Energy Companies and Direct Debits whinge.

forgotmyname

A little whinge about energy companies and their inability to regulate direct debit payments.

Currently with EDF but also had it with British Gas my previous supplier.

Latest bill for 193 days, seems we have underpaid £7.14, so they are increasing our direct debit. So how much does it take to balance the books and bring our account back to an even state?

How about an extra £29 a month????

We had similar issues with British Gas years ago and one of the reasons we left. BG would send the bill out 1 day before the next direct debit was taken and claim we owed them money. Then increased the DD to a stupid figure but when the next bill arrived we were in credit by a LOT. And the computer dropped it too low.

I got fed up with BG and called them to set a realistic figure for the DD but they just kept saying the computer does it and they cannot override it. Until i said fine cancel the direct debits and send my quarterly bills. That did the trick it wa s what cancel the DD. I would call them customer support but they offered no supporrt. Utterly useless. Stumped by my demand to cancel the direct debit.

Suddenly they were able to setup a lower monthly amount which was still far too high and within 3 months we were already in credit.

I do hope EDF are not going the same way...

Just checked and the next DD is due in 5 days, so have we really underpaid?

Whinge over

lincroft1710

Ring EDF and try to negotiate lower payment or more favourable tariff

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

forgotmyname wrote: »

A little whinge about energy companies and their inability to regulate direct debit payments.

Currently with EDF but also had it with British Gas my previous supplier.

Latest bill for 193 days, seems we have underpaid £7.14, so they are increasing our direct debit. So how much does it take to balance the books and bring our account back to an even state?

How about an extra £29 a month????

We had similar issues with British Gas years ago and one of the reasons we left. BG would send the bill out 1 day before the next direct debit was taken and claim we owed them money. Then increased the DD to a stupid figure but when the next bill arrived we were in credit by a LOT. And the computer dropped it too low.

I got fed up with BG and called them to set a realistic figure for the DD but they just kept saying the computer does it and they cannot override it. Until i said fine cancel the direct debits and send my quarterly bills. That did the trick it wa s what cancel the DD. I would call them customer support but they offered no supporrt. Utterly useless. Stumped by my demand to cancel the direct debit.

Suddenly they were able to setup a lower monthly amount which was still far too high and within 3 months we were already in credit.

I do hope EDF are not going the same way...

Just checked and the next DD is due in 5 days, so have we really underpaid?

Whinge over

Next time don't wait six months plus between bills! As you were short on your current plan, then they have increased the DD to be sure you are not in debt over the coming winter.

Without meter readings and consumption over the year, and that you don't provide regular readings, then any supplier will use a gauge to align what they think you will use. Unfortunately this will always be more than your best guess inn the Wobbleade emporium on a Friday night.

For a guide, mine is 12,500 to 13,500 kWh for gas and 3,300 kWh for electricity. My DD with my supplier has been stable, on their fixed tariff fir years now, and always with £5 a month of the best rate.

You will get a better answer on the energy boards.

Autumnella

At this time of year your account should be in credit to cover the additional amount you'll use over the winter. It's easily possible to use more than £29 worth of gas a month over the winter.

forgotmyname

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Ring EDF and try to negotiate lower payment or more favourable tariff

Its not the Tariff thats the issue its the small underpayment over 6 months and the much larger increase which is above what i call a sensible increase. £7 underpaid over 6 months = a £29 per month increase?

Autumnella wrote: »

At this time of year your account should be in credit to cover the additional amount you'll use over the winter. It's easily possible to use more than £29 worth of gas a month over the winter.

This is for electric not gas and our electric is fairly static all year around. Yes lights are on a little longer but some pond equipment goes off also which more than covers the extra on lighting.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

Next time don't wait six months plus between bills! As you were short on your current plan, then they have increased the DD to be sure you are not in debt over the coming winter.

Without meter readings and consumption over the year, and that you don't provide regular readings, then any supplier will use a gauge to align what they think you will use. Unfortunately this will always be more than your best guess inn the Wobbleade emporium on a Friday night.

For a guide, mine is 12,500 to 13,500 kWh for gas and 3,300 kWh for electricity. My DD with my supplier has been stable, on their fixed tariff fir years now, and always with £5 a month of the best rate.

You will get a better answer on the energy boards.

Dont wait 6 months between bills? They bill me I do not get a choice when they send the bills.

Yes i have underpaid. But only £7 over 6 months... So the DD that comes out in 3 days time will cover that.

But the next DD will be £29 more. So i will have paid an extra £174 for a £7 deficit??? How does that make sense?

These are actual readings not estimated also so no difference there.
Its not about the rate as mentioned above. Its the fact the bill arrived 5 days before the next payment and i owe just £7 over 6 months. Just so over a £1 a month. So an increase of £5 would easily cover it maybe even £10 if an increase is looming. But £29 extra??

If the bill had arrived 5 days later i would have been in credit. But for £7 thats neither here or there. Its just how they work out an underpayment of £1.20 a month = a £29pm increase?

It just means that when the next bill arrives in Feb next year will be in credit of over £150 and they will have to send me a cheque.

missile

I sympathise with you. Had a similar issue with EDF.

Changed to a cheaper tariff and they increased my DD. My previous bill was in credit! Got a condescending BS response 'we want to make sure you do not under pay are not faced with a bill which you struggle to pay'.

Only after a formal complaint, did they eventually agree to keep my DD the same.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

forgotmyname wrote: »

Dont wait 6 months between bills? They bill me I do not get a choice when they send the bills.

Oh dear! Now why does mine email me and allow me to update my readings and give me bills every three months. In fact, I could event get one every two weeks if I could be bothered.


But hey, you wait in excess of 6 months and it is not your fault!


I will repeat my final advice from above!

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

You will get a better answer on the energy boards.

forgotmyname

This is a whinge about the fact that over a 6 month period i owe £7 and yet they have increased my monthly DD by £29.

Nothing to do with the frequency of the bills, i dont see any option to get billed month or quarterly. I get 2 bills a year and have done for a while.

Even so, if i got billed 3 months ago i would have owed £3.50 and they would have ignore it or still put my DD up by £29.

The only emails i get are time for a Meter reading. Then nothing until the twice yearly bill arrives.

My next bill will be around Feb next year no matter how many meter readings i supply.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Wait six months for your next bill then!

For other edf users, you can update your readings here.
https://www.edfenergy.com/sme-business/customers/submit-meter-reading

This should help others at edf from shocking DD increases in the winter!

OP don't forget to make sure your heating is off during the cold periods to prevent excessive bills!

molerat

I am with EDF. Submit a reading every month and they will bill you every month (but they will not bill at less than 28 days). 6 months is their default billing cycle.

When I submit my reading at the end of this month I calculate I will be £55 in credit, £100 in October, and projecting forward to February when my annual review is due I will be at around £0. If you are in debit now your DD is too low.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Shhhh Molerat. Don't mention they could be in debt!