Inconsistent Info from Sainsbury's Energy!

SPE57

At the end of September had an email from Sainsbury's Energy which was a quote for the energy they reckoned I would use in the next 12 months - I know this will now change as the EPG is only for 6 months. In a subsequent phone call to S/E they told me what the increase in my direct debit would be and they would be arranging to change the D/D. A month on and they have still not increased my D/D and when I submit my monthly meter readings this month I will then be in debit. Not sure whether to increase this myself or just wait for them to get round to it? I don't want to be charged twice for the energy used and don't have a great deal of confidence in our provider!

They also told me that they would be crediting my energy account £66/67 per month for the next six months, but when I checked my energy account earlier today they had added a credit of £66 early in October but a couple of weeks later they had removed £67 and paid it into my bank account! This seems really strange given that it is not what they told me or what their website says! I don't mind which account this goes to but need some consistency in order to budget for these bills over the next few months

ariarnia

theres a couple of things going on here. being in debt in winter is not unusual. monthly dds will put you back into credit over summer and the company wont chase you for a debt as long as you respond to them asking to put the dd up to where they think is reasonable (which doesn't have to be where they suggest. you can say a different number but need to be able to say why thats the right number using your meter readings), most people will be in credit over the summer and 0 mid winter but lots who joined there supplier later in the year are in debt in winter and 0 over summer. 

if you submit regular meter readings then you can work out roughly what your annual usage should be and decide where your dd should be set at. all you need is two readings about 12 months apart. if you're not sure or want to double check with on here then all you need to go is give us the 2 readings for each fuel and tell us what tarrif your currently on. then you can increase your dd or make a cash payment of the 66/400 each month if you need or want to. 

the 66 confusing people is something we've seen on here a lot recently. differnt companies are doing it differently because there systems werent set up for it but the crediting it to the account then refunding it is probably just so they can track it on your account. now you have had the october payment that should be how sansuburys does it for you for the rest so you know what to expect. 

[Deleted User]

You're not going to get charged twice for the energy. 

Your DD is not your bill, it's just topping up your account where you pay the bill from.  Even if you did have two increases in your DD, this would just build up extra credit that you would then use in future.

sandy700

If you know that you can pay for the energy you use because you have the money available, do what I did, change your DD to a variable DD, that way they will only take what you have used.

I am in credit by more than this month's bill, so I won't be paying anything this month.

Sainsbury's Energy also did that to me, paid the £66 into my energy account then a few days later took out £67 and paid it into my bank account.

[Deleted User]

sandy700 said:

If you know that you can pay for the energy you use because you have the money available, do what I did, change your DD to a variable DD, that way they will only take what you have used.

I am in credit by more than this month's bill, so I won't be paying anything this month.

Sainsbury's Energy also did that to me, paid the £66 into my energy account then a few days later took out £67 and paid it into my bank account.

The OP says they "need some consistency in order to budget for these bills" and you suggest a wildly inconsistent method of payment?

Why do variable DD customers pop up on every thread to recommend that method as some sort of panacea to all billing issues?

SPE57

Thanks for the comments. I guess it doesn't really matter which account the £66/7 is paid into providing they stick to it.

Have been with Sainsbury's Energy for a year now and have submitted gas and electric meter readings every month so I know my annual useage. S/E still over estimated my useage for the coming year and refused to base their quote on last year's useage. As it wasn't that much more I haven't challenged this at the moment and accept our usegae could increase in the next year. Still surprised they haven't increased our D/D in line with their quote. I know that in the winter you often go into debit and then return to credit in the summer months but last year it was not till January that I went into debit whereas this year it will happen as of November so if they don't increase it soon I will have to. I would have thought it would not be good to be in debit when the EPG ends next April!

dunstonh

A month on and they have still not increased my D/D and when I submit my monthly meter readings this month I will then be in debit.

You should still have summer credit of around 3-6 times your monthly payment (assuming the monthly payment is accurate of your annual use).  October has been very mild.  So, use would not be expected to be much higher than a summer month.

The fact you are in debit means your monthly figure is either too low or you only just moved to this supplier.

Not sure whether to increase this myself or just wait for them to get round to it? I don't want to be charged twice for the energy used and don't have a great deal of confidence in our provider!

You won't be charged twice for the use.  Just once.   The payment method and amount is separate from your energy use.

They also told me that they would be crediting my energy account £66/67 per month for the next six months, but when I checked my energy account earlier today they had added a credit of £66 early in October but a couple of weeks later they had removed £67 and paid it into my bank account!

Which is how a lot of the suppliers are doing it. 

Have been with Sainsbury's Energy for a year now and have submitted gas and electric meter readings every month so I know my annual useage. S/E still over estimated my useage for the coming year and refused to base their quote on last year's useage. 

It is normal for estimates to be low-confidence when you only have a short period of time with a supplier.   Each year you are with them, the accuracy of the estimates should improve.   Do remember that 2021 was a mild winter.   2022 has had a mild autumn so far but you need to be prepared for a cold winter. 

Still surprised they haven't increased our D/D in line with their quote. 

I wouldn't wait for them.  If you know your annual use, then change it and add a bit more to cover the lack of summer credit.