British Gas-Direct Debits

maiseyday_2

I converted my electric to BG price protection 2010 back in 2006. They have only just got me on the correct tarif after many calls, letters etc.My up-dated statement arrived last week, showing that I was in credit, but they were still going to put my direct debit up each month. I have just rung them to ask that my direct debit stays the same because it's in credit to be told that they cannot alter it!!!!The system sets it!!!!! All they could do was get a manager to ring me within 48 hrs, who will say the same apparently!!! What a mess, how are they allowed to put up direct debits when your account is in credit? Do I have no say in how much they take out? Any advice please

tripled

Unfortunately the senior management decided a few months ago that the computer is always right. As a result staff can only decrease your direct debit by a maximum of 10%. Unless a manager will override it you'll have to pay the new figure or come off the direct debit scheme I'm afraid.

wilf55

i dont know if this would work but if you cancelled the direct debit and then set up an new one would this allow a new figure to be set i know you can get "quotes" on direct debit before you set it up just an idea no harm in asking them but remember charm gets you everywhere charm the customer service rep and see if it helps

tripled

Doesn't work any more I'm afraid wilf, as the computer will have exactly the same data as it did at the reassessment, so will genreate exactly the same figure. The other possibility is to phone in once a month with a meter reading and get them to reassess it each time until it drops again.

wills34

request the credit via bacs transfer into your account your customer service advisor would be able to authorise this, hopefully the system should amend it self in time (within a year) until then every quarter or so ask them to return the credit on your account

Cardew

It depends how you calculate your account is in credit. (I am assuming your "updated statement" is not a quarterly bill)

Don't forget DD payments are credited monthly but the debit for your gas/electricity is quarterly. Thus you can have up to 3 DD payments credited to your account before a debit. e.g. I could look at my account on-line(or get a statement) today and it shows I am, say, £250 in credit; but tomorrow a bill for £300 will be debited and I will be £50 in debit.

I am on BG PP 2010 for 4 accounts(2xgas, 2x electricity) . They have reviewed one account and my DD has risen slightly. The reason presumably is that they(the computer) calculate I will use slightly more gas this year.

muggins_2

Re-joined Br.Gas for dual fuel Price protected til 2010 in Dec.05. Didn't worry too much about bills that didn't look right until 12months later when my elec shot up from £25 to £47 and gas up from £17 to £25 per month. Price plan had not been implemented so the full year was reworked (for gas - still waiting to hear about elec) and I was £57 in credit plus as my husband is disabled we will also have a £60 credit through motability. I have been told that I can request a refund when they have the 6month reveiw but I cannot change my D.D. amount. The only way I can have any control is either go back to paying the quarterly bill or cancel the D.D. and take out a Standing Order. Does anyone know if this will cause more trouble than it would be worth? Or should we all take that road and stop them having the control !!!!!

Cardew

muggins wrote:

Re-joined Br.Gas for dual fuel Dec.05. Didn't worry too much about bills that didn't look right until 12months later when my elec shot up from £25 to £47 and gas up from £17 to £25 per month. Price plan had not been implemented so the full year was reworked (for gas - still waiting to hear about elec) and I was £57 in credit plus as my husband is disabled we will also have a £60 credit through motability. I have been told that I can request a refund when they have the 6month reveiw but I cannot change my D.D. amount. The only way I can have any control is either go back to paying the quarterly bill or cancel the D.D. and take out a Standing Order. Does anyone know if this will cause more trouble than it would be worth? Or should we all take that road and stop them having the control !!!!!

Welcome to the forum.

If you go back to quarterly billing you will pay a higher tariff than by Direct Debit.

It would appear that you have only just got things sorted out and are on the correct tariff. I would wait until you have had a review and take stock then.

It really isn't feasible to be on a direct Debit scheme with any company and "stop them having control" - If it were I would pay £1 a month!! By definition you agree to them fixing your monthly payments - If you don't agree you can pay quarterly or leave the company.

On the other hand, if you know exactly what you have used in kWh for the past year(not using estimated readings) and know the kWh price you are paying you can work out what you will be paying in the next 12 months. If the DD payments are considerably higher than your estimate, put that in writing to BG and request your DD payments to be dropped - but you must provide some reasoning to back your request

muggins_2

As you say - I DO know my kWh usage (for the full year - no estimates, they gave me the figure) and also my kWh price so I will take your advice and put pen to paper as the DDs will be taking double the amount that I will owe.