EON Billing confusion.

bassicINSTINCT

For various reasons, I cannot provide actual readings as often as I should.

I'm not happy about the 'We charge you more in the summer, to pay for your winter bills' thing.

Last May I got an e-mail telling me that my direct debit would go down, and I was several hundred pounds in credit.

I claimed the refund, and my direct debit went up again, instead of down..

I also did not get anywhere near what I had in credit.

Trying to make sense of this, I studied all my bills, and I noticed something.

I had got an estimated bill, that was over estimated.

I submitted an actual reading.

Then I got a revised bill, where the previous (over) estimated amount, had been altered to be UNDER estimated.

It's not the only time.

Recently, I've been informed that my direct debit will go up, because they THINK I'm using more than my DD covers. I don't know how they think this, because it's based on estimated readings. My last actual one was October. And I, as mentioned before, have been hundreds of pounds in credit.

I took actual readings and submitted them.

They sent me a bill that stated

1st Jan my gas was 7161.E

10th Jan my gas was 7176.E

13th Jan my actual read was 7143.

1st Jan my electric was 26450.E

10 Jan my electric was 26513.E

13th Jan my actual read was 26390.

My account at this point was £119 in credit.

I was unable to claim a refund.

Again, I received an updated bill,

But this time, the 1st January readings were changed to 7127.E and 26261.E

My credit was gone, and I was now £5 something in debit.

I'm trying not to think that these figures were altered from over estimated to underestimated for nefarious reasons, can anybody persuade me ?

 

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

Forget 'nefarious reasons', Ofcom have told all suppliers not to let DD account balances go negative so in the absence of actual meter readings they're only trying to be on the safe side.  You'd doubtless complain if you decided to switch supplier and you unexpectedly found you had to clear a large debit balance almost immediately.

You might find that Monthly Variable DD suits you better.  No credit or debt builds up, although of course the bills will be higher in winter and lower in summer, and any estimated readings may still turn out to be higher than the reality.

Robin9

With respect why not have a Smart  meter - that solves the Estimate problem

Not sure if they do it -  go to a Monthly Variable Direct Debit -  that way you pay an actual amount every month -  that does mean however you need to be prepared for high bills in the winter months.   My own gas is paid this way 
-  £130 last month but will be nearer £30  in the Summer -  my Elec is on a standard fixed DD  of £80 but in Jan the consumption was £140 - in the summer that will be nearer £40

The estimated actual/ estimated bills are very close - gas  over estimate of 33 m3 units (assuming the figures you give are from the meter)  is about £25 ; the electric under estimate is about £30.   

What are the DD's you presently pay and what are your actual annual consumptions - this will be printed on your bill 


The changes in meter reads may well be explained by the fact that unit rates changed on Jan 1

molerat

By providing an actual reading after the estimated bill is received means they re-estimate at the date of the original bill using your current actual reading as a base especially so at a change of tariff.  You either need to provide readings on the first of each month or get a smart meter installed for them to do it themselves.  What happens is totally in your hands but you need to be pro-active.

dealyboy

I'm on monthly variable direct-debit with E.ON Next, suits me  . PS love my smart meter.

Robin9

dealyboy said:

I'm on monthly variable direct-debit with E.ON Next, suits me  . PS love my smart meter.

Ditto - with Edf -  smart meter opened the door to their Sunday and Christmas Day savers !