Bulb - significantly increased monthly payments

MrsBrush

Hi all

advice please...

I moved in to my new house in October, which was (and still is) supplied by Bulb. We are still getting the feel for the house, and trying to figure out what our usage is - we currently have an ancient hot air gas central heating system and electric hot water immersion heater, as well as usual household appliances etc. We plan on sorting this all out in the spring - I work at home, so it does need to be on. I just want to get through winter without freezing to death!

When we moved in, Bulb originally estimated our bill at £120 a month (gas and elec), then swiftly raised it to £153 in November. They have emailed this morning to say that we haven't built up enough of a buffer yet to pay our estimated amount (obviously, because we have only been here 3 months...!!!)

They now estimate current usage is £162 a month, which given current prices etc doesn't totally surprise me. But they want £200 a month for the next 7 months to "get back on track". 

I really don't mind paying the backlog, and covering the current monthly cost, but I am seriously unimpressed by a £50 hike, to cover our possible usage over the next few months. In all honesty, whilst finding the extra money is do-able, it is the arrogance and assumption its ok to hike the monthly price randomly I object to.

This is based totally on our forecast usage, which they are assuming will stay the same all year,  and doesn't take into account us probably switching the old boiler off (permanently) when we replace it, no longer needing to use an oil filled rad to heat my office (because of said new heating system) and having less lights and power on when the weather warms up a bit. 

I have tried calling them, to no avail so far, and there is no option to challenge their figure apart from make what looks like a minimum £50 top up. This probably wont touch the sides of the mandatory monthly increase. Seems as though they were bad for money-grabbing before, and are now hiking the bill at every possible juncture. Shame they were too big to have properly gone under!  I seriously hate this company!! 

I have been advised to stick with them for now, as there are no better deals anywhere else. I know this is probably a bad idea, but I really want to switch away from them as they have p**d me off so much!

What advice does anyone have?

[Deleted User]

Pay the required monthly amount. If you build up a credit, you'll get that back at the appropriate time, or your payments will drop back down.

MWT

You really need to put some real numbers into the question.

What were your last 3 bills and were they based on actual meter readings?

How much would you have to pay right now to clear any accumulated debt and cover what you estimate your next bill will be?

Can't really say if £200/month is reasonable or not without the extra information...

[Deleted User]

No one is hiking the bill. DD payments go into a pot from which charges for the energy that you use are deducted. You need to learn to monitor your own usage. I use a 99p app - METERS - to monitor my usage and to check bills.

Astria

Do you have a smart meter? If so, then some companies allow you to be billed monthly on the actual usage rather than guessed usage throughout the year so you'll neither build up a credit or debit, but you'll have to settle your current debt first.

dbks

MrsBrush said:

Hi all

advice please...

I moved in to my new house in October, which was (and still is) supplied by Bulb. We are still getting the feel for the house, and trying to figure out what our usage is - we currently have an ancient hot air gas central heating system and electric hot water immersion heater, as well as usual household appliances etc. We plan on sorting this all out in the spring - I work at home, so it does need to be on. I just want to get through winter without freezing to death!

When we moved in, Bulb originally estimated our bill at £120 a month (gas and elec), then swiftly raised it to £153 in November. They have emailed this morning to say that we haven't built up enough of a buffer yet to pay our estimated amount (obviously, because we have only been here 3 months...!!!)

They now estimate current usage is £162 a month, which given current prices etc doesn't totally surprise me. But they want £200 a month for the next 7 months to "get back on track". 

I really don't mind paying the backlog, and covering the current monthly cost, but I am seriously unimpressed by a £50 hike, to cover our possible usage over the next few months. In all honesty, whilst finding the extra money is do-able, it is the arrogance and assumption its ok to hike the monthly price randomly I object to.

This is based totally on our forecast usage, which they are assuming will stay the same all year,  and doesn't take into account us probably switching the old boiler off (permanently) when we replace it, no longer needing to use an oil filled rad to heat my office (because of said new heating system) and having less lights and power on when the weather warms up a bit. 

I have tried calling them, to no avail so far, and there is no option to challenge their figure apart from make what looks like a minimum £50 top up. This probably wont touch the sides of the mandatory monthly increase. Seems as though they were bad for money-grabbing before, and are now hiking the bill at every possible juncture. Shame they were too big to have properly gone under!  I seriously hate this company!! 

I have been advised to stick with them for now, as there are no better deals anywhere else. I know this is probably a bad idea, but I really want to switch away from them as they have p**d me off so much!

What advice does anyone have?

Have you seen this MSE article?
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/

Any help?

Brie

I was fortunate to move away from Bulb in Sept as they had seriously annoyed me as well.  They kept upping our DD based on winter readings only and then announced a huge increase in the tariff which would necessitate another increase.  Hence my move.

The only way I found I could keep the DD at an acceptable level was to make an occasional extra payment - needed because we were using a higher amount of electricity than is average (95 yo in residence with heating on constantly but have also had (now gone) a hot tub)  I always discussed anything with them online so there would be a record of the conversations to ensure there was no misunderstanding (very easy in a phone call)

fyi - I was pleased that having moved to Eon they were completely happy after a couple of months for me to reduce the DD by £50 a month despite the slightly higher tariff than Bulb had in August.  They seem willing to take our current usage into account without making wild assumptions about future use.  All they ask is that we keep a credit on the account about equal to 1 month's DD.  

QrizB

MrsBrush said:

What advice does anyone have?

Your original estimate was based on someone's guess of how much energy you would use. Whether this guess was yours or Bulb's isn't really important. What you've found is that you are using more energy than was guessed and so £120/mo (£1440/yr) isn't enough.

Bulb think that £162/mo (£1944/yr) is more reasonable. Because you've already had 4 mon ths at £120/mo you're now £180-ish behind on your bill so they need you to pay extra on top of the £162/mo to catch up.

You say you can afford the payments so it isn't a hardship issue.

Deleted_User said:

Pay the required monthly amount. If you build up a credit, you'll get that back at the appropriate time, or your payments will drop back down.

Yes, do this.

GingerTim

[Deleted User] said:

No one is hiking the bill. DD payments go into a pot from which charges for the energy that you use are deducted. You need to learn to monitor your own usage. I use a 99p app - METERS - to monitor my usage and to check bills.

Is this one available for Android? Sounds right up my street - I can't immediately find it, though.

dbks

Further to my post above...

If, by their own admission (and your acceptance), Bulb have now re-estimated your consumption at an average of £162pm, and you have been paying just £120pm and later £153pm, that means you are short of where you should be

You should have probably paid £648 (4 x £162), but have probably only paid £579 (1 x £120 and 3 x £153). So that is a shortfall of £69

- that will not be the account debit balance, as that will probably be a lot more due to higher winter usage.

You will need to pay back the £69 shortfall, whether as a lump sum or as an increase to the £162pm you both accept you should be paying.

If you don't want to pay a lump sum, then to raise the amount to £200pm for the next 7 months seems little high as that would be an overpayment of £266 (£38 x 7)

An overpayment of £10pm would be more appropriate, so £172pm.

Ask Bulb to explain their calculation, or accept the above offer/calculation.

You will only be charged for what you actually use; any overpayment will be a credit on your account, just as underpayments are currently accruing as debits.

Note that your monthly payment should be expected to rise again from April, when you will be notified of a significant rise in the tariff. It may be that Bulb have already taken that into consideration to some extent in an attempt to soften the rise then

Gerry1

Astria said:

Do you have a smart meter? If so, then some companies allow you to be billed monthly on the actual usage rather than guessed usage throughout the year so you'll neither build up a credit or debit, but you'll have to settle your current debt first.

You don't need a smart meter to have Variable Monthly Direct Debit, at least with companies other than Bulb.  The Op shouldn't be using an expensive immersion heater unless the gas system can't provide hot water.