Wrong DD amount taken

jessie4109

Apologise in advance if this is in the wrong place.

A few weeks ago I amended direct debit details with Eon and went from £103 to £84. It said on screen that it will come into effect from 21st March 2013. Received a letter through the post dated 4th March 2013 to confirm new DD amount and payment dates which said the 21st March.

Today they have taken £103, so the old amount.

I am on a tight budget so every penny counts. I will now not have enough for last water payment on 25th March.
What can I do?
I contacted Eon this morning on the phone before the school run and they just said "sorry" and that was it. I've put in an official complaint via email but that will take up to 10 working days.

macman

Under the bank's DD guarantee they cannot do this. Ask your bank to reverse the payment, which they must do immediately (show them the letter you received). It's then up to Eon to reapply to take the correct amount.

YorkshireBoy

I wouldn't mess around with DD guarantees for the sake of £19 personally.

Next month they should take £19 less, and then the month after start taking the correct amount, meaning whilst money is tight this month you'll be 'flush' next month.

When this has happened to me before (although not with EON), the originator has made a goodwill credit to the account...after I suggested it.

dr_adidas01

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

I wouldn't mess around with DD guarantees for the sake of £19 personally.

Next month they should take £19 less, and then the month after start taking the correct amount, meaning whilst money is tight this month you'll be 'flush' next month.

When this has happened to me before (although not with EON), the originator has made a goodwill credit to the account...after I suggested it.

Perhaps you wouldn't however the OP states there on a tight budget so £19 could be needed for other bills!!!

As others have stated if you have a letter confirming that they were only going to take £84 then that's what they should have taken. Use the DD guarantee scheme and claim it back, and get EON to take the correct amount.

YorkshireBoy

dr_adidas01 wrote: »

Perhaps you wouldn't however the OP states there on a tight budget so £19 could be needed for other bills!!!

As others have stated if you have a letter confirming that they were only going to take £84 then that's what they should have taken. Use the DD guarantee scheme and claim it back, and get EON to take the correct amount.

They may not, due to the 10 (working?) days notice required, make another DD pull this month. Instead, they could take £168 next month, meaning OP will have to earmark these funds (on an already tight budget?).

Or maybe they'll take a card payment over the phone?

That's why I suggested leaving well alone in this case.

I do concede, however, that if £19 makes all the difference one month then things really must be tight.

jessie4109

I normally would be that bothered over £19. I have also phoned Eon complaints department up and they told me to make an indemnity claim and then do a one off payment when funds are back into my account.
I have phoned the bank to make an indemnity claim. I have water coming out on Monday and also have to pay rent up front before Monday due to the "bedroom tax." I don't want to get into arrears with rent or get DD unpaid charges. I will ring Eon to pay £84 once funds are back into my account.

YorkshireBoy

jessie4109 wrote: »

they told me to make an indemnity claim

You'll be making a 'guarantee' claim. The bank will then make an 'indemnity' claim on EON.

Whilst the guarantee says "immediate" refund, in practice they often aren't (if posts on here are anything to go by). Today being Thursday, it's possible you won't get the refund before Monday...so you may have to be assertive with the bank.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

jessie4109 wrote: »

I normally would be that bothered over £19. I have also phoned Eon complaints department up and they told me to make an indemnity claim and then do a one off payment when funds are back into my account.
I have phoned the bank to make an indemnity claim. I have water coming out on Monday and also have to pay rent up front before Monday due to the "bedroom tax." I don't want to get into arrears with rent or get DD unpaid charges. I will ring Eon to pay £84 once funds are back into my account.

Hi jessie4109

I'm sorry we've taken the wrong amount from your bank account through the Direct Debit arrangement.

The indemnity route is certainly the quickest way to return the money to you and I suspect that's why our Complaints Team suggested this.

We could've sent the difference back to your bank through the existing payment arrangement but this would've taken longer.

Sorry again for the hassle we've caused.

Malc

jessie4109

I got the funds back yesterday, I checked when I got back from school pick up. I then rang up Eon and paid the £84, just so I could tell them that the £103 had been refunded by the bank as advised to do that by Eon.
Checked my online Eon account this morning and the £103 doesn't show and the £84 does so looks like things are back in order.

Thanks for all your help guys.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Glad it's sorted jessie. Thanks for letting me know.

Malc

Vortigern

A good result