DD increase to EON

david39

My advice is to up and leave - they started the same process with me, which made me shop around and I found a deal that was £120 per annum cheaper than Eon - that's nett, not DD estimates.

BenNevis

E.ON_Co_Rep:Helena wrote: »

I don't know if you noticed but I am here to help you if I can

If you’re here to help maybe you can assist many of your customers at one go by answering these questions

1. Do you believe that EON has fully complied with SLC 27.14 in the way it's explaining the direct debit increases?

2. Would EON be willing to write to Ofgem to ask for clarification as to whether or not EON is in breach of SLC 27.15 in basing its direct debit calculations on periods of less than 12 months?

If you can’t answer these questions it’d be a help if you’d get someone in your company to answer them and then you can post the answers but please let us know what’s going on Helena. Thanks in advance.

SiWilts

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena wrote: »

Hi borntorun75 and SiWilts,

I don't know if you noticed but I am here to help you if I can

I'm sorry about not being able to get through on the phone, I know it has been busy.

In general some customer's DD's are going up at the mo, part of the reason could be because of the price increase we had in September. Other reasons are tariff changes/usage.

But I am happy to help you specifically if you would like me to, just email me your account details to the email address in my profile page.

Thanks

Helena

Thanks Helena
Posted this in the other Eon DD thread just now.
Issue sorted - i'd just like to say that the Eon customer service rep this morning was excellent - top service, v understanding - credit where credit's due.
Regards SiWilts

Update from me after my posts last night on the Eon DD issue.

Called them this morning, just after 8.00am - waited about 4 mins to connect to an adviser.

Result!!!

The guy was v understanding - i explained that we were now just a 2-adult household, that i was £110 in credit and didn't expect to use so much energy as last Winter, plus (a fact i forgot to post here last night) that thru' Eon in August we had new loft insulation installed and cavity wall insulation.

He immediately said i could keep the monthly DD at £90 but advised me to take monthly readings thru' the winter and submit them to Eon - then if we were exceeding energy usage expectations they'd advise an
increase in DD amount.

I think that's a fair result - so am satisfied.

The cynic in me says they've had so many complaints that they may be acting in a more 'open' manner to their customers' views on this issue.

Thanks for the advice last night

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

SiWilts wrote: »

Thanks Helena
Posted this in the other Eon DD thread just now.
Issue sorted - i'd just like to say that the Eon customer service rep this morning was excellent - top service, v understanding - credit where credit's due.
Regards SiWilts

Update from me after my posts last night on the Eon DD issue.

Called them this morning, just after 8.00am - waited about 4 mins to connect to an adviser.

Result!!!

The guy was v understanding - i explained that we were now just a 2-adult household, that i was £110 in credit and didn't expect to use so much energy as last Winter, plus (a fact i forgot to post here last night) that thru' Eon in August we had new loft insulation installed and cavity wall insulation.

He immediately said i could keep the monthly DD at £90 but advised me to take monthly readings thru' the winter and submit them to Eon - then if we were exceeding energy usage expectations they'd advise an
increase in DD amount.

I think that's a fair result - so am satisfied.

The cynic in me says they've had so many complaints that they may be acting in a more 'open' manner to their customers' views on this issue.

Thanks for the advice last night

Hiya SiWilts,

I'm really please you have got this sorted.

You know where I am in the future if you need me.

Thank you

Helena

giraffe69

I switcherd to EON last year and the DD was £92. It went up to £115 about 3 months ago and I thought given the coming winter and price rises that was fair enough. Now I have a bill and although I am still in credit(just) it has gone up to £157. My problems here are

a. if it needed to go up for either price rises or forthcoming winter why did they get it so wrong 3 months ago?
b. given the % increase in tariff why is the DD increased 70% over last year and 37% in the latest increase?
c. No explanation is given as to how these figures are arrived at and they seem to be plucked out of the air.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

giraffe69 wrote: »

I switcherd to EON last year and the DD was £92. It went up to £115 about 3 months ago and I thought given the coming winter and price rises that was fair enough. Now I have a bill and although I am still in credit(just) it has gone up to £157. My problems here are

a. if it needed to go up for either price rises or forthcoming winter why did they get it so wrong 3 months ago?
b. given the % increase in tariff why is the DD increased 70% over last year and 37% in the latest increase?
c. No explanation is given as to how these figures are arrived at and they seem to be plucked out of the air.

Hi giraffe69,

It sounds like your payments have gone up due to a couple of reasons, the price increase was in September so that will now be reflected.

Also it doesn't sound like your account has built up any credit to help go towards the winter bills, if you are only just in credit.

Have you asked for the breakdown in the calculations? you can email your details to me if you like and I can do it for you.

Helena

Mrs_Arcanum

giraffe69 wrote: »

I switcherd to EON last year and the DD was £92. It went up to £115 about 3 months ago and I thought given the coming winter and price rises that was fair enough. Now I have a bill and although I am still in credit(just) it has gone up to £157. My problems here are

a. if it needed to go up for either price rises or forthcoming winter why did they get it so wrong 3 months ago?
b. given the % increase in tariff why is the DD increased 70% over last year and 37% in the latest increase?
c. No explanation is given as to how these figures are arrived at and they seem to be plucked out of the air.

Are you well in credit at the moment and were you in any credit when they did their spring review?

If you are not in credit or only a small amount they may have a case for some increase. They do need to justify and explain CLEARLY how their figure has been arrived at and how it relates to the whole year.

I was on £90 pcm following my spring review then when prices went up I increased this to £110. They wanted £149 even though I was already in credit by £87. Checked the on-line DD option (you go through the option for changing your direct debits and it will show a figure) & this was down to £137 but I have now got this down to £120.

Do keep up the pressure & good luck.

Also important to be up to date with meter readings.

backfoot

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena wrote: »

It sounds like your payments have gone up due to a couple of reasons, the price increase was in September so that will now be reflected.


Have you asked for the breakdown in the calculations? you can email your details to me if you like and I can do it for you.

Helena

The price increase of 18% when recovered over a period of six months will amount to a Direct Debit increase of 36%. Combined with that recovery it will be seasonally weighted so that the increase can easily rise to 50% +.

It is that policy which penalises customers unfairly. This is a matter which is interesting the Regulatory Bodies.

The explanation should have been provided to the customer along with the request to change the DD.

Nearly all of the reported cases within the forum indicate that no explanation has been given. Asking customers to request the explanation after the event is wrong.It is designed so that customers call in and then get fobbed off with confusing explanations.

Both of these issues have been raised by DirectDebacle, Jalexa and myself on many occasions, so it amazes me why a solution at source has not been introduced.

Eon are fully aware of these ommissions and also that they are currently being investigated.

Firefighting individual reported cases smacks solely of PR rather than addressing the fundamental issues.

DirectDebacle

Very well put by backfoot.

giraffe69 submit your evidence to Consumer Focus here as there is an ongoing investigation into this practice.

giraffe69

The price increase of 18% when recovered over a period of six months will amount to a Direct Debit increase of 36%. Combined with that recovery it will be seasonally weighted so that the increase can easily rise to 50% +.

It is that policy which penalises customers unfairly.

Indeed it is. In my world if prices increase by 18% then the DD should rise by 18% unless there are issues with increased usage. An annual review seems an easy way to do this. All that this is designed to do is
a. aggravate customers
b. give Eon a large interest free loan

It suceeds admirably in both of these. Of course Eon are not alone in this dubious practice.