Octopus taken me of variable DD?

Chrysalis

This shows for my payments, a little confusing.

You are paying a variable amount depending on your usage

From 22/07/2023, you'll be paying £12.18 on the 15th of each month

CSI_Yorkshire

Isn't that just the default amount you will pay if there is no reading?

mnewtonuk

I randomly got moved to fixed this month too after paying by variable for over a year. I can only assume it was done accidentally when renewing my tracker tariffs after their fixed term.

I called them yesterday and they said they could see I had been changed to fixed and moved me straight back onto variable at my request.

Chrysalis

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Isn't that just the default amount you will pay if there is no reading?

It only takes a payment when a bill is issued, and say its will be paid on a variable date as bill isnt issued same date every month, not paying XX on the XX of each month.  So I am guessing I need to ring them again.

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@mnewtonuk that makes sense, it has happened around my tracker renewal period and my switch from agile to electric tracker.

Will wait until my gas tracker moves onto the renewed version to make sure that sticks, and then ask them to change the DD type when thats done.  So I might have to make a manual top up in July.

debitcardmayhem

Perhaps that is just the standing charge, I am guessing of course that is just gas

Chrysalis

I will have to top up July if the DD doesnt fully pay it as gas tracker not moving till 3rd week, after that I will ring to fix the DD.

[Deleted User]

Chrysalis said:

I will have to top up July if the DD doesnt fully pay it as gas tracker not moving till 3rd week, after that I will ring to fix the DD.

You can set your own DD via the App.

KxMx

[Deleted User] said:

Chrysalis said:

I will have to top up July if the DD doesnt fully pay it as gas tracker not moving till 3rd week, after that I will ring to fix the DD.

You can set your own DD via the App.

You can't change from fixed to variable through the App. 

Fletch7

Hmmm, there are gremlins at work at Octopus, I was moved off variable and granted a payment holiday - my DD was set to zero. 
Called this morning, they were very apologetic on the phone and I'm now back on variable.

Sandybanks

Fletch7 said:

Hmmm, there are gremlins at work at Octopus, I was moved off variable and granted a payment holiday - my DD was set to zero. 
Called this morning, they were very apologetic on the phone and I'm now back on variable.

I can confirm this is the case, that they seem to have a problem with variable direct debits getting cancelled for no apparent reason. I manage multiply accounts for family and several of these have repeatedly had the direct debit cancelled, even mid bill after it has advised on what date they will be taking it.  You will see that under the account balance it says "Why is my account in debit? You have a payment holiday!"  If you don't have the time to keep checking up on your account, you could easily find that what you thought was being taken care of is now a large outstanding amount. Imagine what havoc this could cause an older person who perhaps needs someone to help them with their bills and then finds they owe a fortune and have already spent the money because they assumed the bill was being automatically taken care of.  

MP1995

Sandybanks said:

Fletch7 said:

Hmmm, there are gremlins at work at Octopus, I was moved off variable and granted a payment holiday - my DD was set to zero. 
Called this morning, they were very apologetic on the phone and I'm now back on variable.

I can confirm this is the case, that they seem to have a problem with variable direct debits getting cancelled for no apparent reason. I manage multiply accounts for family and several of these have repeatedly had the direct debit cancelled, even mid bill after it has advised on what date they will be taking it.  You will see that under the account balance it says "Why is my account in debit? You have a payment holiday!"  If you don't have the time to keep checking up on your account, you could easily find that what you thought was being taken care of is now a large outstanding amount. Imagine what havoc this could cause an older person who perhaps needs someone to help them with their bills and then finds they owe a fortune and have already spent the money because they assumed the bill was being automatically taken care of.  

No excuses for not checking money going out that's simple household financial management.

Anyone that takes their eye off the ball to cost themselves a "fortune" sort of deserves it tbh.

That said happened to us the variable DD setup and we were in credit for 4-5 months and it stopped. We noticed it stopped and when we went into debit no DD taken so we just make manual payments now on our Agile Tariff. Works for us as we like to check the monthly bill and really everyone should,