Finding a provider that does variable DDs

bristolleedsfan

jrawle said:

Van_Girl said:

DerwentMailman said:

Van_Girl said:

Eon Next do offer variable DD, but I believe most of their fixed price tariffs require a fixed DD. Which is a bit annoying 

Yes to Eon Next offering variable DD but this is certainly not conditional on having a fixed price tariff.  Nothing on the Eon Next community forums suggest that you need a fixed tariff for VDD.

I myself have been on monthly VDD on both variable and fixed tariffs this last year (Next Flex and Loyalty v4).

I think you may have confused what I said. Having a fixed DD is a condition of some of their fixed price tariffs. Others have the option of VDD. 

For example, my tariff requires a fixed DD, as well as other conditions such as having a smart meter

Doesn't that illustrate how ridiculous the whole situation is? You must have a smart meter, which allows them to read your exact usage at any time, yet they also insist you have to pay a fixed amount that is not linked to your usage.

You seem to be assuming that the post you replied to is factually correct ( after all people can believe what ever they want to believe) and that post above yours which says opposite is incorrect.

jimjames

Brie said:

Scot_39 said:

Not sure about comparison sites, but assuming you mean monthly variable DD  (pay whole bills at DD rates)  there was a list by MSE - although check as seen posts saying B Gas don't now support on new billing platform which all new customers went on to.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits

I've been told by Eon and So Energy that they don't do variables at all. So presumably this needs to be updated.  

Eon definitely do, it's the tariff we're on currently.
EDF do as well as gas is with them.

Scot_39

jrawle said:

Van_Girl said:

DerwentMailman said:

Van_Girl said:

Eon Next do offer variable DD, but I believe most of their fixed price tariffs require a fixed DD. Which is a bit annoying 

Yes to Eon Next offering variable DD but this is certainly not conditional on having a fixed price tariff.  Nothing on the Eon Next community forums suggest that you need a fixed tariff for VDD.

I myself have been on monthly VDD on both variable and fixed tariffs this last year (Next Flex and Loyalty v4).

I think you may have confused what I said. Having a fixed DD is a condition of some of their fixed price tariffs. Others have the option of VDD. 

For example, my tariff requires a fixed DD, as well as other conditions such as having a smart meter

Doesn't that illustrate how ridiculous the whole situation is? You must have a smart meter, which allows them to read your exact usage at any time, yet they also insist you have to pay a fixed amount that is not linked to your usage.

Playing devil's advocate - people often take fixed deals for pricing certainty.

To enable them to budget plan for the period.

And a supplier might then argue that budgeting certainty is better served by annualised fixed direct debit.

I've certainly had DD as a condition of fixes, and that was before monthly variable DD became a thing.

jrawle

bristolleedsfan said:

jrawle said:

Van_Girl said:

DerwentMailman said:

Van_Girl said:

Eon Next do offer variable DD, but I believe most of their fixed price tariffs require a fixed DD. Which is a bit annoying 

Yes to Eon Next offering variable DD but this is certainly not conditional on having a fixed price tariff.  Nothing on the Eon Next community forums suggest that you need a fixed tariff for VDD.

I myself have been on monthly VDD on both variable and fixed tariffs this last year (Next Flex and Loyalty v4).

I think you may have confused what I said. Having a fixed DD is a condition of some of their fixed price tariffs. Others have the option of VDD. 

For example, my tariff requires a fixed DD, as well as other conditions such as having a smart meter

Doesn't that illustrate how ridiculous the whole situation is? You must have a smart meter, which allows them to read your exact usage at any time, yet they also insist you have to pay a fixed amount that is not linked to your usage.

You seem to be assuming that the post you replied to is factually correct ( after all people can believe what ever they want to believe) and that post above yours which says opposite is incorrect.

My point about smart meters and fixed DD stands whether the post about a specific tariff was correct or not. Consumers are told smart meters are wonderful because it means they always receive accurate bills, yet the majority are forced onto DD payment schemes that charge them for a random amount of energy (usually rigged to be slightly more than they use over the year so that credit builds up).

Consumers are also told that fixed DD is wonderful because it helps to average their payments over the whole year. This used to be the case when this payment method was first introduced; if you started the scheme in the winter, your account would be in debit, with credit built up during the summer months. Now it's set so that the account is always in credit, to the supplier's benefit, and before they all went bust the smaller suppliers would run it as a Ponzi scheme.

Postik

jimjames said:

Eon definitely do, it's the tariff we're on currently.
EDF do as well as gas is with them.

I don't have the option to pay by variable DD with EON.  Perhaps I need to be on a different tariff to allow this?

As an aside, the "pay more in summer so you have credit for the winter" is the biggest swizz ever in my opinion.  I'm not a school child and don't need lessons from my energy supplier in how to budget and save, and I certainly don't need to save money in their bank account rather than my own.

fabsaver

Postik said:

jimjames said:

Eon definitely do, it's the tariff we're on currently.
EDF do as well as gas is with them.

I don't have the option to pay by variable DD with EON.  Perhaps I need to be on a different tariff to allow this?

As an aside, the "pay more in summer so you have credit for the winter" is the biggest swizz ever in my opinion.  I'm not a school child and don't need lessons from my energy supplier in how to budget and save, and I certainly don't need to save money in their bank account rather than my own.

Agreed. With easy access rates now over 5% I'd much rather that money be earning interest for me.

Gerry1

Postik said:

jimjames said:

Eon definitely do, it's the tariff we're on currently.
EDF do as well as gas is with them.

I don't have the option to pay by variable DD with EON.  Perhaps I need to be on a different tariff to allow this?

Are you with EON or EON Next?

pseudodox

Postik said:

As an aside, the "pay more in summer so you have credit for the winter" is the biggest swizz ever in my opinion.  I'm not a school child and don't need lessons from my energy supplier in how to budget and save, and I certainly don't need to save money in their bank account rather than my own.

Some people find a regular fixed monthly payment works well for them.  Some of us don't & like you are capable of budgeting our own finances.  There should be a mandatory choice on this.  I don't regard my winter bills as high - we live in a cold climate half the year so winter energy use is what I regard as normal.  Summer brings the bonus of low bills - in my case at least a third to a quarter of winter.  So I have money for other essentials like road tax, car service, house insurance, holidays & ice cream!  And anything spare that can be siphoned off into a now respectable interest accruing savings pot which is a nice little earner.

fabsaver

MattMattMattUK said:

I know for sure that EDF and Octopus do, British Gas do not on their new billing platform and everyone will be on that by the end of the year. 

I've just been migrated onto the BG new system and was expecting to be taken off variable DD (based upon comments on here).

However upon logging in it says the following. I'm hoping it means they are now allowing variable DDs on the new system.

Payments

Variable Direct Debit.
1st / month.
Your Direct Debit varies depending on your current usage and is based on your latest bill. 

Qyburn

Fixed DD suits lazy suppliers who don't want to do a proper bill any more often than they have to.