Npower - Direct Debit Amount

kevin52

Earlier this year NPower wrote to me to say that as my gas and electricity was (a little) in credit they were reducing my DD to £10 per month which is the minimum. I didn't have the heart to tell them that their computer was stupid. Of course 6 months later they have jacked my payments up again, but I enjoyed investing their money in the meantime.

cp33c

notbritishgas wrote: »

Now we know what we are talking about, yes ring npower and challenge them, quoting the figures from the bill, eg £728 divided by 12 = about £60 so how do they get £128.

One argument they might come up with is that they want you to have a zero balance by next spring, that is after the heavy winter period, so to achieve that your DD's would need to be much higher.

However if they do set it at £60 then almost certainly you will be quite a lot in debit after the winter.

But if thats the case, then surely I would be back at zero come this time next year as I would use less in Summer?

I seem to remember when we changed over to Npower, our BG bill had gone up and it just happened to be that we walked past an Npower salesman who challenged us. He said we would pay a set DD all year long as it takes into account the heavier winter and the easier summer.

I can see myself having the same argument with them next Feb when I'm in debit and they're asking for more money again.......

cp33c

So I've just been on the phone to Npower, turns out they've been robbing me blind!! So I was paying £202 in total (£128 Gas + £74 Elec). I now paying £106 in total (£68 Gas + £38 Elec - apparently my elec was in credit by quite a bit, I probably had the option there to get a refund, but at the mo I'm more worried about my monthly outgoings and the refund would've only ended up being spent on something I didn't need)

In addition to that, I've switched tariffs using one of the comparison websites that MSE told me to use this morning meaning I'm gonna get £100 in vouchers and the Npower CS bloke I just spoke to said my DD will go down again to £99 for both, making a total saving of £103! per month. Thats better!

notbritishgas

cp33c wrote: »

But if thats the case, then surely I would be back at zero come this time next year as I would use less in Summer?

I seem to remember when we changed over to Npower, our BG bill had gone up and it just happened to be that we walked past an Npower salesman who challenged us. He said we would pay a set DD all year long as it takes into account the heavier winter and the easier summer.

I can see myself having the same argument with them next Feb when I'm in debit and they're asking for more money again.......

Yes you would be zero this time next year(with a £60 DD). However on the way to achieving that you would go into high debit after the winter, say about March time.
Npower may not like you owing them money, they much prefer you to be in credit, it helps their bank balance.
Thats why companies can specify a zero point to be in spring, that way you build up a big credit in the summer months and then spend it over winter to get back to zero in the spring.
Unfortunately npower make the rules so may insist on a higher DD so you do not get a high debit in Feb. But ring them and see.

Edit: Just noticed your last post. Well done, your phone call paid dividends