Issues with payment arrangement.

LolliUK

I’m with Co-Operative Energy for my electricity, I’m long-term unemployed due to disability and claiming ESA.
I’ve had payment arrangement since 2014, I can’t afford much more.

Out of nowhere in Co-Op try taking large Direct Debit payments, I put a stop to this but it’s triggered a series of events - they’ve changed my tariff to a more expensive one (the only one available if I don’t pay via Direct Debit) and started collections - I’m now getting letters that my electricity will be cut off, in my financial situation and being disabled this would be disastrous. Bare in mind it’s taken since October just to get them to tell me what’s going on.

They tell me they’ll consider a new payment arrangement only if I give them an up-to-date meter reading.
I've no way to access the meter!

I’m in a council flat and the meter is locked away in the shared entrance - in the 10 years here I’ve been told both that legally I should have access to my meter, and that legally I can’t as it’d mean having access to neighbors meters too. There are people who come to read the meters, I've no idea when they took their last reading. Co-Operative energy are now telling me that I have to pay them £51.45 to get a meter reading - I can’t afford this!

I can’t pay without a payment arrangement, but they won’t grant a payment arrangement unless I pay for a meter reading…I’m not sure what to do.

Note: I’m trying to avoid going to CAB as I’m trying to get a [voluntary] job with them.

footyguy

LolliUK wrote: »

I’m with Co-Operative Energy for my electricity, I’m long-term unemployed due to disability and claiming ESA.
I’ve had payment arrangement since 2014, I can’t afford much more.

Out of nowhere in Co-Op try taking large Direct Debit payments, I put a stop to this but it’s triggered a series of events - they’ve changed my tariff to a more expensive one (the only one available if I don’t pay via Direct Debit) and started collections - I’m now getting letters that my electricity will be cut off, in my financial situation and being disabled this would be disastrous. Bare in mind it’s taken since October just to get them to tell me what’s going on.

They tell me they’ll consider a new payment arrangement only if I give them an up-to-date meter reading.
I've no way to access the meter!

I’m in a council flat and the meter is locked away in the shared entrance - in the 10 years here I’ve been told both that legally I should have access to my meter, and that legally I can’t as it’d mean having access to neighbors meters too. There are people who come to read the meters, I've no idea when they took their last reading. Co-Operative energy are now telling me that I have to pay them £51.45 to get a meter reading - I can’t afford this!

I can’t pay without a payment arrangement, but they won’t grant a payment arrangement unless I pay for a meter reading…I’m not sure what to do.

Note: I’m trying to avoid going to CAB as I’m trying to get a [voluntary] job with them.

Welcome to MSE :hello:

They almost certainly won't cut you off. If for no other resaon, it would mean it will be much harder to get their money off you if they did.

Fitting a PPM would be more usual for those with severe financial problems.

I suggest you take control asap if for no other reason than any PPM is more expensive than the best credit meter tariff.

Perhaps now you have taken the pluge to join MSE you should pop over to the Debt Free Wannabe board who I am sure will assist you further. with your financial problems

Contact the council to ensure you have access to your meter. Not only will they not be best pleased if the supplier has to use the big red key to gain access to it, but it is your right as the bill payer to have access to it (and your responsibilty to provide access to the supplier to it if/when they request)

The CAB won't care that you are hoping to volunteer for them - go and see them for advise if you need to.

LolliUK

FYI: I'd not be able to have a pre-payment meter fitted in my property for my electricity. If payment arrangement isn't an option then the next step would be apply for Fuel Direct, which isn't ideal for me and certainly isn't what's best for the energy company, so I'd much rather get on a payment plan.

footyguy

LolliUK wrote: »

FYI: I'd not be able to have a pre-payment meter fitted in my property for my electricity. If payment arrangement isn't an option then the next step would be apply for Fuel Direct, which isn't ideal for me and certainly isn't what's best for the energy company, so I'd much rather get on a payment plan.

Sounds like you know more about this that you let on in your OP

That could explain why the supplier has threatened to cut you off

I'm not sure I can offer you any more assistence in the circumstances

Good luck!

Robin9

OP Have a look at your bills – when was the last one that had a letter A against the meter reading ?

I don’t understand OP’s Fixed Payment – was this simply the original DD which was at the very best and is dependent on the consumption. I suspect that an ACTUAL reading has prompted a revision and a new DD is there to recover underpayment.

Cancelling the DD is the worst thing you can do – it means that you no longer a) get the DD discount and b) you get transferred to the (expensive) Standard Tariff.- both combine to increase your bill.

You should have access to your meter – not only for meter reading but there’s a master switch/isolator for the supply to your flat.
Contact your local councillor rather than the council to get this resolved.

Once you have access – read your meters regularly or ask someone to do it for you – and submit it online.

Read your bills and keep track of any debit or credit.