I think my energy provider is trying to fleece me.

Annar

What the title says.  I am currently with Bulb not too long ago I paid 134 in a month.  Unfortunately I did something careless and ended up paying a higher bill the next month.  However what is confusing is that I'm using less energy and they are asking me to pay more.  They recently said the minimum I have to pay is 148.something but how is this the case when I'm using less energy.  Surely shouldn't I have to pay less than 134?  I called them up and tried to explain the situation and they said something like thats what our reading show.  However if you look at my energy usage based on the meter readings they show I've been using less, so what are they talking about?  Oh and they've increased my energy costs again after they agreed to stick to 148.  So I think they're trying to mess me around, how do I put my foot down?

Just as FYI I got my meter readings in on the 31 March.

niktheguru

Theres so little information in this post that no one will help you.
You should stop thinking in "pounds per month" and start working in units per month (i.e how much energy you are actually using)
The value you pay per month in direct debit is usually just an amount that goes into a kitty, then depending what your actual usage is, the amount you use is subtracted from that kitty. So you may well have not been paying enough per month to cover your usage......the only way anyone here can help you is if you give your usage per fuel, the unit rate and standing charge you pay and how much youve paid them.

Also, please note that bulb has typically been one of the more expensive suppliers in recent years, granted at the moment nearly everyone is on the standard variable rate with suppliers, so there is little variation in cost.

Costs have been increasing globally. so you will definitely be paying MORE and not less. Regardless of whether you've used a little less energy.

Mstty

What were your readings submitted on 31st March and what are they now?

What price per kWh are you paying and the standing charges.

On 31st march were you in credit or debit on your account?

With that info all can be calculated 👍

MattMattMattUK

Annar said:

What the title says.  I am currently with Bulb not too long ago I paid 134 in a month.  Unfortunately I did something careless and ended up paying a higher bill the next month.  However what is confusing is that I'm using less energy and they are asking me to pay more.  They recently said the minimum I have to pay is 148.something but how is this the case when I'm using less energy.  Surely shouldn't I have to pay less than 134?  I called them up and tried to explain the situation and they said something like thats what our reading show.  However if you look at my energy usage based on the meter readings they show I've been using less, so what are they talking about?  

They agreed a Direct Debit based on usage, but it is likely that your energy costs per kWh have have gone up at least 50% over the last six months and could have doubled if you came off a good fix onto SVR a new fix). The monthly figure is meaningless for consumption, you need to supply is with your kWh figures, your tariff information and your usage. 

Annar said:

Oh and they've increased my energy costs again after they agreed to stick to 148.

Probably due to hugely increased costs.

Annar said:

So I think they're trying to mess me around, how do I put my foot down?

They are almost certainly not "trying to mess me around", you do not "put my food down" you understand the situation first, which is likely that even the £148 is not high enough if your previous usage was costing you £134.

[Deleted User]

Annar said:

Unfortunately I did something careless and ended up paying a higher bill the next month.

Hi,

maybe this has some affect on your payments now?

k_man

MattMattMattUK said:

They are almost certainly not "trying to mess me around", you do not "put my food down" you understand the situation first, which is likely that even the £148 is not high enough if your previous usage was costing you £134.

It's a cheap laugh at a typo, but made me smile on a Monday morning.

[Deleted User]

If you want to pay a bill based on energy used then, as suggested above, you need to pay by variable DD. Clearly, you have to be prepared for some very large payments during the Winter months. A monthly ‘fixed’ DD payment is a balancing or spreading mechanism. All DD payments are just payments made on account (payments put into a Piggy Bank if you like) from which charges for energy use are deducted based on your usage and the agreed tariff. Any credit balance is 100% protected by Ofgem.

It is unlikely that Bulb will survive in the longer-term. Reports yesterday suggested that the Government is facing a bill of over £2Bn as Bulb has no energy hedging in place. Octopus Energy is the sole interested party but it is looking for a £1Bn investment to takeover the Bulb customer base. The good thing if this happens is that Octopus allows bill payments in many forms at no additional cost to the customer. You would though end up on Octopus’ Flexible tariff which will increase in October under the Ofgem Cap.

wild666

If you know the price of 1 kWh and the SC then just add the next 30/31 days usage and the same number of days SC this will give you a monthly total for usage now but for winter add your highest usage and SC from a winter month using the presents rates from April 2022 to calculate a bill using the present rates with last winters monthly usage.

Many people are going to be hit with not only an increase last April but also a large increase in October. 

Annar

Mstty said:

What were your readings submitted on 31st March and what are they now?

What price per kWh are you paying and the standing charges.

On 31st march were you in credit or debit on your account?

With that info all can be calculated 👍

Electricity Unit Rate is 29.63p per kWh and Standing charge is  32.14p per day

Gas Unit Rate is 7.52p per kWh and Standing charge 27.22p per day

on the 31 Mar Gas 10428  Electricty 57851

Here are someother dates

April  Gas 10454               Electricity 57937

May   Gas 10497              Electricity  58196

Jun    Gas    10590           Electricity   58623

Jul      Gas     10613         Electricity  58793

 

Ok I hope this information helps.  Thanks

Evan3020

You used £88 in July and averaged £126 a month in the spring and summer months so i suspect you should be paying a lot more.

Annar

Well in April I paid £134  According to their actual graph in my account I should actually be paying £113 for Jul  The graph actually shows I've used less energy in Jul.  By the way I don't understand what you're saying if I used £88 in Jul why should I be paying more? In Jul I paid 154.

By the way how did you calculate that?