Shell Energy - irregular billing dates

ad1927

Good afternoon,

I have been with Shell Energy since January 2021, and up until July 3rd 2022, I was receiving my bills on the 3rd of every month.

Since then, the date has changed, and I can receive a bill at anytime from the 2nd of a month to the 9th.  This will cause me inconvenience because they advised me to move to a Variable Direct Debit.

I was on their Standard Direct Debit, but was annoyed when they increased my direct debit amounts with very little notice, and was further annoyed that the only way I could reduce them was to call them and spend an hour explaining why.  I was particularly annoyed because they increased my DD from £125 to £227, but when I logged onto their site they were then advising me to lower it to £207 - so it is clear that this calculation is based on a snapshot of data, and not many data points - they have not taken consideration to the fact that our energy usage has dropped significantly as we have a smaller household and we have always been energy conscious.  I was also in credit at this time to the tune of £500.  As a result, and to avoid having them sitting on my money, I was advised to move to a Variable Direct Debit.  I was not informed that this would result in my payment date being moved to 14 days after the billing date which is why I am now annoyed that they are unable to produce a bill on a specific day in the month.

Also, once I moved to a Variable Direct Debit, they started to produce bills based on estimates and not on Smart Meter Readings.  They have been successfully taking Smart Meter readings from January 2021 - November 2022, the point at which I switch to Variable Direct Debit.

I have spoken to them until I am blue in the face asking for

1)  A bill to be produced on a specific date, based on my Smart Meter readings 10 working days before (see point 2)
2)  Payments to be made on 2nd of calendar month based on an accurate bill being provided in point 1.

They have advised me that my Smart Meter is still sending them readings, so why are they basing bills on estimates, and why are they over estimating my usage to the tune of 25%?  E.g. They produced a bill on the 2nd of December, and a further one on the 5th of December - both based on estimates.  They estimated that, on average, we used 10KwH of electricity per day on the 2nd,3rd,4th and 5th of December.  Our average usage is barely 8 KwH per day.  

Skeptically, I am concerned that they are now using estimated usage to extract more money from us as we have closed down the other avenue.  I appreciate that I will only pay for the energy I have used, in the grand scheme of things, but this has become a point of principle to me considering that my parents are £1200 in credit with Shell, and still seeing their DDs rising.  When they asked for the money back, Shell only gave half because "winter is coming".  

What actions are available to me?

Many thanks

Adrian

pochase

There is really nothing that you can do. You have no right that you are billed on a certain date, it is up to the supplier to decide how to spread out the billings over the month.

There was a long thread a few month ago where somebody wanted to be charged at the end of the month so it matched his Excel sheet.

What exactly is the disadvantage you have if you are not billed on the second?

ad1927

The disadvantage is that I will have to make the payment either just before I am paid, or just afterwards.

Every other supplier that I have had has managed to provide a bill and payment on agreed dates.  Not just in terms of energy supply, but every other service that I pay for.  

ad1927

I mentioned yesterday about the problems, and lack of answers, I am getting from Shell about numerous issues.

However, the biggest issue for me right now is that my direct debit payment is due to go out 10 working days after my bill.  My bills always used to be produced on the 2nd of the month but, of late, the bills have been produced on a range of dates between the 2nd and 9th of a calendar month.

This causes significant inconvenience to me - as I will not know when I am making a payment and, quite often, will not know the value of the payment.  

Q1.  If I cancel my Direct Debit, and pay them a week or two after the due payment date what will be the repercussion?  I will be paying within 28 days of the bill being produced.

Since moving to a Variable Direct Debit, Shell have been producing bills based on over estimates rather than Smart Meter readings.  Shell have confirmed my Smart Meters are working, but still base their bills on estimates that are 25% higher for electricity and 45% higher for gas than my average and actual usage.  Shell advised that I move to a Variable DD so that I pay for "only the energy I use", and I have an e-mail from them confirming this.

Q2.  Am I within my rights to dispute bills that contain overestimations, and withhold payments until an accurate bill can be produced (bearing in mind my Smart Meter is working).

I'm not looking for a debate here, just confirmation for my rights as a customer.

Many thanks

Adrian

Mstty

Never cancel a Direct Debit but do raise a complaint about your variable Paul in fall billing issues.

If you hold them to ransom you will lose your Direct Debit discount on your energy so in the long run a complaint is best and let them know you will go to the ombudsman service early on in the chats.

pensionpawn

Another Shell gripe is their handling of my move from their E7 to their single rate tariff. An email (within 24 hours) informs me that the change has been completed. My web portal tells me that my change will take a couple of days. When I called to ask exactly when the change will take place (so I don't change my timings too early and get overcharged) I'm told it will take 21 days. 21 days! This is the 21st century. All they have to do is apply the new same rate to R1 & R2 readings and add them together. Is it really that complicated or are they just procrastinating in order to rinse higher charges out of me for as long as possible. Inept at best, scandalous at worst.