Energy companies and direct debits

[Badger]

What is it with energy companies trying to increase direct debits? I'm with nPower and it's a real challenge to keep my payments at the correct level. When I switched to them over a year ago I gave them the facts:

- One-bedroom flat
- Single occupant
- No garden
- Modern and very energy efficient

nPower's verdict: that will £135 a month please
One angry phone call later and they'd put it down to £40.

All seemed fine until a statement dropped through my letterbox today with the following:

- Estimated (a very high estimate of course because it's been such a cold winter so far) gas reading puts me £30 in debit
- Actual electricity reading gives me £50 credit
- I am now £30 in credit if you include my previous statement
- nPower have just dropped their prices

nPower's conclusion: a 50% increase in my monthly direct debit of course


You've got to wonder how much extra cash they have sitting in an account gaining interest because they've effectively stolen it off their customers.

 

[oldalbiongirl]

Scottish Power have been great. They just put mine down by £20 per month bassed on previous meter readings.

 

[surrey jim]

I'm with nPower

That's your main problem. I was using Npower in the past; their incompetence is beyond belief. If I were you I would change,

 

[Woodchip]

I was with British Gas and supplied them with a monthly reading with a variable DD. No issues at all.

Sent by the power of 1000 turtles

 

[Pat McCrotch]

That's your main problem. I was using Npower in the past; their incompetence is beyond belief. If I were you I would change,

Ditto. Worst "customer service" I have ever experienced.

 

[Manx Shearwater]

I changed to nPower once.

Sadly, I didn't know anything about it, as they decided to get my name off the electoral roll and forge the document requesting the change. Took me months to get it changed back, during which they kept threatening to cut off my services unless I relented and went along with being a customer of theirs.

Lovely lovely people.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

That's your main problem. I was using Npower in the past; their incompetence is beyond belief. If I were you I would change,

This.

 

[Badger]

That's your main problem. I was using Npower in the past; their incompetence is beyond belief. If I were you I would change,

It does seem to be getting that way. I used them at my last place and didn't have so much of a problem with them but then it was a massively inefficient 2 bedroom flat and we were paying them a fortune in gas bills so I was probably a more valued customer. I'm definitely going to be changing my supplier after this latest letter.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

The utility companies don't mind overcharging you, even though it puts you in credit with them - but then they have your money for them to play the markets with. Even if they just put it on deposit, they make money.

 

[Badger]

Ditto. Worst "customer service" I have ever experienced.

I think I'd put Virgin Media slightly ahead of them on that front.

 

[Storer 68]

Set up a standing Order rather than a Direct Debit as that puts YOU in charge of the amount to be paid as opposed to THEM!

UK and IrelandA standing order can be set up to run for a set period of time, or indefinitely, and can be cancelled at the account holder's request. Standing orders are standardized by the trade body UK Payments Administration. In 2008 a number of banks began to introduce Faster Payments as the method of transfer for standing orders when available, in place of the slower BACS system; with this method payments reach the receiving account the same day, rather than after a delay of three days or more.[1]

[edit] Difference from Direct DebitStanding orders are distinct from direct debits; both are methods of setting up repeated transfers of money from one account to another, but they operate in different ways. The fundamental difference is that standing orders send payments arranged by the payer, while direct debits are specified and collected by the payee.

A standing order can only be set up and modified by the payer, and is for amounts specified by the payer to be paid at specified times (usually a fixed amount at a specified interval). The amount can be paid into any bank account, which need not belong to an organisation vetted by the payer's bank.
A direct debit requires the payer to instruct the bank to honour direct debit requests from a specified payee; the payee can then take a direct debit for any amount at any time. The payer has no direct control over these payments, but can cancel the direct debit at any time, with no reason required, and require the return of disputed payments. It is not possible to authorise an individual to take direct debits; only organisations that have a contract with the payer's bank, or have been vetted by it, can do this. For details and country differences, see direct debit.

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

Ditto. Worst "customer service" I have ever experienced.

I wish to nominate Sky for that particular honour, but Npower are definately in the top 5 for treating customers with utter contempt

 

[willow147]

I'm with OVO and my payments haven't changed for about 18 months. When I am in credit (during the summer months) they pay me interest.

 

[phoenix]

- One-bedroom flat
- Single occupant

Hi Badger,

My flat sounds much the same and my Electricity is £40 per month direct debit.So that sounds about right now.

 

[Badger]

- One-bedroom flat
- Single occupant

Hi Badger,

My flat sounds much the same and my Electricity is £40 per month direct debit.So that sounds about right now.

Exactly, which is why they are taking the piss by trying to increase it by another £20.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Scottish Power have been great. They just put mine down by £20 per month bassed on previous meter readings.

I have two electricity accounts. One of them is for an outhouse that powers an electric sewage pump that is no longer used. Power consumption is ZERO, but EDF make a standing charge of 14 pence a day.

I've just switched this supply to Scottish Power, who will only charge for the electricity that is used. They do, however, expect a direct debit arrangement to be in place. The deal is that I pay them £9 a month, but at the end of the year (when the account will be in credit by £108), they will repay me £111.

In other words, they are paying me £3 a year, not to use any electricity. Seems OK to me.

 

[SK1NT]

Has a similiar experience with EDF.

A tiny 1 bed flat.. was paying £40 a month and they upped this to £110 and called them and complained gave meter readings etc.. I am over £200 iin credit so they put it back to £40. However have noticed that they have put it up to £75 month...

Can they just up these monthly payments when they want? Thought they atleast have to ask first.

 

[Springal]

EDF just put mine down from £45 to £35 a month for electric only 1 bedroom flat.

 

[7:18]

BT do this to me too with phone and internet, always trying to increase my direct debit

 

[TheBlueAndWhiteStrips]

I have a 1 bedroom flat Gas/Electric and I pay £18pm for Electricity dd with EON. For Gas I pay online where I can give a meter reading and it adjusts my bill straight off.