Southern Electric taking huge unauthorised Direct Debit?

pinkpinkuk

Hello,

I was recently going through my direct debits trying to do a bit of moneysaving Martin Lewis stylee, and discovered that the £35 per month I was spending on electricity with Southern Electric could be £30 per month with NPower, plus a little cashback. So I switched :j

Southern Electric did write to me to say "call us to discuss your switch" but the NPower letter (and the guy I spoke to at the call centre) said there was no need, because NPower would handle the switch and they probably just want to convince me to stay with them. So I didn't.

Switch happened this month and NPower asked for my meter reading. They said they'd also pass this on to Southern Electric so they could generate my final bill. I was previously paying direct debit, never missed a payment, so expected my payments to be pretty spot on.

I got a text message from my bank, RBS, today (bank holiday) to say that my balance on my "bills" account is -£200+. Completely baffled I checked my balance online to find Southern Electric have taken £307 from my bank account (on Direct Debit) without any final bill or any notice whatsoever. Or specifically, there's a payment on my account listed as a direct debit coming out on 10th April 2012 (Tuesday) for £307. My balance is -£200+. This puts me well into the red and I absolutely cannot afford to pay them £307.

Naturally I tried to phone Southern Electric immediately to find out what was going on, but they are closed for bank holiday. RBS is obviously also closed. I'm at a complete loss what to do, can they do this without my permission? How can I owe £307 anyway? I've only been in the propery for one year, and have been paying the £35 direct debit they set up for me every single month without fail.

I'm fairly sure this is going to cause me huge bank charges, since I have no overdraft on my bills account at all, so its a £200+ unauthorised overdraft. I had the right amount of money in there to cover all of my direct debits, plus a little extra just in case of variances due to phone bill etc, but not £307. I don't have the money in my other accounts to cover the deficit either.

Can someone please give me some advice on what to do? Is it the bank or Southern Electric's responsibility? Will they reverse the charge? Will I have to pay bank charges since I've been in an unauthorised overdraft? When am I going to be able to sort this out? Not till Tuesday, or tomorrow? I'm ridiculously worried

Gromitt

I do wonder what happened to the fact that you have to give 10 - 14 days notice before claiming a payment via DD if the particulars have changed (ie, send a bill first, claim 10 - 20 days later as the amount typically varies).

If you had no knowledge this amout was going to be debited, then I think you have a good chance of stating the DD Guarantee to them.

MME_2

Call RBS who should refund you under the direct debit guarentee.

pinkpinkuk

Gromitt wrote: »

I do wonder what happened to the fact that you have to give 10 - 14 days notice before claiming a payment via DD if the particulars have changed (ie, send a bill first, claim 10 - 20 days later as the amount typically varies).

If you had no knowledge this amout was going to be debited, then I think you have a good chance of stating the DD Guarantee to them.

Thanks for your post,

I have had no final bill from them at all, or notification they were going to take this amount. Who do I need to state Direct Debit Guarantee to? RBS?

pinkpinkuk

MME wrote: »

Call RBS who should refund you under the direct debit guarentee.

Ah thank you very much. Will I have to pay the bank charges on the unauthorised overdraft? If I could sort it out today I would, but everywhere is closed.

jackieb

Have you had an actual reading in the year you've been in the property, because if you haven't it's quite possible you are due that amount?

As to the amount taken by direct debit, I don't have much of a clue on that, sorry. Maybe there's something in the DD mandate that says they can withdraw what's due?

pinkpinkuk

jackieb wrote: »

Have you had an actual reading in the year you've been in the property, because if you haven't it's quite possible you are due that amount?

As to the amount taken by direct debit, I don't have much of a clue on that, sorry. Maybe there's something in the DD mandate that says they can withdraw what's due?

The meter is inside a shared hall. I haven't let anyone in to take a meter reading or provided one myself (they asked me for a reading at the start of my contract, but never since).The neighbours are normally the ones who let people in and get the post (my doorbell doesn't work, plus they are closer to the door - in my defence I take their bins out every week in return. Haha) so I don't know if they have let anyone in to take a meter reading of both properties.

It still seems like an awful lot, that's £25 per month extra over what I was paying. Nearly 75% extra for each month. Thanks for your post, though. It is certainly a possibility, but if it is a correct amount it still raises an awful lot of extra questions,

jackieb

I've stopped changing electricity and gas suppliers as I always ended up with an unrealistic small payment to start of with, then it would be increased, usually by quite a bit to pay off the underpayment.

From now on, once you get this sorted out, i'd recommend inputting your own readings online, and then you won't get any under (or over) payments continuing for a long time.

Good luck in getting it sorted out.

jackieb

You've probably tried the meterline already, but it says it's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week incase you haven't. Might still be closed for the holiday. Worth a try maybe?

https://www.southern-electric.co.uk/youraccount/giveameterreading/ (click on other ways to give a meter reading)

Please try not to worry too much about it. It'll get sorted out in the end.

backinbusiness

Try phonebanking - surely they won't be closed?

pinkpinkuk

jackieb wrote: »

You've probably tried the meterline already, but it says it's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week incase you haven't. Might still be closed for the holiday. Worth a try maybe?

https://www.southern-electric.co.uk/youraccount/giveameterreading/

Please try not to worry too much about it. It'll get sorted out in the end.

Thank you The meterline is an automated system, it just lets my input numbers rather than actually speak to someone, but I appreciate you taking the time to look up a URL for me.