Changing direct debit

alixross2801

My energy company kept changing my direct debit amount over a few months, significantly reducing the amount even though the amounts have been increasing dramatically leave me each month in debit a significant amount as the amount they were charging me was not the amount they were taking. I have asked for them to adjust my direct debit to a reasonable and affordable amount but still I am still £600 in debit. Where do I stand as it was them who kept changing my direct debit to an amount that would not cover the cost of the bills, they brought it down to as low as £58 for gas and electric

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

Presumably you haven't incurred any loss: effectively they've given you a short-term interest-free loan.  This may cause bill shock later on, but there's nothing to stop you topping up via one-off payments.

The permanent answer is to change to variable DD (but beware higher bills in winter) or to ditch & switch.

dunstonh

. Where do I stand as it was them who kept changing my direct debit to an amount that would not cover the cost of the bills

Ultimately, you decide the monthly payments.  Not them.  If things are left to their own devices (ie. estimated readings and payments based on flawed assumptions) then the direct debit will be wrong and need to be corrected later.

You will not get some freebie because of that.

they brought it down to as low as £58 for gas and electric

And when you thought that was too low, what did you tell them to increase it to?
and/or what reason did they give for you not increasing it to the figure you told them to use?
or did you just accept it and do nothing?

RelievedSheff

This is why you should take and submit regular meter readings and calculate for yourself what you should be paying.

It is fairly simple maths.