Shell Excluded from Payment Review

SuzeQStan

Ive built up a large amount of credit on my dual fuel energy account with Shell which I know I won’t use even if we get a seriously cold winter due to non deviation from strict usage schedule + tried & tested alternative heating methods.  When I went to change my direct debit on Shell website to an amount that would according to them leave me £68 underfunded on my account by December 2023, I got the below message from Shell which I had to tick as read prior to changing my direct debit amount:

understand that if I make this change to my Direct Debit, I’ll be excluded from an automated review of my payments for 3 months. These reviews help make sure I’m paying the correct amount. If I’m paying significantly less than the recommended amount, I understand that my Direct Debit may still be reviewed and amended to the correct amount, to prevent my account from building up debt

I don’t understand why they are preventing future adjustment of my direct debit so I don’t end up with even higher credit on my account than I already have. Or am I misunderstanding this message? 

As an experiment I also tried entering a higher direct debit amount and the same message still came up about being excluded for 3 months.

Anyone else had this message from Shell?

CKhalvashi

Yes.

Shell's systems a few months ago put us as having a ridiculously high estimated usage which following the last few months meter readings seems to now have sorted itself out, even if still being a bit high.

We were away last month (for which I can't be bothered to submit readings yet) though during what I'm led to believe was quite a cold spell, will be away this month for a weekend and have 12 days away next month (plus won't be home for a few days around Christmas but will probably charge the car one night over that period), but they're not to know that.

ariarnia

i would think this is what you want. you want to set your dd and not have it immediately changed by shell next month. so why is it a problem? 

you dont trust shell's prediction. that is your right. but if you are setting a dd then should be the amount you think you will spend averaged over the next 12 months or anniversary of join date (shell prefer the anniversary). if you are basing that on actual usage figures (allowing a small margin one way or another) then you shouldn't be to far out especially if you have a lot of credit so reviewing in three months sounds fairly reasonable. 

SuzeQStan

@ariarnia - I re read it again after your message and didn’t appreciate this meant Shell also wouldn’t review my payment (unless I was in danger of building up debt)

I have based calculations not only on last 12 months usage but also on new work arrangements & measures this winter resulting in heating being on 1/3rd the time it was last year + taking into account current rates & potential rate rises in April 23. 

And you are right 3 months isn’t that bad I suppose I panicked a bit. So basically Shell are saying I’m a PIA for changing my dd too much?

ariarnia

some people change there dd every month (basically trying to use it as a variable dd without actually switching payment methods. sometimes because the supplier doesn't offer it and they dont want to move) but i can see how doing that can cause problems for the supplier.

if they were to change there dd to what they expect in winter then the computer would say it was far to high for an annual dd and the same in summer far to low (because variable dd can mean payments of 3 or 4 times higher in winter than summer). such high and low payments would probably flag the account for manual review. so i can see why they might leave it 3 months (plus if they dont beleve the estemate then there not likely to beleve after only 1 month so its probably just going to cause them to complain and make even more work for shell )

Grizzlebeard

understand that if I make this change to my Direct Debit, I’ll be excluded from an automated review of my payments for 3 months. These reviews help make sure I’m

All this means is they won't give a payment review within the next three months, even if one was due if you hadn't made the change. It doesn't affect or restrict your rights or payment options in any way.

It's just a warning that if you build up debt (which you won't) it's your responsibility.

Ignore the warning.

Wibby

SuzeQStan

@Grizzlebeard - thank you Wibby - the reassurance is very much appreciated 😊