How to get supplier to set direct debit for exactly the amount used

AlexMason

[Deleted User] said:

AlexMason said:

Thank you all for this. i have now found the following OVO video describing flexible Direct Debit but in the text below the video there is a statement 'no longer avalable after 2017' So that's that, and I'm not happy about it, I wonder if Martin Lewis is aware? Would be good if someone took up this issue because all these energy suppliers ought to be held to some basic standards of provision. I, like many others, have never been happy with fixed direct debits. I prefer to be in control myself.  At Youtube::   watch?v=-O9rWis-GUI

I pay by monthly DD and I am 100% control. I just make sure that there is a minimum of one month’s credit to cover the following month’s estimated usage and I change my monthly D D at will. Not all suppliers offer this flexibility and many charge extra for your idea of control. 

It is worth bearing in mind that suppliers pay their wholesalers in advance of supply; hence the reason why most suppliers like to charge the first month’s DD payment before supply starts.

I have solved it by going over to Ecotricity, assuming that goes smoothly....;-) But yes, one solution would be to change the DD at will. When I did that with OVO this morning they had a minimum payment, which was better than the +30% they had calculated. Anyway, I'm now into the switching game so you'll probably find me complaining about that in another thread!

pochase

Did you take a fixed tariff with them? Otherwise I hope you are aware that their SVT is not capped.

QrizB

AlexMason said:

I have solved it by going over to Ecotricity, assuming that goes smoothly....;-)

Did you get a quote from Green Energy UK as well? Last week they had the the best open market fixed-rate I could find.

t0rt0ise

AlexMason said:

[Deleted User] said:

AlexMason said:

Thank you all for this. i have now found the following OVO video describing flexible Direct Debit but in the text below the video there is a statement 'no longer avalable after 2017' So that's that, and I'm not happy about it, I wonder if Martin Lewis is aware? Would be good if someone took up this issue because all these energy suppliers ought to be held to some basic standards of provision. I, like many others, have never been happy with fixed direct debits. I prefer to be in control myself.  At Youtube::   watch?v=-O9rWis-GUI

I pay by monthly DD and I am 100% control. I just make sure that there is a minimum of one month’s credit to cover the following month’s estimated usage and I change my monthly D D at will. Not all suppliers offer this flexibility and many charge extra for your idea of control. 

It is worth bearing in mind that suppliers pay their wholesalers in advance of supply; hence the reason why most suppliers like to charge the first month’s DD payment before supply starts.

I have solved it by going over to Ecotricity, assuming that goes smoothly....;-) But yes, one solution would be to change the DD at will. When I did that with OVO this morning they had a minimum payment, which was better than the +30% they had calculated. Anyway, I'm now into the switching game so you'll probably find me complaining about that in another thread!

Ooh expensive! 

wild666

AlexMason said:

I heard Martin Lewis on R4 a few days ago state that the energy companies can simply bill for the exact amount used.

I want to do this as a way of getting more discipline in my household as we watch the meter readings all the time, and to know that I am neither in credit nor debt. So i phoned OVO this morning after failing to achieve the task online. The usual blood pressure increase with no substantive result.

Has anyone achieved this and what was your method?

For your supplier to charge for the exact amount of energy used you would need a smart meter that can be read by the company that supplies your electric and gas. Octopus charge me for the exact use on electric but not the gas.

bristolleedsfan

wild666 said:

AlexMason said:

I heard Martin Lewis on R4 a few days ago state that the energy companies can simply bill for the exact amount used.

I want to do this as a way of getting more discipline in my household as we watch the meter readings all the time, and to know that I am neither in credit nor debt. So i phoned OVO this morning after failing to achieve the task online. The usual blood pressure increase with no substantive result.

Has anyone achieved this and what was your method?

For your supplier to charge for the exact amount of energy used you would need a smart meter that can be read by the company that supplies your electric and gas. Octopus charge me for the exact use on electric but not the gas.

Consumers who pay by variable DD, Octopus customers as well as other suppliers get charged for the exact amount of energy used irrespective of whether they have a S/M.

EDF call it Direct Debit Whole Amount Monthly

t0rt0ise

wild666 said:

AlexMason said:

I heard Martin Lewis on R4 a few days ago state that the energy companies can simply bill for the exact amount used.

I want to do this as a way of getting more discipline in my household as we watch the meter readings all the time, and to know that I am neither in credit nor debt. So i phoned OVO this morning after failing to achieve the task online. The usual blood pressure increase with no substantive result.

Has anyone achieved this and what was your method?

For your supplier to charge for the exact amount of energy used you would need a smart meter that can be read by the company that supplies your electric and gas. Octopus charge me for the exact use on electric but not the gas.

Not really. You just have to make sure you give meter reads on time. A smart meter is not needed.

SJMALBA

wild666 said:

AlexMason said:

I heard Martin Lewis on R4 a few days ago state that the energy companies can simply bill for the exact amount used.

I want to do this as a way of getting more discipline in my household as we watch the meter readings all the time, and to know that I am neither in credit nor debt. So i phoned OVO this morning after failing to achieve the task online. The usual blood pressure increase with no substantive result.

Has anyone achieved this and what was your method?

For your supplier to charge for the exact amount of energy used you would need a smart meter that can be read by the company that supplies your electric and gas. Octopus charge me for the exact use on electric but not the gas.

I'm with Octopus, and pay monthly variable DD, but don't have smart meters. Supplying a manual meter read each month  generates a bill.

They used to (and perhaps still do?) offer quarterly variable DD.