Npower doubled my direct debit

Fire_Fox

AliceBanned wrote: »

It's a modest flat, extremely well insulated. I only have the heating on in the evenings.

I've never kept records of the KWhs. The energy companies tend to be wilfully ambiguous over costs; with different standing charges, etc it is almost impossible to calculate how much the bills will be, so I've not monitored my use but agree it would be a start. Just never had a shock bill like that. May be due to the longer winter. Or something wrong with my boiler perhaps. I did notice some of the radiators getting too hot and I had to turn them down, which is ridiculous. I's a rented flat so not sure what I can do.

Please stop making excuses, you don't happen to know they have no right to take a little extra in the summer to cover winter usage. If you supply readings regularly you will get regular bills so won't have to guess or calculate it for yourself, your DDs will be adjusted as needed to closely follow your annual usage.

You are three full months in arrears, you will continue to use power so it will take you perhaps five or six months to get back to a true zero balance anyway. Cannot see why you are whining about it being unfair or about going into credit when you are massively in debt. You have not bothered to properly monitor or control your use, that is why your DD is doubling not because they are being heavy handed.

AliceBanned

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Please stop making excuses, you don't happen to know they have no right to take a little extra in the summer to cover winter usage. If you supply readings regularly you will get regular bills so won't have to guess or calculate it for yourself, your DDs will be adjusted as needed to closely follow your annual usage.

You are three full months in arrears, you will continue to use power so it will take you perhaps five or six months to get back to a true zero balance anyway. Cannot see why you are whining about it being unfair or about going into credit when you are massively in debt. You have not bothered to properly monitor or control your use, that is why your DD is doubling not because they are being heavy handed.

Excuses?!! I'm only trying to explain.

anyone would think you work for Npower. I'm not changing my opinion of them. I have other companies to compare them with, and I still think they are being OTT. Don't know why I posted on here to get castigated like this. I owe £180, big deal, in two months it will be paid off, and my energy consumption will be much lower soon. I always send in meter readings when asked, so don't know why you've assumed that I don't. the reason it has ran over is the higher cost than previously, nothing to do with me not doing meter readings.

It is a known fact that energy companies obfuscate the details of different tariffs etc, so it doesn't take a dim person to not be able to work it out or keep track properly. Don't really see the point in all this blame, it's really uncalled for when I have asked for help. I accept i owe the money, it's not as though I'm a bloody criminal or a I don't pay my way.:mad:

tibawo

Sorry Firefox but I have to side a little with the op. I have just been through the same thing with Np. They shot up my dd from 70 to 220. I queried it and was original told the arrears/ winter saga. They then did another calculation using annual figures and said it was 63. I then said to keep at the 70 as I already budgeted this. In November they upped it again to 150, again I had to ring. They adjusted yet again and I have just input my figures not only have I paid arrears but am now in credit.
I still want to know we're the 220 and 150 came from.

Twopints

Can't you cancel the Direct Debit?

Nada666

tibawo wrote: »

Sorry Firefox but I have to side a little with the op. I have just been through the same thing with Np. They shot up my dd from 70 to 220. [...] I still want to know we're the 220 and 150 came from.

But Ms Banned has not provided any such arithmetical justification for her claim. No-one denies that computers can spit out ridiculous demands. In this case no evidence has been proferred to support her objection - at no time has the OP denied that their annual spend will be around £790.

She is frustrated because she knows she is flitting - but then it is for her to decide on whether or not to come off an MDD tariff and start paying quarterly. There is no justification to object because paying equally over the next year will result in a credit build-up.

timeou

EON have done exactly the same to me - I was £110 in arrears last week and they have put my bill up £30 per month to £139

Despite me explaining that we are (hopefully) at the end of winter and that it would even out over the summer.

Alsoo their predicted annual spend for me is £1404 which equates to £117 per month they still wouldnt budge though - they say they can't physically change it.

Nada666

timeou wrote: »

EON have done exactly the same to me - I was £110 in arrears last week and they have put my bill up £30 per month to £139

Despite me explaining that we are (hopefully) at the end of winter and that it would even out over the summer.

Alsoo their predicted annual spend for me is £1404 which equates to £117 per month they still wouldnt budge though - they say they can't physically change it.

Again, no real justification to your complaint.

You were paying £109 per month. This left you £110 in arrears. That is £9.17 per month. Actual spend (at last year's prices) £118 per month (they estimate £117 - a quid in your favour).

You still have £110 to pay back. Over six months that is £18.33, over three £36.67, over twelve £9.17

So your consumption is £117 per month. £22 to £139 so this appears to be arrears repaid over six months.

So that's 2 or £3 over on a £139 payment. Gosh, how outrageous. Was there not a price change over the previous twelve months? Feel free to spend hours on the telephone or many iterations of written correspondence to correct such a swingeing overestimate.

If, after six months, they do not cut your payments down to £120 odd then complain. Until then stop worrying and don't waste your time. (Mind you, by then there'll be an imminent price increase for the winter season - but that's a separate issue.)

keith1950

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.

Obviously , from your figures, £55/month is not enough to cover your annual usage or you would not have ended up owing £180.

I agree that you will use less during the next few months however your contract ends in September ?? , therefore you should be looking at clearing the £180 debt over the next six months and not the next twelve.

That would mean £30/month towards arrears which when added to the DD you have been paying makes £85/month. So it isn't that unreasonable for them to temporarily set the DD at £95.

Once the debt starts to reduce they are usually open to requests to reduce the DD.

You should then end up in September owing nothing and will be in the perfect position to switch without any hassle.

All the suppliers have changed the way they operate so customers do not end up with large arrears. You state you have never had this problem with other suppliers but if you switch you will find that things have now changed with other suppliers, your past experiences seem to be prior to recent changes.

AliceBanned

keith1950 wrote: »

Obviously , from your figures, £55/month is not enough to cover your annual usage or you would not have ended up owing £180.

I agree that you will use less during the next few months however your contract ends in September ?? , therefore you should be looking at clearing the £180 debt over the next six months and not the next twelve.

That would mean £30/month towards arrears which when added to the DD you have been paying makes £85/month. So it isn't that unreasonable for them to temporarily set the DD at £95.

Once the debt starts to reduce they are usually open to requests to reduce the DD.

You should then end up in September owing nothing and will be in the perfect position to switch without any hassle.

All the suppliers have changed the way they operate so customers do not end up with large arrears. You state you have never had this problem with other suppliers but if you switch you will find that things have now changed with other suppliers, your past experiences seem to be prior to recent changes.

Thanks, but I did ask and they said I have to pay £96 pm until September. That would put me in credit. That's not what you are saying. I could ask them to put the dd back down in June or July, but not sure what they'll say. Thanks I had no idea that suppliers had changed in this way. I would prefer to go on to quarterly bills next time if this is the case, so I have control over my outgoings.

AliceBanned

Twopints wrote: »

Can't you cancel the Direct Debit?

I hadn't thought of that. Really, I'm happy to pay it for 2-3 months but if I'm in credit after that I may try to cancel and go on to quarterly billing. The rates are a bit higher that way though but it is probably better for me.