Supplier refusing to release Direct Debit calculation

MisterCee72

Wondering whether anyone has had better luck than us with British Gas, who are actively refusing to release the kWh that they have used in calculating our dual fuel monthly direct amount?

Getting a lot of waffle from them about algorithms rather than simple maths based on estimated annual consumption in kWh for both gas and electricity.

SLC 27.14 seems to suggest that they are required to release the basis for the calculation.

Additionally, are any of the other suppliers similar, or even perhaps more helpful, for customers who simply want greater detail to ensure that they have landed on a fair direct debit calculation?

Thanks, C

GingerTim

If you let us know your usage in kwh and the details of your tariff, the knowledgeable folk here will be able to give you a good idea of the accuracy of your direct debit.

MisterCee72

GingerTim said:

If you let us know your usage in kwh and the details of your tariff, the knowledgeable folk here will be able to give you a good idea of the accuracy of your direct debit.

Morning @GingerTim

Thanks for the lightning fast reply!

Not an issue for me to calculate that based on our actual and average usage, just wanting British Gas to pony up what kWh figures they based their calculation on, as it’s logically a good way from the annual consumption figures that they include on the bills.

Sea_Shell

How far apart are your figures to theirs?

GingerTim

Ah, gotcha!

QrizB

MisterCee72 said:

just wanting British Gas to pony up what kWh figures they based their calculation on, as it’s logically a good way from the annual consumption figures that they include on the bills.

In your BG account, do you get the option to see what other tariffs they have available? As part of this information they'll include an estimated monthly cost, and will give you info on the consumption figures they've used when calculating it.

theoretica

MisterCee72 said:

GingerTim said:

If you let us know your usage in kwh and the details of your tariff, the knowledgeable folk here will be able to give you a good idea of the accuracy of your direct debit.

Morning @GingerTim

Thanks for the lightning fast reply!

Not an issue for me to calculate that based on our actual and average usage, just wanting British Gas to pony up what kWh figures they based their calculation on, as it’s logically a good way from the annual consumption figures that they include on the bills.

Will it just be a consumption issue?  Another potential reason for a difference would be anticipating future price increases.  Actual use x current unit rate will not, for most people, give expected annual cost.

MisterCee72

Sea_Shell said:

How far apart are your figures to theirs?

Cash wise maybe £30/month or £360/year, based on the agreed payment year

MisterCee72

QrizB said:

MisterCee72 said:

just wanting British Gas to pony up what kWh figures they based their calculation on, as it’s logically a good way from the annual consumption figures that they include on the bills.

In your BG account, do you get the option to see what other tariffs they have available? As part of this information they'll include an estimated monthly cost, and will give you info on the consumption figures they've used when calculating it.

That figure in the Tariff Information Label page has gone bananas since they swapped out our gas meter about 3 weeks ago (jumped up approx 4,000kWh - likely as they didn’t put the end value for the old meter and the zero value for the new meter into our meter reads).

It’s still about 10,000kWh north of what our last 12 months of gas consumption was more importantly.

MisterCee72

theoretica said:

MisterCee72 said:

GingerTim said:

If you let us know your usage in kwh and the details of your tariff, the knowledgeable folk here will be able to give you a good idea of the accuracy of your direct debit.

Morning @GingerTim

Thanks for the lightning fast reply!

Not an issue for me to calculate that based on our actual and average usage, just wanting British Gas to pony up what kWh figures they based their calculation on, as it’s logically a good way from the annual consumption figures that they include on the bills.

Will it just be a consumption issue?  Another potential reason for a difference would be anticipating future price increases.  Actual use x current unit rate will not, for most people, give expected annual cost.

@theoretica Good point (future price increases possibly built in) and that’s certainly part of why we would like the transparency, as much as wanting it to be accurate. 

Consumption error being corrected is logically the minimum starting point though.

[Deleted User]

Worth a read. I am sure that all suppliers use similar methods but with less technical expertise than Octopus with its Kraken Technologies’ platform.

https://octopus.energy/blog/direct-debit-payments/