Avro Energy - Doubled my DD, tell me I can't switch plans or move away till the debt is cleared?

memphis73

Hi there, I'm am so grateful for any advice that can be passed on.

I have my Energy (dual) with Avro, I haven't been sending the meter readings - which is my fault.

When they came to do a meter reading in November, they added a debt of £150 per month to "catch up" on the bills, meaning I just received an email saying they will double my direct debit.

I am also out of my previous plan. What have i learnt - submit meter readings and set a reminder on the payment plan ending.

However Avro have said that they will not allow me to move plans, or change to another supplier until the debt is clear.

So I will be tied to an expensive plan, and have to clear £900 approx of debt before I can do anything about this.

I would so appreciate any advice about how to resolve this.

Benight

memphis73 wrote: »

Hi there, I'm am so grateful for any advice that can be passed on.

I have my Energy (dual) with Avro, I haven't been sending the meter readings - which is my fault.

When they came to do a meter reading in November, they added a debt of £150 per month to "catch up" on the bills, meaning I just received an email saying they will double my direct debit.

I am also out of my previous plan. What have i learnt - submit meter readings and set a reminder on the payment plan ending.

However Avro have said that they will not allow me to move plans, or change to another supplier until the debt is clear.

So I will be tied to an expensive plan, and have to clear £900 approx of debt before I can do anything about this.

I would so appreciate any advice about how to resolve this.

On what basis has the supplier indicated you cannot transfer from their default tariff?

If you are unhappy, please raise a complaint in line with their complaint procedure.

If you wish to switch supplier, you will need to pay off the debt in full. Consider getting a loan if necessary and you are that keen to switch supplier.

memphis73

Thanks Benight -

"At the moment there is not another plan that you are able to switch onto, once the debit amount has been addressed however we would be able to look at renewing you onto a fixed rate tariff. In order to switch to another provider any outstanding debit with us will need to be cleared first."

Chappers27

Avro Energy are no longer able to accept new customers.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2019/04/notice_of_reasons_for_final_order_issued_to_avro_dated_3_april_2019.pdf

Benight

memphis73 wrote: »

Thanks Benight -

"At the moment there is not another plan that you are able to switch onto, once the debit amount has been addressed however we would be able to look at renewing you onto a fixed rate tariff. In order to switch to another provider any outstanding debit with us will need to be cleared first."

Chappers27 wrote: »

Avro Energy are no longer able to accept new customers.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/system/files/docs/2019/04/notice_of_reasons_for_final_order_issued_to_avro_dated_3_april_2019.pdf

Correct, but this is not a new customer; this is an existing customer.

OP follow the suppliers complaint procedure as the supplier does have other tariffs available to existing customers
(as they have indicated to you - you do not need to have cleared any debt to be put on these alternative tariffs)

spiro

You need to be very clear about the different between debt and debit.

If you pay quarterly on reciept of a bill and don't pay it on time you are then in debt because you have not paid when a demand for payment (bill) has been issued. In this case a supplier can object to a switch.

If you pay by Direct Debit what you normally receive is a statement which has either has a debit ot credit balance. The is not a demand for payment and therefore you are not in debt even if it has a debit balance. In this case a supplier cannot object to a switch.

Biscuit_Tin

spiro wrote: »

You need to be very clear about the different between debt and debit.

If you pay quarterly on reciept of a bill and don't pay it on time you are then in debt because you have not paid when a demand for payment (bill) has been issued. In this case a supplier can object to a switch.

If you pay by Direct Debit what you normally receive is a statement which has either has a debit ot credit balance. The is not a demand for payment and therefore you are not in debt even if it has a debit balance. In this case a supplier cannot object to a switch.

True, but it appears from the OP that £900 is owed on the account at the term end, and only £150 of that was as a result of a recent catch up bill.

Whilst not certain, it would appear this account is in debt (i.e. the supplier has issued a bill for at least some of the shortfall, which has not been paid) and both parties have agreed some form of repayment plan to recover that shortfall over time.

Avro aim to review DD levels every 3-6 months to ensure the customers payments will leave them with a zero balance at the end of the term.

But yes, the exact circumstances need to be carefully examined



I think this thread was more about the fact that if you look at the Avro site, it says that they are not accepting new customers, and so no details of tariffs are provided, and then extrapolating that into suggesting that the supplier does noty have any tariffs other than their default.

That, as explained above, in incorrect. The supplier is not taking on new customers, but can retain existing customers. The supplier has a range of tariffs, and I feel sure the supplier would have offered these, or at least the cheapest for the customer's consumption, as every other supplier does when a fixed term comes to an end.