Green Network Energy Reviews: Add your feedback on the energy supplier

Grumpy_chap

ButtersUK said:

I'm still pondering about whether or not to cancel the direct debit.

I thought exactly the same, but then the website says that a "bounced" direct debit will report as default on my credit file, which is obviously not desirable.  Equally undesirable is to lose the £400 credit that is sitting on the account given the time of year we are in.  Hopefully OFGEM will protect all that.  I asked my bank and they said too late to stop or change February payment anyway, so I changed the DD on the website to the minimum amount that it would allow me to set from 1st March.  Hopefylly the process will be quick and painless.

ButtersUK

Grumpy_chap said:

ButtersUK said:

I'm still pondering about whether or not to cancel the direct debit.

I thought exactly the same, but then the website says that a "bounced" direct debit will report as default on my credit file, which is obviously not desirable.  Equally undesirable is to lose the £400 credit that is sitting on the account given the time of year we are in.  Hopefully OFGEM will protect all that.  I asked my bank and they said too late to stop or change February payment anyway, so I changed the DD on the website to the minimum amount that it would allow me to set from 1st March.  Hopefylly the process will be quick and painless.

May I ask which website you refer to?

Since my last post here I decided to cancel the direct debit by going online on my bank's website.  I did this on the reasoning that I would sooner pay them the outstanding amount when they ask for it rather than be in the position of trusting someome else to pay me an outstanding sum of money - especially when they are in the process of ceasing to trade.  I looked on the "WHICH?" website and on the Moneysavingexpert Energy website and both said it was acceptable to cancel the DD and if you have already cancelled it don't go to the bother of reinstating it.

Regarding a black mark on one's credit record I would take the view that no institution is going to take such drastic action simply  on the basis of the customer having cancelled their DD. Provided any outstanding sum was correct I would, of course, pay it straight away.

If the customer is asked to pay an outstanding amount and continues to refuse to do so then I can understand that - but not by virtue of the cancellation of one DD payment.

I have been paying my gas/electric bills religiously on time since 1974 and never had an issue - it did happen once that a Direct Debit got cancelled in error and I reinstated it without any recourse to the courts or having my credit record besmirched and fully trust this will remain the case.

Grumpy_chap

ButtersUK said:

May I ask which website you refer to?

It was on GNE website earlier.
I cannot now locate that again so can't link or directly quote.
I downloaded all by meter reading and bills following my post at 10:27 and now find my records are all blank when I log in.

Get a snap of records from their system asap.  All GNE customers need to do this.

ButtersUK

Grumpy_chap said:

ButtersUK said:

May I ask which website you refer to?

It was on GNE website earlier.
I cannot now locate that again so can't link or directly quote.
I downloaded all by meter reading and bills following my post at 10:27 and now find my records are all blank when I log in.

Get a snap of records from their system asap.  All GNE customers need to do this.

All received, ta.  I did just look at the GNE Ts and Cs and there is mention that if you cancel a DD without firdt telling them they will change the blling conditions and cancel any DD discount that may be applicable.

I just rang my bank and the fella said that he would have have cancelled his DD had he been in that position and reminded me of the trouble airline passengers had after the failure of a certian airline in getting refunds from them. He advised not to worry. (just his personal opinion, of course)

UnclaimedEnergy

For those thinking about cancelling your DD. Be aware that they've gone bust at the end of the month and will likely have a full months worth of un-billed usage. Even though GNE have gone bust, the administrators will still be working with them to collect all outstanding debts.

If you know you have enough credit to cover a month or so's worth of usage then you can prob delete. If not, then you could still cancel the DD but don't be surprised when you're then contacted to make a final payment a month or so down the line. (Basically don't spend that ~£70 until you're sure you've paid off the bill)

phillw

UnclaimedEnergy said:
but don't be surprised when you're then contacted to make a final payment a month or so down the line. (Basically don't spend that ~£70 until you're sure you've paid off the bill)

A month is overly optimistic.
I've not heard anything from Yorkshire Energy yet.

ButtersUK

UnclaimedEnergy said:

For those thinking about cancelling your DD. Be aware that they've gone bust at the end of the month and will likely have a full months worth of un-billed usage. Even though GNE have gone bust, the administrators will still be working with them to collect all outstanding debts.

If you know you have enough credit to cover a month or so's worth of usage then you can prob delete. If not, then you could still cancel the DD but don't be surprised when you're then contacted to make a final payment a month or so down the line. (Basically don't spend that ~£70 until you're sure you've paid off the bill)

Fair point.  Duly noted.

And, as I mentioned above, I would fully expect to pay what I owe them and will do when asked.  But (according to my thinking at least) I can, and will, pay them for the correct amount when asked to do so, rather than fight them to reclaim any, inadvertantly miscalculated sum they might have taken from my account.  This might sound pessimistic but I listen to that consumer programme on Radio 4 at lunchtime and hear all sorts of tales from ordinary folk who get taken for a ride by big organizations and they don't get any success until, miraculously, when Radio 4 gets involved, they find a resolution.

ButtersUK

Following on from the above, I've just sent GNE a message (and kept a copy)  from their website (which still seems to be fully functional) to tell them of my cancellation of the DD and advising I shall be happy to settle the account when the new provider takes over and when I'm given a final figure.

It's out of our hands and I hope the transfer to a new provider is relatively pain free. 

I also wish the staff of GNE well - I guess some, if not all, will be looking for another job.

phillw

BedrockFred said:
Just ask them to block the switch , when you ring Avro its says emergency calls but read on the YE forum that they will deal with matters like this 

I've used email for contact and Avro seems pretty quick replying so maybe email tonight and follow up with a call in the morning

I would argue that exercising your cooling off right within the the cooling off period makes it time sensitive & that fits within the definition of an emergency. You can't wait until the pandemic is over and then phone them to say you want to cancel the switch that went through six months ago.

BedrockFred

phillw said:

BedrockFred said:
Just ask them to block the switch , when you ring Avro its says emergency calls but read on the YE forum that they will deal with matters like this 

I've used email for contact and Avro seems pretty quick replying so maybe email tonight and follow up with a call in the morning

I would argue that exercising your cooling off right within the the cooling off period makes it time sensitive & that fits within the definition of an emergency. You can't wait until the pandemic is over and then phone them to say you want to cancel the switch that went through six months ago.

I wouldn't disagree with that