Npower doubled my direct debit

AliceBanned

Hi

I have just phoned Npower. I have dual fuel with them; contract ends October 2013. I can't remember when it started - thought it was summer last year.

My direct debit for dual fuel has gone up from £55 to £96 because I have a balance of £182.18. I think this is unreasonable. I was with EON before and they were more fair on averaging the cost over the year. all the woman kept saying was this was based on my annual cost, but i kept saying we are at the end of the winter so it's not accurate.

They won't budge on it but I'm about to move house and £96 being taken per month is going to make things really tough. It's only a one bed flat. I asked about cancelling the contract and she said £30 per fuel. I have a feeling it will be better doing that, probably going back to EOn asap or trying UW (haven't tried them before).

Or can I go to the ombudsman? I suppose I could pay off the balance on my credit card and they might let me go back to the previous dd.

I switched on a cashback offer so it was probably a stupid thing to do. I find it impossible to calculate and work out the different rates etc. It is deliberately confusing.

Any advice would be appreciated.

McKneff

If you have your annual statement to hand, see how much fuel you used for last year, add to this yor balance then divide it by 12,
This is the way they have worked it out.

If you don't have an annual statement, ring them and ask them for the annual amount

That's what you should be paying per month.

AliceBanned

Thanks McKneff. Their prediction is that I will spend £789.38 on elec and gas over the next 12 months. Inc VAT. So it's ridiculous that they will charge me this until next statement on 23 September. it just means I will be overpaying.

Despite the higher charges I may change next time to a quarterly bill.:(

AliceBanned

On my calculation it should be £65 pm which is a bit better but I guess they are taking the arrears. Just think they should be a bit less extreme; an end of winter statement is bound to be in arrears.

Swipe

They have done the same to both me and my parents. We are both all electric and will use about 70% less over the summer/autumn months. Not sure why they are suddenly doing this this year as I've always been in debit going into spring which gets cancelled out around the end of May.

AliceBanned

Exactly. And they won't budge an inch. Just insist on it even when I said I can't make the payments so have to switch. It will actually make things a bit difficult. I wouldn't mind for two months, but not until September! That's nearly £600 so i'd be in credit. I should be able to change it back in June to £50 if they were being fair.

Roland_Sausage

Npower have done the same to me. I have been with them over a year now and have paying £84 a month. Just got the annual statement and it is only £6 something in arrears so what I have been paying was almost spot on.

Based on the annual statement, yhey estimate that I will spend £1111 over the next 12 months, plus the £6 arrears which needs paid. Round this up to £1118 and £93 a month should cover this in my opinion.

But they are wanting me to pay £114 a month! :eek: I realise that prices have gone up but not by £29 a month surely for a small 2 bedroom house with 2 people living in it.

They have said if I pay off the arrears straighaway they will bring this down to £113 per month :mad:

AliceBanned

Roland_Sausage wrote: »

Npower have done the same to me. I have been with them over a year now and have paying £84 a month. Just got the annual statement and it is only £6 something in arrears so what I have been paying was almost spot on.

Based on the annual statement, yhey estimate that I will spend £1111 over the next 12 months, plus the £6 arrears which needs paid. Round this up to £1118 and £93 a month should cover this in my opinion.

But they are wanting me to pay £114 a month! :eek: I realise that prices have gone up but not by £29 a month surely for a small 2 bedroom house with 2 people living in it.

They have said if I pay off the arrears straighaway they will bring this down to £113 per month :mad:[/QUOTE


So they claim to base it on the annual cost but actually they charge more. I think it's an abuse of the direct debit. I will definitely move on in October and never go back to them. Eon were quite good - whenever I phoned to adjust the direct debit they tried to make it reasonable so that I was never overpaying at any point. Much better customer service. As it's a cold winter, gas prices are up and there's a recession I think npower are being really irresponsible. I know they are a business but that's not the way to run a business for profit. just a way to drive away customers by being so aggressive.

AliceBanned

Roland_Sausage wrote: »

Npower have done the same to me. I have been with them over a year now and have paying £84 a month. Just got the annual statement and it is only £6 something in arrears so what I have been paying was almost spot on.

Based on the annual statement, yhey estimate that I will spend £1111 over the next 12 months, plus the £6 arrears which needs paid. Round this up to £1118 and £93 a month should cover this in my opinion.

But they are wanting me to pay £114 a month! :eek: I realise that prices have gone up but not by £29 a month surely for a small 2 bedroom house with 2 people living in it.

They have said if I pay off the arrears straighaway they will bring this down to £113 per month :mad:

And based on £6 arrears?!! How ridiculous.

Nada666

Seems a perfectly reasonable figure and bang on. £800 divided by 12 plus arrears to be paid back over six months equals 67 + 30.

In what way is this remotely unreasonable? Do you claim £790 is an unrealistic estimate of your annual usage?

AliceBanned

I'm saying that suddenly doubling the direct debit and refusing to negotiate and have any consideration is unreasonable. If I pay at £96 pm from now until October I will be in credit by about £300 as it is spring and summer bill coming up. Clearly they want people to be in credit which is unreasonable. A direct debit isn't meant to be used for that purpose.

It was also the attitude on the phone. If she had said I could pay £96 for two months, ten a higher rate than previously but lower than £96, then that would be reasonable. keeping it at £96 when it is the end of winter means I will overpay, which is unfair and obviously by customer relations.