MSE Poll: How much has your energy direct debit increased by in the last two months?

AlyxDevin

Got switched to Shell Energy when Pure Planet folded. Thanks to price hike being asked to go from £32.00 per month to suggested payments of £174 per month.  They have also put a nice little earner for them on their site and the min you can now increase the DD to is £132.00 per month. Don't know where I am supposed to find another £100 per month from when I live on the bear min now on things like food, commuting.  

middlewife

EDF have "kindly" doubled my bill from £180 per month to £360 per month, not helped by the fact that I have 2 adults working from home. One room is heated where OH works, son is fortunately never cold. I wear up to 5 layers and try to get out and about as much as possible, use solar powered lights in the evening as long as possible,  shower at the swimming pool, etc.  But STILL  shocked at the price. Will double check kWh but on a smart meter since last September so figures "should" be accurate...

dazandemma

AlyxDevin said:

Thanks to price hike being asked to go from £32.00 per month to suggested payments of £174 per month.  .  

At only £32 a month previously, I suspect the hike was also due to an under estimation of your actual usage?  When I bought my first flat back in 2005 I was paying £35 for elec-only.  

tracyk1207

My monthly DD for dual fuel with Eon Next was previously £65 per month, they've now increased it to £131, despite my account being in credit at the end of winter and the billing completely up to date via readings supplied and a smart meter.  I've tried to reduce the amount using my online account, but it won't allow me to save an amount lower than £130, a £1 reduction?!  

It claims authorisation is required to reduce the amount, as it may result in a high value debt - but I've previously always ended up in a credit situation.  I suspect a payment of approx £100 per month would cover the 54% hike, so will have to call and negotiate.

Kaysafus

AlyxDevin said:

Got switched to Shell Energy when Pure Planet folded. Thanks to price hike being asked to go from £32.00 per month to suggested payments of £174 per month.  They have also put a nice little earner for them on their site and the min you can now increase the DD to is £132.00 per month. Don't know where I am supposed to find another £100 per month from when I live on the bear min now on things like food, commuting.  

Same - we were switched to Shell from Pure Planet and I had to do the sums twice as I was absolutely shocked by the percentage increase, it's devastating how much the bills have increased. It's over 160% difference for us from February to April and it's going up again later in the year...

summermorning

Same- we were switched from Green Energy to Shell Energy was paying £92.00 D/D per month for gas and electricity, now requested £204.00 per month over 121% increase and we are in credit, where did the 54% increase go?  

ALL1066

Peoples Energy fixed rate at £99 per month to June 2022, although British Gas now describe PE rate as "variable"
British Gas now want £379 per month which am in process of trying to work out how calculated to challenge.
1 person at home, 1997 detached house of 133 sq m. on EPC recently done of C/68 rating.

How do I work out how to challenge this?

polymaff

ALL1066 said:

Peoples Energy fixed rate at £99 per month to June 2022, although British Gas now describe PE rate as "variable"
British Gas now want £379 per month which am in process of trying to work out how calculated to challenge.
1 person at home, 1997 detached house of 133 sq m. on EPC recently done of C/68 rating.

How do I work out how to challenge this?

look for "Estimated Annual Usage" or similar on your latest PE bill, for both gas and electricity.  Use those figures and the BG rates to work out  what a year with BG might cost.  Coming off a fix, be ready for a shock.

Jake_027

Interesting that many people have had similar experiences with Shell Energy.  We got moved from Pure Planet, we were paying £63 a month Mar-Sep and £103 Oct-Feb (due to the pure planet workings of paying less in warmer months).  I kept it at £103 and when we finally got our first bill from Shell Energy covering Oct-Feb we were £158 in debit which I paid off as a one off additional payment.  We were suggested to up our DD to £151 which I did but only took effect at the start of this month, so Feb to March we paid £254 and were £15 in debit on our last bill.  They now want to up us to £201 a month from £151, despite the fact we're coming into the warmer months where our usage should hopefully come down.

skyeblue

This forum, apart from one comment, does not seems to consider variable direct debits, where you actually pay for what you are billed for. Why is that? Is it assumed that people are no longer able to budget for themselves, to save in the summer for the more expensive bills in the winter? Do they not know that they are always paying in advance for their fuel? Is it unreasonable to pay for a service once you have received it, as we do?
We would not pay any other way.