SSE Account issue - they wont fix it

addikachu

I moved into a new property and chose SSE to supply my Gas and Electricity in September 2021. Had a few issues and a lot of back and forth and finally the account seems to be up and running.
My direct debits for both the gas and the electric account were accumulating every month and not being used to pay any usage until last month and the gas account finally corrected itself.
My electric account still has an issue. I've had three bills from them that shows my correct meter readings, therefore shows I am using electricity, however I am being charged for the standing day rate thing but not for actual electricity usage. I've contacted them four times about this and nobody seems to have a clue what's going on or how to fix it. 
As my direct debit is an estimate to cover standing charges and electricity usage, it's having a tiny amount taken out for the standing charges, but then the rest is just accumulating, so I have an account in a huge amount of credit. Ok, that's good because when they finally charge me for the electric I've used, I've got money sitting there to pay it, but I'm starting to worry because I don't know if my monthly DD is enough to cover my usage, and I don't want to be hit with a huge bill for shortfall from September 2021 to whenever the issue is fixed.
I don't know what to do, they cant or wont fix the problem, I cant switch to another supplier and say stuff em, and it's just causing a lot of anxiety when I'm already not in a good place.
Has anyone got any advice of things I might suggest to them, whatever may be going on, or any other kind of adivce?

cx6

Switch to OVO - I think they own SSE anyway? Their billing systems and customer service and much better.

addikachu

cx6 said:

Switch to OVO - I think they own SSE anyway? Their billing systems and customer service and much better.

I don't have that option right now. but yeah, I've got OVO logos all over my account 

Robin9

@addikachu  Write to them -  don't phone - letter headed COMPLAINT


Keep your own records - read the meters at least monthly - keep a simple spreadsheet  

QrizB

addikachu said:

I'm starting to worry because I don't know if my monthly DD is enough to cover my usage, and I don't want to be hit with a huge bill for shortfall from September 2021 to whenever the issue is fixed.

This bit is quite easy to calculate for an electricity supply. Read your meter today and subtract the opening meter reading from September 2021. This is the number of kWh units you've used.

Then multiply that nuber by the unit rate. This is how much you will owe for electricity used.

Example:

• Reading today: 10203. Opening reading in September: 8765. Difference 1438.
• Unit price: 21p.
• 1438 x 21p = 30198p, ie. £301.98
  

badmemory

Never let a supplier be in charge, take control yourself.  That means reading meters at least monthly AND working out what the bill should be independent of them.  When you are done you can compare.  If they are not billing for part then you will also know what amount they are NOT billing you.  Knowledge is power!

Gerry1

Assuming you are on the Standard Variable Tariff (capped), EDF will let you switch to their SVT, but only if you phone them.  However, you might soon find yourself yearning for the good old days of being with SSE !

cx6

Could be worse - you could be with Scottish Power !

jbuchanangb

I moved into a new property and chose SSE to supply my Gas and Electricity in September 2021.

Your opening statement rings alarm bells. When you move into a property it is not up to you to choose your energy supplier. You are automatically supplied by the supplier who supplied that property for the previous tenant/owner. Have you verified that that company was in fact SSE? You can find out which company supplies your property using various web sites, but for electricity you can go through your regional electricity network operator. Before getting in deeper with SSE you should make sure that they are really your supplier. If they aren't you will have bit of back-tracking to do.

addikachu

jbuchanangb said:

I moved into a new property and chose SSE to supply my Gas and Electricity in September 2021.

Your opening statement rings alarm bells. When you move into a property it is not up to you to choose your energy supplier. You are automatically supplied by the supplier who supplied that property for the previous tenant/owner. Have you verified that that company was in fact SSE? You can find out which company supplies your property using various web sites, but for electricity you can go through your regional electricity network operator. Before getting in deeper with SSE you should make sure that they are really your supplier. If they aren't you will have bit of back-tracking to do.

No alarm bells here, it was simply my wording. We moved in and Bulb was supplying the energy, I thought that was clear later on in the post when I discussed opening readings and having to go through a “previous supplier”. I used MSE to figure out who’s give me the cheapest supply and chose a switch. That’s what I meant, nothing weird going on here, just trying to be proactive and in charge of my bills 

jbuchanangb

I have been tolerating SSE as my gas supplier since April 2021, and struggling with their quarterly billing system. They don't seem capable of deviating from that cycle. Once they actually cancelled a bill, and produced a new one, to cover the same 3 months as the cancelled one, but of course by then I'd made at least one more DD payment. Later on I submitted a reading a month after getting a bill, following advice on the forum to submit readings monthly, so SSE generated a replacement bill with 4 months energy consumption, and 3 months daily charge. Their service has been recognised as being so appalling that after making a complaint and reaching deadlock, you only have to wait 6 weeks before referral to the Ombudsman instead of eight weeks with other suppliers. As my 12 month fixed rate tariff ends on 1 April I have just instigated a switch away from them. So I wish you luck. Just keep accurate records of your own, submit meter readings monthly even if their web site tells you not to as it does to me. Eventually something will happen!