Bulb Nightmare

StandAndDeliver

Firstly in writing I have agreement that there are no direct debit penalties or £15 admin fees variation of contract I have taken this to ombudsman.

Imagine my joy to have paid £190 via standing order from my Barclays account on 15th July to get the same snotty email as saying I owe £169.55 and the sum not credited to my account which is now £20.45 in credit by my calculation

Thinking of pursuing Bulb for Breach of contract variation and any credit file errors as bulb are incapable of sticking to contract variation terms and producing an accurate bill.

I have set up a standing order for £190 which should cover monthly variation, should this not be the case I can vary it or add a one off payment to settle usage.

However when even the most basic billing is completely inaccurate, there is no competency in a system creating phantom debt and threats based on this inaccurate narrative.

A brick wall would be more responsive, Bulb's entire narrative is to avoid meter readings as much as possible, create phantom debt based on estimated readings or not apply money paid and try charging £15 admin fee on a debt that does not exist.

looking on their forum I am not alone in this and believe the scam works two ways

£15 admin fee if your paying actual usage instead of inflated estimate

inflated estimates and charges ignoring meter readings as other forum members with a smart meter pointed out to bank extra money not owed

Reed_Richards

Why don't you send Bulb accurate meter readings so they don't have to rely on estimates?

pochase

Why don't you switch to variable direct debit? Bulb seems to support this payment method and you only pay what you use, while at the same time getting the better direct debit rates.

You are aware that standing order is more expensive than direct debit due to higher unit rates?

Alnat1

A Standing Order will appear in Bulbs bank account, then will have to be applied manually to your energy account. This is obviously going to cause delays in the credit reaching your account and is the main reason Bulb prefer customers to pay by DD which they control and can be done on an automated system.

Did you quote all the correct details in your standing order? Maybe there were errors made by you, which caused further delays in the money being directed to your energy account.

If you choose to pay by non standard methods you cannot expect this to happen as smoothly and you should be aware this is going to cause problems.

StandAndDeliver

Bulb variable direct debit excessive and clowns as Ombudsman said can use 1 reading a year.
I send in monthly readings and photo's of meter- clowns use estimated readings massively higher than actual or accept meter reading and then estimate higher.
Currently I have paid in excess of higher estimate and the money not credited to my account after paid by Barclays to them.

So I have paid more than current bill and ombudsman have already stated compensation.

it just goes on and on and on

Can't be paying hundreds in excess of actual bill to failed energy company- back to ombudsman again

Astria

When do bulb generate a bill? If they bill you on the 15th of each month for example and you submitted a reading on the same day then I can understand why they are including estimated usage. It's best to simply give them a reading a few days in advance and allow them to use variable direct debit to collect it.

Alnat1

Do you not use the manual payment system within Bulb's website? This is the simplest way if you are refusing to have a DD and will ensure your payment is directed quickly to the correct account. When MIL passed we had to continue the Bulb account until her property was sold. We would enter readings online for both fuels, the account was instantly updated and we paid the outstanding amount through the website link.

It seems you are choosing the most awkward payment method possible and then complaining when it takes longer for your payment to be recorded on your energy account.

Getferret

Bulb ask for readings during the 3 days before your payment date.  So if your payment date is on 5th of the month, send readings on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th.

StandAndDeliver

Bulb sometimes acknowledge a reading on bill and then supersede it with estimate of more than used.
send meter reading and payment before 18th and payment before bill generation date as agent agreed.
why should I inconvenience myself with manual monthly payment when bulb agent agreed payment to their account.
their paid to administer the business and bone idle automated spam mail.

MWT

StandAndDeliver said:

why should I inconvenience myself with manual monthly payment when bulb agent agreed payment to their account.
their paid to administer the business and bone idle automated spam mail.

We can only give you suggestions that may make things run a little smoother, if you prefer to remain in a cycle of complaints and taking stuff to the Ombudsman that is of course your choice...

Alnat1

Wonder if the OP would be happy to receive their salary/pension/benefits through their letterbox in 1p pieces?