Switched energy provider, billed by old supplier and new supplier...

ThePaintedLady

Good morning, and apologies if this has been asked before but I couldn't find anything in my search of the forum.

I recently switched energy providers (for both Gas and Electric) from British Gas to Green Network Energy, moving to their two-year fix. Today is Day 21 and we have had an email saying they will take their first payment today or in the next few days.

Our DD from British Gas came out on different days; Gas was set to come out on the 1st of the month with Electricity coming out on 8th. Our account with BG closed yesterday, and as per the advice in the Cheap Energy Club FAQs we didn't cancel our DD to BG. BG have taken the Gas payment on 3rd Dec, have applied to take the Electricity payment and GNE have applied to take the DD for both; this means approx. £160 has come out of our account.

This is my first switch, so I don't really know how it works, but it's rather frustrating to have paid two sets of payments in one month (and especially frustrating that that month is December, despite trying to reduce spending on Christmas presents this year..!)

Any insights you have would be greatly appreciated, and please forgive my ignorance with regards to posting; I read the rules but I've never been a member of a forum before!

Many thanks in advance

molerat

You are not going to pay for the same energy twice so don't worry there. The DDs are just a payment on account and smaller companies often take the first payment up front as it helps with their cash flow, the big 6 tends to be in arrears. The important thing to know is how is your BG account standing at the moment, in credit or debit ? Just bad luck that it happened in December.

ThePaintedLady

Thank you very much, AFAIK we are in credit, so should hopefully receive that back. I guess we could look at it as enforced savings?! Silver linings and all that!