Energy company got us in debt

Hasbeen

Laurab01x said:

Sorry read his message wrong, he did receive requests for meter readings but they went into
spam he assumed we had a smart meter fitted. We have been paying £32.00 a month. I think it sounds like the only thing we can do is contact them and try and request a payment plan that we can afford 

Perhaps? But  please reread what others have posted and supply asked for details, to ensure that you are both paying for actual usage. Not any estimated? Sorry could have missed it but £32 per month appears to be very low? Is that for what fuel. Electric?

There are many expert posters on here, that will advise to ensure your problem is rectified to the best solution to you and that you will not have similar problems in future.

And get your partner to unspam/unjunk messages to get all in future to inbox.

Edit: sorry just reread one of your previous posts where you say you have actually provided a reading and outstanding amount is based on that. Electric. Then as you say payment plan to pay of outstanding, then as others have suggested comparison sites to switch based on actual yearly usage not £££ to see better deals.  Good luck! 

bsms1147

So to summarise the facts:
Electricity only
Paying £32 a month (sounds low for electricity-only)
Two years (Paid a total of £768 over two years)
Meter reading submitted now for first time in two years shows you've used ~£1500 electricity over that time, so a £700 underpayment
Suggests an underpayment of £29 per month, every month for two years
Suggests your direct debut should have been around £61 a month to cover your usage (which sounds about right for an all electric flat)

The £700 you should be able to pay back over twelve months (speak with them, you may have shorter or longer), but your new direct debit needs to be enough to cover your actual usage (£61 a month) as well as to repay the underpayment (additional £58 per month if paying back over twelve months) - are they asking for a new direct debit of around £119 by my maths? If that's not affordable you will need to speak with them. 

Moving forwards, make sure you supply regular (ideally monthly) readings in the future. Once you've cleared the debt you'll also be free to move onto a new, hopefully cheaper supplier. When you do, ensure you compare using a comparison website and use your actual annual Kwh figures rather than allow the comparison website to make assumptions about your use, or your direct debit may be set too low again. And then make sure you supply regular readings again.

Robin9

Your partner needs to look at what else there may be in his Spam folder.

Hasbeen

Robin9 said:

Your partner needs to look at what else there may be in his Spam folder.

I think OP needs to have a look at what else is in his Spam folder? 

niktheguru

This is an all too common problem, and there seems to be a post a day with people thinking their supplier has shafted them, when in fact they haven't given regular meter readings or kept an eye on their usage themselves. Both the supplier and the user are responsible to ensure accurate billing. This is why smart meters have been introduced, to avoid this problem from happening. If it was the other way round and the supplier overcharged them by £700 they'd be outraged at the lost money which they would get as a refund.
Make sure you keep an eye on your usage going forward, if not monthly then at least quarterly. Once debt is paid, do a comparison and make sure you are on the cheapest tariff. Good luck.

Robin9

niktheguru said:

.................... This is why smart meters have been introduced, to avoid this problem from happening. I...................

Smart meters won't help if people won't look at their accounts on line or look out for emails or assume DD's are "all you can eat"

tim_p

Robin9 said:

niktheguru said:

.................... This is why smart meters have been introduced, to avoid this problem from happening. I...................

Smart meters won't help if people won't look at their accounts on line or look out for emails or assume DD's are "all you can eat"

You’re right Robin, if someone is lazy enough to simply assume a smart meter means everything is taken care of then they could be in for a shock. The idea is great but there seems to be so many problems that the sensible should leave nothing to chance and take regular readings and carefully check bills even with a smart meter.  

As for the mindset that actually thinks they have an ‘all you can eat’ contract that can only end in tears as you’d (think you) have no incentive to not take any care whatsoever, house would be toasty warm and wallet eventually empty. 

macman

OP: you don't have to wait for a meter read request to submit meter readings: do it at least quarterly regardless.
As others have pointed out, £384 pa for an all electric flat, even if running E7, is absurdly low. £600 at least.

Robin9

I wonder if Laurab and her partner are back on speaking terms ?

A_Lert

Seems like "smart" meters just end up muddying the waters and obscuring the actual usage. And if OP does have a smart meter, well it's obviously gone dumb and wasn't sending the new supplier the readings. Which is probably also why it still claimed they were in credit.

OP, I think the only way you might have any comeback is if you can show that the direct debit was set up much lower than the initial usage figures you told the new supplier. But otherwise, this is your mistake.