Budget energy

Golden_Anemone

RTNI wrote: »

Has anyone who pays by DD had an actual bill through from Budget energy yet? My meter was read (or rather we missed the meter man and left the reading for him the next day) about 2 weeks ago and we have not yet received a "reconciled bill" as BE term it.

Anyone enlighten me as to how long it takes to come through?

No bill yet either Robin but when mine does arrive it will be estimated.

I was at work when the meter man came and he left me a card. I'd already been out to the garage and written the reading on the card to leave for him when I noticed it said he had called that morning and would call again that afternoon. :eek: A bit useless for people who work all day more than 20 miles away from home. Think the meter readers are still employed by NIE so won't blame Budget for that though.

The option to submit a reading online isn't available for Budget customers either.

RTNI

Agreed that is a bit useless for ppl out at work all day! you could call them up and give them a reading maybe? Or wait till the bill comes than call them with the reading and they may issue a new bill perhaps?

Will keep an eye out and let you all know when it plops through the postbox.

Jo4

My parents got a telephone call from Budget Energy and apparently they will take over their electricity supply some date in March I think she said. :j

Mum is already telling others about how they can get cheaper electricity. :money:

RTNI

RTNI wrote: »

Has anyone who pays by DD had an actual bill through from Budget energy yet? My meter was read (or rather we missed the meter man and left the reading for him the next day) about 2 weeks ago and we have not yet received a "reconciled bill" as BE term it.

Anyone enlighten me as to how long it takes to come through?

Info received from Budget Energy in an email response:

Our billing cycle is slightly different to that of NIE, where you get the meter read and the bill shortly after. With us your first bill is around 3 and half months after you switch to ourselves and subsequent bills are on a quarterly basis. We hope to have our systems automated in the near future so the bills will go out a few days after the close of each quarter.

Golden_Anemone

RTNI wrote: »

Info received from Budget Energy in an email response:

Thanks Robin. My bill actually arrived today! It's dated 9th Feb and is for the quarter up to 27 January - it's for 4 months rather than 3 though as I moved to them at beginning of October. I'm just over £50 in the red. It doesn't take account of the February DD which was taken on 6th Feb so if I am in the red it's by less than £15. I can't find the reading I took which then turned out to be useless as the follow up visit was on the same day but the current reading is only 200 units more than the estimate 3 weeks ago so I think they were a bit high. There is no mention of upping my DD which is currently £37 per month.

The bit that annoys me is that on the back they have detailed 600 units at the old price and 877 at the new - how did they work that out? Why do they not give us the opportunity to provide meter readings just before a price rise so we know they are only charging the higher price from when it actually applies.

I do miss all the information Airtricity provided - I'm just not prepared to pay them more for it. :rotfl:

RTNI

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

Thanks Robin. My bill actually arrived today! It's dated 9th Feb and is for the quarter up to 27 January - it's for 4 months rather than 3 though as I moved to them at beginning of October. I'm just over £50 in the red. It doesn't take account of the February DD which was taken on 6th Feb so if I am in the red it's by less than £15. I can't find the reading I took which then turned out to be useless as the follow up visit was on the same day but the current reading is only 200 units more than the estimate 3 weeks ago so I think they were a bit high. There is no mention of upping my DD which is currently £37 per month.

The bit that annoys me is that on the back they have detailed 600 units at the old price and 877 at the new - how did they work that out? Why do they not give us the opportunity to provide meter readings just before a price rise so we know they are only charging the higher price from when it actually applies.

I do miss all the information Airtricity provided - I'm just not prepared to pay them more for it. :rotfl:

nice one - I think you should contact them and ask them to explain how they calculated the units at the new / old rate. Although I think they will prob say it's a pro rata arrangement.

I look forward to my bill coming through, my DD is taken at the end of the month, so I hope that my Jan's DD is on the bill when it comes through. Good to hear that the DD is not going up, I remember reading somewhere about when they would re analyse it. I have a figure of 1 year after sign up in my head for some reason.

I did a quick calculation and I think that I too will be in the red by around £15, my DD was £31 and now £37 which I suspect maybe is/was the same for yourself.

Getting strangely excited about the bill coming! lol!

Golden_Anemone

RTNI wrote: »

Getting strangely excited about the bill coming! lol!

Steady on Robin!!! :rotfl:

RTNI

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

Steady on Robin!!! :rotfl:

I know; the sight of light in the mornings when leaving for work does do strange things!

Had a thought about this last night - does it say anywhere on the bill that the defect will be taken by DD and on what date?

If your last months payment has been taken but not credited on that bill will you run the risk of being charged twice so to speak?

Golden_Anemone

Don't have the bill at work with me today so not absolutely certain but I don't think it did. I'll check later and let you know.

I'm pretty sure the 6th February payment wasn't on the bill because it was outside the period the bill was for - at least that's the explanation that makes most sense.

parkmoy

Just switched to Budget and looking forward to some good savings. One thing though, what's the easiest/quickest way of checking their prices against the other 2 to make sure I'm still saving?