Direct debit

hb1

After the £67 government support ended, Octopus Energy emailed to say they would be increasing my dd by £67.  I logged into my online account the same day and amended the payment back down to the original amount.  Whilst I can see the amount I have set as my direct debit in my Octopus account (£292), they have gone ahead and taken the higher amount (£359) from my bank today.  I am cross that they have done this.  Imagine if this was someone who was down to their last few pounds in their account and the energy company just took all that they have left, or sent the person overdrawn?  By setting up a direct debit, I am trusting that company with my account details, they should be taking only what I have authorised and not a penny more. 

[Deleted User]

I have been an Octopus customer now for over 5 years. Each month, I receive this email'ed notification:



You are on a variable direct debit payment scheme which allows the supplier to vary your DD payment with the appropriate notification. My DD is low as I have built up some credit. The DD amount to be paid can be changed in the Octopus App.

bristolleedsfan

[Deleted User] said:

I have been an Octopus customer now for over 5 years. Each month, I receive this email'ed notification:



You are on a variable direct debit payment scheme which allows the supplier to vary your DD payment with the appropriate notification. My DD is low as I have built up some credit. The DD amount to be paid can be changed in the Octopus App.

Did you not read O/P like a lot of customers amended DD same day as notification of increased monthly payment, huge problem yesterday for many customers, they pride themselves that customers are in control of DDs

Whilst not admitted in public this is a reply someone received.

MattMattMattUK

hb1 said:

After the £67 government support ended, Octopus Energy emailed to say they would be increasing my dd by £67.  I logged into my online account the same day and amended the payment back down to the original amount.  Whilst I can see the amount I have set as my direct debit in my Octopus account (£292), they have gone ahead and taken the higher amount (£359) from my bank today.  I am cross that they have done this.  Imagine if this was someone who was down to their last few pounds in their account and the energy company just took all that they have left, or sent the person overdrawn?  

What ifs are all irrelevant. They first factor is that you can request a reduction in the Direct Debit, but it does not meant that the change was accepted by Octopus. There is also the secondary factor how far in advance of the Direct Debit being taken you requested the change, Direct Debits are processed a week or so in advance of being deducted from your bank account so if it is requested within that window even if they accept the request it would not be actioned until the following Direct Debit.

hb1 said:

By setting up a direct debit, I am trusting that company with my account details, they should be taking only what I have authorised and not a penny more. 

The amount authorised is as per the contract, the amount you request on the website is not relevant, the way the Direct Debit functions is as per the contract, the amount on the site is not what is authorised, it is them advising you how much they will deduct. 

wild666

Any new DD price takes 10 days to take effect. When I increased mine from £48 to £55 it was less than 10 days before the DD was due out of my account and Octopus didn't take any DD that month as I also changed the date it was taken from the 15th to the 1st of the month. When the EBSS payments were made they didn't take any DD's but on the 1st April they took £69.25 an increase of £14.25 on the payments I made before October. 
I had over £300 in credit on the account so I made use of the £66/67 and the £300 credit even making additional payments every other month, I was going to do it every month but thought the money's better off in my account than theirs, I still have £290 credit and my monthly bill will increase by £2.22 per month so the credit will be increasing for at least 6 months. I might recall some of it near the end of summer as I can always make additional payments at any time.

bristolleedsfan

O/P contact bank and say Octopus failed to adhere to DD guarantee, ask for payment back under DD guarantee. 

MattMattMattUK

bristolleedsfan said:

O/P contact bank and say Octopus failed to adhere to DD guarantee, ask for payment back under DD guarantee. 

It would be wise to check that such a claim is true before making it. 

bristolleedsfan

MattMattMattUK said:

bristolleedsfan said:

O/P contact bank and say Octopus failed to adhere to DD guarantee, ask for payment back under DD guarantee. 

It would be wise to check that such a claim is true before making it. 

..........

MattMattMattUK

bristolleedsfan said:

MattMattMattUK said:

bristolleedsfan said:

O/P contact bank and say Octopus failed to adhere to DD guarantee, ask for payment back under DD guarantee. 

It would be wise to check that such a claim is true before making it. 

..........

A, that message was not to the OP and B, I would not take action based on a random message on Facebook.

bristolleedsfan

"Octopus Energy emailed to say they would be increasing my dd by £67.  I logged into my online account the same day and amended the payment back down to the original amount"

"Direct debit indemnity is a way of claiming back unauthorised direct debits. This includes instances where you have not been given the required advance notice regarding a change of amount or date, you have been debited an incorrect amount, earlier than the agreed date or in error"

EssexHebridean

Hi OP - how long before the DD was due to be taken did you amend the instruction for the amount on your online account?