MSE News: One in five households 'owe energy firms cash'

Narc

Another non-story to promote uswitch etc.

Being in dept to my energy supplier makes up for the phone company and water company demanding I pay for 6 months of something I have not used yet.

demystified

I heard an interview about this on the radio, Radio 2 Simon Mayo, I think.

Ann Robinson (no, not that one) seemed perfectly reasonable to me. And yes, I'm in debt to my energy company too. Not for the reason I havn't checked my meter but because it was impossible to read my meter until a meter reading bloke came and read it...

but I guess the professional cynics on MSE know better eh?

philcdav

Its hard to disagree with the statement BUT in my case, and I am sure many others, the debt is the result of using a payment plan that carries the debit/credit over a yearly direct debit plan.

My current debit is £150 on a dual fuel plan. My projections say the plan will 'balance' to zero debit +/- around September on a total of £1100.

That suits me fine. Its under control and is affordable.

Interestingly the company (BG) wanted me to increase the Direct Debit in January to a level that would have put me in CREDIT for most of the year.
Now that would be stupid.

Regards - Phil

Consumerist

At the end of a winter, most of us should have a debit balance to our energy statements or else we are probably paying too much on our direct debits.

Does this amount to what we normally regard as debt - a bill we are unable to pay when due?

CRISPIANNE3

Well its meant to be Spring and ended up with a credit balance of £128.50 after the meter was just read
.
However SP in their wisdom have decided to increase my dd by £15.00 a month. Certainly not a problem as we allow £90 a month and we are still no where near that amount.