What's the minimum to avoid disconnection?

ethan123

@sacsquacco,
Thanks again. One question... If I spoke to NPower on the phone, and they said that I would have to pay them £10 / w by DD for the plan to be what they considered an "approved" payment plan... yet I decided to pay them £5 / w by Standing Order (or some type of Non-DD)... if they applied to make me have a PPMeter, would the judge (court) refuse NPower this right?
- - because I was already paying them in some way shape or form - and there are so many others out there paying nothing, etc.

[Deleted User]

I dont think theres any courts/judges involved when the suppliers decide to switch you from credit meters to pay as you go meters.Paying your energy bill with a 3 month credit is not a right anyone has. they only get involved in getting warrants/locksmiths if you refuse to accept the prepays.I can t help you with your question re the ammount of weekly repayment. My next door neighbour had £800 debt repaying at £18 a week but was reduced to £6 a week after some negotiations, best of luck

lstar337

ethan123 wrote: »

The shower uses 6 kw/hr unfortunately (high temp. setting during winter). This is 3x the consumption of an electric fire.

The shower can't be turned down? Ours has 3, 6, & 9 kWh modes. If things are that dire, do you 'need' to shower? You could just was daily with a flannel and soapy water.

ethan123 wrote: »

... I used an electricity monitor to measure the consumption of "everything" in my flat some time ago. I put the results in an excel spreadsheet.

Me too.

So what actually is your current consumption?

My current sheet tells me that we are using (on average) £1.20/day. We are all electric, not even gas hob like yourself. we are careful, but we (Me, Girlfriend, 4year old daughter) are still using:

Hot water (every day)
Oven/Grill/Hob (every day)
Microwave (most days)
Tumble Drier (2-3 times a week)
Washing machine (2-3 times a week)
Kettle (every day - several times)
Fridge Freezer (constantly)
9kW Shower (every day)
Lights (intermittently)

Plus the usual entertainment devices.

I think our bills are quite low, and that is mostly down to good management of devices and making good use of economy7 electric.

If we had to cut back, we could get it to well under 90p a day. Would that still be unaffordable for you?

ethan123

@lstar337
Hi, thanks for replying... My consumption used to be 46.5 / w (numbers on the meter) when I moved in.

Then I bought a whistle kettle and turned off elec water, and it went down to 34 / w.

Then I bought energy saving light bulbs, and it went down to 29.7 / w.

... Though after some time of doing this, I got tired of the spartan routine, and let things slip - like turning on my elec water.

Though I never tried not using the shower. That could save me a packet. It's a consumption monster.


@sacsquacco,
Hi, thanks for yr reply.
No courts or judges involved??? :shocked: My god - this energy company stuff sounds more and more Judge Dredd the more I read about it.


I think someone should start one of those parliamentary e-petitions, to stop the energy companies being able to cut you off.
The water company can't do this.
All that's needed to trigger a parliamentary debate is 100,000 signatures... (which I think might be some type of email thumbs up?)

lstar337

ethan123 wrote: »

My consumption used to be 46.5 / w (numbers on the meter) when I moved in.

Then I bought a whistle kettle and turned off elec water, and it went down to 34 / w.

Then I bought energy saving light bulbs, and it went down to 29.7 / w.

Not sure what these figures are, can you clarify them a bit?

Are we talking kWh per week?

insanegloss

ethan123 wrote: »

@lstar337

@sacsquacco,
Hi, thanks for yr reply.
No courts or judges involved??? :shocked: My god - this energy company stuff sounds more and more Judge Dredd the more I read about it.


I think someone should start one of those parliamentary e-petitions, to stop the energy companies being able to cut you off.
The water company can't do this.
All that's needed to trigger a parliamentary debate is 100,000 signatures... (which I think might be some type of email thumbs up?)

I think you are slightly misunderstanding what sacsquacco meant there, as it rightly is a purely commercial decision to provide credit or not. After all, regardless of who you are, would like to be forced to provide credit to someone who you believe has a low chance of paying you back?

What is rightly decided by judges etc, is the enforcement of the warrant to enter the property to change the meters by force. There are protections for consumers in this regard, however these are balanced in regard to commercial realities (e.g you don't force a PPM for someone who is unable to operate one vs. someone who can and simply just has trouble paying).

The law as it currently stands is sufficient in my personal opinion.

Nada666

ethan123 wrote: »

No courts or judges involved??? :shocked: My god - this energy company stuff sounds more and more Judge Dredd the more I read about it.

I think someone should start one of those parliamentary e-petitions, to stop the energy companies being able to cut you off.

The water company can't do this.

What rubbish. Energy companies no longer cut you off - they fit a prepayment meter. You are stating you are not in a fit state to repay a trivial £330 bill. If that is true you had no right to use the electricity in the first place. Instead of repaying it through a prepayment meter (free of charge - other customers will have to pay for the cost of installation) at £17 per month you are demanding the ooman rights to continue to use a credit meter and to continue to spend money you do not have.

It is poorly disciplined customers like you who have all the rights not the energy companies or the paying customers.

ethan123

lstar337 wrote: »

Not sure what these figures are, can you clarify them a bit?

Are we talking kWh per week?

Yes, this is what my meter has written on it...

undaunted

There's no reason they couldn't make a payment arrangement via standing order if they wanted to.

Your other option, if on any qualifying benefits (eg income suppport) is to get onto fuel direct - which will take your ongoing consumption plus about £3.60 p/w towards your debt

http://cfe.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5488/~/information-about-fuel-direct

chanz4

If you can't afford consumption, they can refuse to supply on a credit metre. Even with the metre in another place they could fit a feeder. As long as its been outstanding for 28 days they can enforce. Have you explored fuel direct