Scottish Power increasing direct debit when I am in credit !

rufford155

Email from Scottish Power is asking me to increase my direct debit when I was £166 in credit on 30th June (at end of fix). If I do not do so, they are going to do it anyway - up by £36/month. This is daylight robbery isn't it? Is it even legal? Increasing their own coffers at my expense !
I rang them today but they refused to budge.
I have been a client for over 10 years - what terrible customer service this is !
Is ther anything I can do?

TheMilkmansDad

without knowing more it's impossible to know.

Have you done your own maths to work out your annual usage? how does that compare to the requested DD?

CSI_Yorkshire

rufford155 said:

This is daylight robbery isn't it? Is it even legal?
Is there anything I can do?

No.  Yes.

Yes - Work out what the DD actually should be based on actual prices and actual meter readings.  Only then will you have any evidence whether their new DD is right or wrong and by how much.

If you've just come off a fix, then your prices might well have gone up - that seems like excellent justification for a DD increase to me.

RelievedSheff

You have just come off a fixed rate so your unit rate will be going up. So it is quite likely that the increase in direct debit is justified.

Your account should be in credit at this time of year to cover the higher use in the winter months. Your credit balance isn't especially high for the time of year either.

Neil49

Their reasoning will be that they are planning ahead to cover the cost of your winter fuel consumption (which will obviously higher than current usage). Whether you agree with that is up to you. 

Scot_39

You havent given enough information to advise on price change.

But depending on fix prices you could easily be looking at a significant cost increase.

There's another SP user post who's fix rates that are about to end were about to increase by c50% for electric and 100% increase for gas.

The simplest thing to do is calculate your own DD estimate based on annual usage.

So look at bills etc and get last 12 months usage.

Multiply out at new rates and add a years standing charges.

Subtract the £166 credit

Divide by 12.

And be warned they might be asking for a little more - building in some margin for e.g. a colder winter or possible rate rises.

rufford155

OK, I've done the calculations and they are not a million miles out.
I admit I should have done this before and it was sloppy of me not to.
But I still think I should be allowed to keep the current direct debit until I get a bill that's actually in the red.
I have been in credit for two years, at one time over £300 so they have had plenty of my money before.
I don't see why I should be subsidising them even more.

frugalmacdugal

Hi,

if you go into debit then your DD will increase to catch up.

rufford155

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

if you go into debit then your DD will increase to catch up.

Fair enough, I'd be happy with that 'cos that's how it's worked in the past.
Now they're taking our money in advance !
Not fair and not a usual business practice.

BUFF

you could possibly switch onto a variable direct debit where you pay for what you actually used that month.
The potential downside is that you have very high bills over winter rather than averaged out across the year.

rufford155

Thanks for all the advice but, sorry to say, I've not learnt anything I didn't already know.
The important questions were (i) Is it legal? (ii) Who can I complain to?