HELP!! Don't know what to do about my utility bills

sbaroudi

Last year I had a reminder from the cheap energy club that I was paying too much money for my utilities so I followed the process and switched to the recommended First Utility. After a few months I realised I was only getting meter reading reminders for gas. I rang the co- operative energy because I could no longer log on and they said they'd sort it out. I've only just managed to get back online and discovered I owe them in excess of £2,000. They admitted that they hadn't conducted a direct debit review since I joined them in 2014. I spent an hour on the phone last Friday and was told to leave it with them and call back this week. After another hour on the phone this morning and 4 different departments they confirmed that the amount was correct and are sending me an itemised bill to prove it.

I've now rang First Utility because their app is showing I'm £666 in credit but I couldn't access any bills only to be told that they haven't bothered to generate a bill in the last nine months so heaven only knows how much that's going to cost. What is up with these energy companies?

As I see it I have been disadvantaged by the co-op because they never bothered to tell me I need to increase the direct debit. They allowed me to transfer the gas to first utility even though they say it was gas that was a problem. I've been unable to take advantage of dual fuel discounts from both the co-op and first utility so the tariff I'm paying is too much. Is there anything I can do? I'm worried sick.

Autumnella

Have Co-Op ever issued you a bill prior to this one because under the billing code they can only back bill you for a year if they haven't issued a bill for more than a year so any charges over a year should be removed. Also make sure the meter read is correct.

footyguy

sbaroudi wrote: »

Last year I had a reminder from the cheap energy club that I was paying too much money for my utilities so I followed the process and switched to the recommended First Utility. After a few months I realised I was only getting meter reading reminders for gas. I rang the co- operative energy because I could no longer log on and they said they'd sort it out. I've only just managed to get back online and discovered I owe them in excess of £2,000. They admitted that they hadn't conducted a direct debit review since I joined them in 2014. I spent an hour on the phone last Friday and was told to leave it with them and call back this week. After another hour on the phone this morning and 4 different departments they confirmed that the amount was correct and are sending me an itemised bill to prove it.

I've now rang First Utility because their app is showing I'm £666 in credit but I couldn't access any bills only to be told that they haven't bothered to generate a bill in the last nine months so heaven only knows how much that's going to cost. What is up with these energy companies?

As I see it I have been disadvantaged by the co-op because they never bothered to tell me I need to increase the direct debit. They allowed me to transfer the gas to first utility even though they say it was gas that was a problem. I've been unable to take advantage of dual fuel discounts from both the co-op and first utility so the tariff I'm paying is too much. Is there anything I can do? I'm worried sick.

I don't understand. You say you are in debt to Co-Op in the sum of £2000 yet your FU account is currently in credit to the sum of £666 :huh:

Presumably one is for gas and one for electricity? As I don't see why you'd have 2 suppliers otherwise.

And you are paying monthly by Direct Debit too?

I can't really make head nor tail out of what you are saying, but suggest if you do now owe one supplier £2k, and are really £666 in credit with another, then you can ignore what the CEC tells you as you've got your info completely wrong somewhere.

You know the thing about computers? GIGO!

What you need to do is contact your suppliers, give them up to date meter readings, then get the correct info from them (annual consumption in kWh) and update your CEC accordingly.

Whilst you can't switch supplier if you are in debt to the present one, and even if you're not in debt, you'll get a final bill if you do switch which will need to be paid pronto, at least you'll know where you stand.
Also, be aware that more often than not, separate suppliers actually wotks out cheaper than dual fuel (as long as you choose the right suppliers/tariffs for you)

matelodave

I really cannot understand why people don't ever check their bills, statements, bank accounts or meters and then wonder why they owe silly amounts of money and are being chased for it.

I just cannot have any sysmpathy if you don't put a bit of effort into keeping your accounts in order

dogshome

Fair critisism ?
It can be seen from posting dates and times, that many forum responders are, like myself, retirees and have plenty of freetime to check very bill.

Now, apart from my own Utility bills I also monitor those of 5 other households, but I can well remember the days of doing the paid for job, sorting out the needs of my family and doing my best to support two sets of ageing parents
At that time checking my bills consisted of little more than reminding the kids that switches have an Off position and just paying whatever figure was on the bill.

Every well informed responder on this forum, started out wearing L plates

victor2

dogshome wrote: »

Fair critisism ?
It can be seen from posting dates and times, that many forum responders are, like myself, retirees and have plenty of freetime to check very bill.

Now, apart from my own Utility bills I also monitor those of 5 other households, but I can well remember the days of doing the paid for job, sorting out the needs of my family and doing my best to support two sets of ageing parents
At that time checking my bills consisted of little more than reminding the kids that switches have an Off position and just paying whatever figure was on the bill.

Every well informed responder on this forum, started out wearing L plates

Good points.

Long gone are the days of utilities being a fairly small part of the monthly expenses, and you just accepted you pay the gas or electric board for what you've used, or put a shilling in the meter for an ongoing supply.
Many people, especially the elderly, simply don't understand their utility bills and are stumped by the one of the first things they see on them - kWh.
Even those who have enough technical ability to be able to post on here often demonstrate the just don't understand the subject.

I too look after the bills for an elderly widowed relative - it has taken me over a year of monthly analysis to realise that she best understands a column graph showing monthly costs of actual usage for the current year compared to the previous. Now she understands what her efforts to reduce energy usage mean...