SSE Variable Direct Debit

SSEOVOvictim

Was told by SSE this morning that they no longer allow customers to pay bills by quarterly variable direct debit, the system where you pay for ACTUAL usage. Obviously they prefer the option of monthly direct debits where they can rip everyone off.

Keep_pedalling

Still available according to the website.

https://sse.co.uk/help/bills-and-paying/how-to-pay-your-energy-bill

TheMilkmansDad

you might want to ask them to update their website then as it still says you can - https://sse.co.uk/help/bills-and-paying/direct-debits

if they have done this then maybe go to Monthly variable DD - makes more business sense for them (only gives the customer 1 month credit rather than 3) and still means you pay for what you use.

Effician

TheMilkmansDad said:

you might want to ask them to update their website then as it still says you can - https://sse.co.uk/help/bills-and-paying/direct-debits

if they have done this then maybe go to Monthly variable DD - makes more business sense for them (only gives the customer 1 month credit rather than 3) and still means you pay for what you use.

It's all part of the moving of SSE customers to OVO, if not now then soon the OP will lose the quarterly on demand & the option of variable whole amount monthly DD.

pochase

Correct, Ovo does not allow quarterly billing or variable direct debit. As everybody is going to be moved to Ovo they will not allow this payment form any longer as it would eb soon removed.

eskbanker

SSEOVOvictim said:

Was told by SSE this morning that they no longer allow customers to pay bills by quarterly variable direct debit, the system where you pay for ACTUAL usage. Obviously they prefer the option of monthly direct debits where they can rip everyone off.

You still (ultimately) pay for ACTUAL usage with a monthly direct debit, even though there may be occasional reconciliation necessary....

born_again

Why are you being ripped off?
They just balance the DD over your 12 months usage.
Just send them a meter reading each month & jobs a good one.
Personally more than happy to be £384 in credit at the moment, knowing that the historic biggest bills are at the start of the year. 

Gerry1

born_again said:

Why are you being ripped off?
They just balance the DD over your 12 months usage.

That was the original idea of Fixed Direct Debit.  Sometimes you were in credit, sometimes you were in debit, so it all balanced out.

However, many suppliers now insist that you are never in debit, and others increase the DD so that you are always seriously in credit, i.e. you're lending them a large amount of money and you're losing the 3% interest it could be earning you.

That's why you're being ripped off.

pseudodox

SSEOVOvictim.  Don't be a victim - be proactive & take control of your own life/finances.  FDD at whatever level suits some people but there is not one size fits all & some of us prefer to pay for what we use & have lovely low gas bills in summer with lots of pennies to spend on ice cream & other treats. 

Older customers of OVO apparently get interest on their credit balances.  With general interest rates now on the up keep your money in your own savings pot & have 24/7 access to that pot.  If I had stayed with OVO when SSE sold me to them in October they would have taken over £650 of my savings by now.  With EDF I am due to pay my first variable payment (approx £175) at start of Feb, because the EBSS money has taken care of my usage up to now.  So that £650 is nominally earning interest for me because it is still sitting nice & snug in MY savings account & there will still be £475 plus modest interest left earning it's keep after my bill is paid.

The EBSS, pensioners WFA & council tax refund have covered my gas/electric usage for two thirds of the current year.  And the income put aside due to these generous handouts will be waiting on the starting block for next year.