Energy Club and company buy outs warning.

JerryMartin

Energy club switched me to Better Energy and all was fine until they soldmout to PFP energy and transferred my account but keeping the fixed tarrif.
I missed that they took Betetr Energy's spend prediction and doubled it and then just before tarif ended it went up by another 50% so 4 x original.
They inherited account in autumn with 5 a monthly payment in hand but that didn't stop them changing direct debit, I was used to being able to review it at a click , pfp are difficult to contact and then covid hit. I was made redundant and had a year until pension due.. but had skills , however Covid meant no income by spring I had almost 3 months in hand would have been more but Son at home on Uni work experience year. I tried contacting PfP Energy on new tariff and lowering DD no response and no links to tarif unless I don't login. Energy club review and they don't rate despite their email offer being worse than their unlogged in tariffs, but my account had a banner stating discounts coming soon.
I wrongly decided to wait but with weeks to go no discount and lost of Covid excuses as why no contact , odd as they probably have calls answered from employees homes, I switched to a better energy club tarif but timing means a month at s ridiculous rate but luckily probably have a low usage.
As advised I contacted about direct debit , asking for a refund they said my latest meter reading was higher than last I said , pointed out to them units used was less , last 3 readings 9750,9755 & 9758 and obviously reading higher because that is  how meters work.
They refused refund , recommended that I didn't cancel even after I told them they knew I was switching , they finally acknowledged and even advised that cancelling would be an option but that it would be likely 6 weeks to refund. My pension kicks in , in November , I have no income and they are holding 5-6 weeks food money they tried to make it 9 weeks.
The new company has based its DD on the old companies usage.. will see if they will see reason.

Tl;dr 
Look out for companies buying your contracted energy provider
Check your usage against their estimates - keep track of annual usage in kwh.
Check how easy it is to reduce Direct Debit
Is there any legal regulations on how energy companies set Direct Debits? 
Can I get my money back sooner?
Use better energy club but they won't protect you , you have tondo that.
PFP Energies customer service is abysmal and seems their lowest priority, I feel they bought better energy to hope the locked in customers would stay with them or sleep walk into a very uncompetitive deal, their discount promise was never realised and I feel a ploy but sadly no screen shots so probably no come back.

Gerry1

You'd do better with Variable Direct Debit.  Shell Energy, E.On, EDF, SSE, Green Network Energy, Robin Hood and Ecotricity are some of the companies that offer this.

JerryMartin

Gerry1 said:

You'd do better with Variable Direct Debit.  Shell Energy, E.On, EDF, SSE, Green Network Energy, Robin Hood and Ecotricity are some of the companies that offer this.

Should be mandatory to reassess based on last 12 months usage , records could be kept like proof of no claims bonus on insurance, maybe Martin can champion that.