really big gas/leccy problem :(

Tissy1

I am really unsure of what to do here. My npower gas and electric bill has gone from £150 per month to £710. I only earn £900 a month so I phoned them, they told me that they couldn't stop the payment coming out (3/2/14) so I would have to cancel the direct debit then restart it again when my revised bill comes in 7 - 10 days, but the bill is still going to be big because my readings are up to date(ish).
Where do I go from here? I am so worried, fuel poverty is supposed to be 10% of your wages isn't it? What on earth is mine? I am seriously not heating a business, just a home with 3 kids.

Froglet

That is just crazy! Did they estimate your bill then? And the readings you have given them are way below so it shouldn't be any more than you have been paying?

If so i would definitely cancel the direct debit,give Npower a call and tell them you will pay the bill ,once revised,either as a one off payment online or if they send a paper bill,at the bank.

Froglet

Do you have insulation and are you careful with your gas and electric or do you keep the heating up high and have lots of appliances running.Seriously,if your bill is quite high anyway,then i would start having a serious look at where you can make savings.Oh and do a comparison to see if there is a cheaper firm and tariff for you.

Consumerist

Tissy1 wrote: »

My npower gas and electric bill has gone from £150 per month to £710.

Such a large increase in your DD would normally mean your account has a substantial debit balance. But this is npower.

Does your account have a substantial debit balance which they are trying to recoup?

Tissy1

I do owe money, £93 of this is for the money owed, the rest is my usage.
The heating is on low, comes on for an hour in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening.
Low energy lamps everywhere, I have taken a reading and going to take another in one month to see exactly how much I am using. I can't believe anyone can use this much gas and electric in a month!

Consumerist

It still seems an extreme change in the DD.

You should ask for an explanation of how they arrived at their figure. They are obliged to provide that information.

If you don't get the explanation then start npower's complaints procedure. Make sure you get a complaints reference number if you do it by phone; they may try not to give you a reference number but you should insist.

Joyful

So you are saying that you use over £600 per month? Something has to be wrong. Post any readings you have that are accurate rather than estimates. How long has this debt been building up?

Moby_Tide

Tissy1 wrote: »

I do owe money, £93 of this is for the money owed, the rest is my usage.
The heating is on low, comes on for an hour in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening.
Low energy lamps everywhere, I have taken a reading and going to take another in one month to see exactly how much I am using. I can't believe anyone can use this much gas and electric in a month!

If you have a worry that you may be using £600 a month in gas and electric I would suggest checking every day and after a week you should be able to make a reasonable judgement on what your average weekly spend should be more like. Don't wait a month to find out something is wrong or that the figures are actually way off

quidsy

cancel the direct debit yourself at the bank or via internet banking. I would in no way allow this amount to come out until it ha been checked verified & agreed as owed.

Consumerist

Tissy1 wrote: »

. . . they told me that they couldn't stop the payment coming out (3/2/14) so I would have to cancel the direct debit then restart it again when my revised bill comes in 7 - 10 days . . .

It might be a good idea to check that you are still on your original tariff after you have reset the DD mandate. Their "system" :rotfl: may decide that you have broken their Ts&Cs by cancelling the DD.

If they put you onto a more expensive tariff, start their complaints procedure on that issue too.

Tissy1

The woman I spoke to went and spoke to hermanager and then came back and said to cancel the direct debit. I'vejust taken another reading, 14.01.14
Electric. 79901
Gas. 45480
17.01.14
Electric. 79950
Gas. 45493
I have a gas cooker that I use every night and one shower ran from the combi that we use. I have no idea whether these readings are normal.
Any help would be great.