Peoples Energy

friendsrgreat

I moved into rented accommodation in March of this year. The previous tenant was on People's Energy. After taking 40 minutes to answer my call, I decided I didn't want to deal with them and switched supplier. They recently emailed me to say that they owed me money, which I find hard to believe as my final bill was far lower than I was expecting. They just needed my bank account details, but to phone them rather than email them so that my bank details weren't compromised. I ignored it.

ColBal

I'm in the same position. They say they are introducing a Seasonal Payment scheme to help?? I'm at present £75 in credit and my fixed tariff ends next Feb. Going on last year's usage my credit will be ~ £50+ by Feb but they insist on upping my DD by £12/month. After several emails and around an hour on the phone they are totally intractable. This company is going down the tubes. What would be my legal rights to cancel my DD and pay as required when the monthly bills come in? Anyone?

Al_Ross

friendsrgreat said:

I moved into rented accommodation in March of this year. The previous tenant was on People's Energy. After taking 40 minutes to answer my call, I decided I didn't want to deal with them and switched supplier. They recently emailed me to say that they owed me money, which I find hard to believe as my final bill was far lower than I was expecting. They just needed my bank account details, but to phone them rather than email them so that my bank details weren't compromised. I ignored it.

Big mistake on your part if you didn't initially sign up with the current supplier,then switch away.

badmemory

Unfortunately the DD bit was part of my fix so I have no choice.  Has yours gone up by (exactly) 25% like mine.  They have over £300 of mine in credit already.  If I factor in my largest ever usage they will have at least £200 of my money at the end of the fix, when I will be moving, even if they are the cheapest, I will move.  I must admit I am worried about getting my money back when I leave as I expect it in reality to be around £300 by then.  Perhaps they are expecting my house to move up to the Arctic!  They are as you say totally intractable.  I have been putting in my readings every month the day they asked for them, just wondering whether to bother in future.  Their "algorhythm" obviously is unable to take them into account even though they have them for the last 3 years.

ColBal

Hi badmemory. Just worked it out to 25% right enough.. It's nothing but a cash grab. The other "option" was to pay one month extra up front and leave the monthly payments as is. I'm seriously worried that the company is gathering in as much cash as possible before announcing bankruptcy.

badmemory

ColBal said:

Hi badmemory. Just worked it out to 25% right enough.. It's nothing but a cash grab. The other "option" was to pay one month extra up front and leave the monthly payments as is. I'm seriously worried that the company is gathering in as much cash as possible before announcing bankruptcy.

That has been my major worry, because getting it back can be a real pain AND you have the problem of a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.

ColBal

To avoid the situation of them holding on to my cash I've considered cancelling the DD, running down the credit and paying the bills per month, but that would almost certainly break my contract and would be hit with exit payment etc. Seems like a no win.

[Deleted User]

badmemory said:

ColBal said:

Hi badmemory. Just worked it out to 25% right enough.. It's nothing but a cash grab. The other "option" was to pay one month extra up front and leave the monthly payments as is. I'm seriously worried that the company is gathering in as much cash as possible before announcing bankruptcy.

That has been my major worry, because getting it back can be a real pain AND you have the problem of a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.

Sorry, I don't understand your comment 'a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.'

When you apply to switch, you choose a new tariff based on time (if fixed); daily standing charge; unit prices and exit fees. There is no question of your new supplier putting you onto any tariff unless you agreed to it first when you signed up to switch.

QrizB

[Deleted User] said:

badmemory said:

That has been my major worry, because getting it back can be a real pain AND you have the problem of a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.

Sorry, I don't understand your comment 'a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.'

When you apply to switch, you choose a new tariff based on time (if fixed); daily standing charge; unit prices and exit fees. There is no question of your new supplier putting you onto any tariff unless you agreed to it first when you signed up to switch.

I think badmemory is referring to a potential SoLR and the tariff they might put ex-PE customers on.

brewerdave

[Deleted User] said:

badmemory said:

ColBal said:

Hi badmemory. Just worked it out to 25% right enough.. It's nothing but a cash grab. The other "option" was to pay one month extra up front and leave the monthly payments as is. I'm seriously worried that the company is gathering in as much cash as possible before announcing bankruptcy.

That has been my major worry, because getting it back can be a real pain AND you have the problem of a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.

Sorry, I don't understand your comment 'a new supplier putting you on expensive prices & taking ages to release you to take a new fix.'

When you apply to switch, you choose a new tariff based on time (if fixed); daily standing charge; unit prices and exit fees. There is no question of your new supplier putting you onto any tariff unless you agreed to it first when you signed up to switch.

I think @badmemory is writing about the issues faced IF People's Energy were to fail and he was moved onto a tariff with the SOLR over which he had no control.