and for the last 2 years it's been around the £85 mark and some points in the year I'm in credit, and sometimes I'm in debit but it zeros out eventually according to seasonal usage. They have often sent me auto-generated letters to increase my DD amount, but a simple phonecall with agents who see the logic has enabled me to keep my DD at £85.

However in April - following winter usage - they asked for my DD to increase from £85 to £140 to recover the debit balance which I simply cannot afford. They refused to keep my DD the same and said an arrangement was not possible either as their regulations had now changed and I'm not allowed a debit balance.

I told them I can't afford such a steep hike in my DD amount, so they told me to pay £85 by DD and then THEY cancelled my DD before even asking if I wanted them to do this. They said they wouldn't chase for payment of the Debit balance - which they did and sent me notice of debt collection last week (- I sorted this today by setting up an arrangement which I was told the previous guy should have done but refused to do).

My big gripe is that I was legitimately allowed to run up a debit balance with eOn through the approval of a reduced DD amount, and now they are asking for the full amount to be repaid when they authorised it in the first place - and it's not like my balance won't be rectified with my regular monthly payments.

And at no point was I asked if I wanted them to cancel my DD, it was just done. And at no point was I told that this would then impact the cost of my energy plan as apparently I have to pay by DD to get 20% discount. As a result, they are telling me they are moving me to a higher cost plan because I won't pay by DD - true, but it's only because I cannot afford the steep hike they requested.

So in short they cancelled my DD without asking me or telling me that this action would cost me money, are accepting payments of £85 by standing order, but won't won't take it by DD... (!) and charging me 20% more even though I've told them I'm in difficulty.

(Not to mention the appalling customer service agent's constant interruption and impatient and sarcastic tone of voice but that's another story for another day).

If you're still reading, thanks for sticking with it thus far.

I just don't know where to go from here, the agent was so argumentative that I couldn't get a word in to ask a simple question of explanation. I'm waiting for a call back from her manager but I don't hold out much hope...

I kind of sticks in your throat when you're accused by the agent of 'trying to penalise the company' - what ???,
and that she can't explain anything because i keep 'going on about other stuff' - yes, quote - double what???
and that I 'only want to speak to a manager so that I can focus on a different issue' - triple what??? and i'll throw in a helping of '!!!!!!' to boot, pardon my french...

Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Airmike23

deal with one of the site reps on here helena or malc

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Hi byjingobingo and welcome to the forum,

I am sorry that you have received such poor customer service from us, this is unacceptable and you should not be spoken to like this.

Direct Debit's have been covered many times on the forum, but I will post the general information of how this should work for customers.

The years usage is calculated, this is then divided in to 12 monthly payments, the account should be building up a credit though the summer months and this credit should go towards your winter bills.

There is then a spring review, this is when the account should have a zero balance, so credit would be refunded and a debit would either need to be paid off or included in the Direct Debit.

The monthly payments can then be calculated for the next year, the payments may also change throughout the year as peoples usage does change. (as we know we had a very cold winter, so this will have pushed usage up).

If your account is in debt in the spring this needs to be cleared either through a one off payment or by including it in your monthly payments, therefore making them higher.

If the debt is not cleared it will be carried through the summer, then there won't be an opportunity to build up any credit for the larger winter bills, this would then leave the account even more in debt and so on.

Some tariff's require you to pay by a monthly Direct Debit to get the extra discount, so if the arrangement is cancelled then the tariff would need to change.

Without seeing your details, I don't know why the arrangement was cancelled etc.

But I do understand that if you are in difficulty at the moment we should be trying to help you, not worrying you more.

I can see from your post that you are expecting a call back, is that for today?

Let me know if I can help you any further.

Helena

Stumba

I just received my new direct debit instruction from Eon. It usually is about £85 per month. I do not use the heating from Feb to Dec and thought this would remain the normal payment...WRONG. I had the heating on continuously for Dec. Just got a letter about updating my DD to £382 per month. Called them and they asked first to give up to date meter reading which i did. Then they said i had an outstanding balance of £385, but my DD would come down to £250 a month as they had over estimated the reading. I asked how she came to that conclusion. She told me that the usage for december would be calculated at that same rate every month until July, the DD would be calculated on that usage. In other words they are assuming that i use my heating 24/7 from now till July, which i dont, it is switched off now and will not be on until next Dec. Water is only heated as and when needed. Just wondering why i was not told of this policy before i joined. My previous provider reviewed every year not every 6 months, and seems very convenient that they estimate the bill on the highest usage month of the year.

Found the money to pay outstanding balance and i was told that DD would be reviewed after next meter reading in a month which will be very low as i will use only what i need on principle now.

Upshot is as soon as i have paid the outstanding balance will be switching providers and this time will be armed with the knowledge that is not obviously given in their sales patter.

Putting myself in the shoes of an old person would have probably caused them great distress and anxiety getting a bill like that.

If anyone has any recommendations for providers i would be grateful.