British Gas doubled direct debit!

witchwood

British Gas have today more than doubled our direct debit, despite us being in credit. We are all electric, small 3 bedroom log cabin home. No electric heating. Our only usage is low energy bulbs, hot water immersion on for 3 hours a day 1 fridge/freezer, washing machine and day to day cooking. Our smart meter tells us we use between 2.50-4.40 a day. British Gas have now put our monthly direct debit up, without our knowledge to £549 a month! They refuse to lower it, say that we will use more in winter and they are building our account for winter usage. We actually use less in winter as the log burner is on and that is our heating, most of our cooking and kettle! Now I get prices are going up blah blah blah but is £549 a little excessive for an average family? What right do they have to double our money and say its theirs to keep for future use? I think my only option here is to cancel the DD and pay monthly via the post office. 

MWT

Don't cancel the DD, change to paying by variable DD and make sure you give meter readings each month.

witchwood

MWT said:

Don't cancel the DD, change to paying by variable DD and make sure you give meter readings each month.

Surely the smart meter uploads meter readings? 

PeterGr

Have you got meter readings to show your annual consumption in kWh.  From that you can see what monthly payment is reasonable now, and what it might be over the next year.

witchwood

PeterGr said:

Have you got meter readings to show your annual consumption in kWh.  From that you can see what monthly payment is reasonable now, and what it might be over the next year.

Only what's on my account with BG. We were with one of the ones which went bust and cant access that account. I can see what's been used from last November... but it's only from what smart meter has uploaded

Robin9

Please have a look at your actual bills -   what are the meter reads and the letters A C E Smart or our read or your read. Look back 12 months or so and find a bill with actual rather than estimated meter reads.

Can you read the meter yourself please..  

Is this Gas and Electric ?    Edit  - looked at your other post.

Electric Showers ?

When you don't use your log burner - how do you heat your property

MWT

witchwood said:

MWT said:

Don't cancel the DD, change to paying by variable DD and make sure you give meter readings each month.

Surely the smart meter uploads meter readings? 

Ideally, yes, but never assume that it is happening, so at least check your online account to make sure the readings are being recorded, and check your bills to make sure they are being used...

Reed_Richards

How do you heat your home; is it just with the log burner?

You should be able to claim back some of your credit if it is more than your monthly direct debit.  Given your actual usage and the amount of the DD that should happen very quickly. That action might alert BG to the fact that they are overcharging you.    

Robin9

witchwood said:

PeterGr said:

Have you got meter readings to show your annual consumption in kWh.  From that you can see what monthly payment is reasonable now, and what it might be over the next year.

Only what's on my account with BG. We were with one of the ones which went bust and cant access that account. I can see what's been used from last November... but it's only from what smart meter has uploaded

Please give us that November read and todays.

It is quite probable that BG cannot read the Smart remotely and are waiting for you to submit an actual read.  What you are seeing on your IHD re cost may also be incorrect.

witchwood

Robin9 said:

Please have a look at your actual bills -   what are the meter reads and the letters A C E Smart or our read or your read. Look back 12 months or so and find a bill with actual rather than estimated meter reads.

Can you read the meter yourself please..  

Is this Gas and Electric ?

Its all electric. We don't have gas here at all. We can read the smart meter ourselves. Readings are taken from smart meter. All bills are from actual reading, but our credit has been going up and up... my actual point is how can they justify more than doubling something when we arent using it, never have and have always been in credit!

witchwood

Robin9 said:

witchwood said:

PeterGr said:

Have you got meter readings to show your annual consumption in kWh.  From that you can see what monthly payment is reasonable now, and what it might be over the next year.

Only what's on my account with BG. We were with one of the ones which went bust and cant access that account. I can see what's been used from last November... but it's only from what smart meter has uploaded

Please give us that November read and todays.

It is quite probable that BG cannot read the Smart remotely and are waiting for you to submit an actual read.  What you are seeing on your IHD re cost may also be incorrect.

BG have said my meter is connected and they are taking readings from it. Apparently it is accurate and working properly. They have now put us on a variable DD.