Energy Company Rip Off

[securespark]

First Utility have just emailed me with a cutesy video telling me they adjust my monthly DD every 6 months to make sure I am keeping up with payments.

I have emailed them back, asking them to explain why they have increased my payments over the last 6 months 3 times already, from 147 to 163 then to 174.

Further, my current account balance taking into account payments in and gas and electricity used, is £1.83.

If you are on a monthly DD scheme, please keep your eyes peeled!!

 

[Shutpa]

they have increased my payments over the last 6 months 3 times already, from 147 to 163 then to 174.

Wow! That's some bill! We have 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen and utility room with thermostat set at 21 degrees in the winter months when we're £99 a month. This was reduced for summer usage to under £50 a month. And being a member of MSE's Energy Club, have just had an email saying that since our contract is almost up we could switch to another fixed contrac with the same company at a lower DD.

That said, Mrs B checks the DDs monthly.

 

[securespark]

We have same rooms as you but I think we use more. Have you got three cold, wet and dirty boys?

Our gas useage annually is around 15,500 and electricity around 9000.

Our stat is a COSY one (fairly newly installed) and is on hibernate at the moment: has been since May.

When we do have it on, it's on Comfort, which is set to 19 degrees. But that's pointless at the moment, because the room temperature is currently 24.2 degrees with the heating off.

We have loft insulation up to date, DG and cavity wall.

 

[Shutpa]

Gas=19,000 Electric=1,900. DG and 300mm loft insulation. No cavity insulation.

 

[HawkEye244]

Happened to me before, in fact one energy company took a huge sum of money in one go, so I phoned the bank recalled the money and cancelled the direct debit. I then sent them an e-mail saying what they had done was effectually stealing and why shouldn't I report it to the police? Got no proper response to that question of course, just a lie saying that I had previously had an e-mail notifying me they were going to take the money, which I hadn't. Luckily I spotted it in time before my bank had time to charge me for being overdrawn, which would have happened.

Anyway, I sent an e-mail to customer service saying what I was going to pay, something like £10 a month, it was previously £30 (if I recall) before they got greedy. No quibbling or any questions from them lol, they agreed (they have to accept what you give them), they've not tried it on since.

My advice would be think of a figure that's reasonable to you, phone the bank and cancel your current DD, e-mail their customer service saying you've done this and you're prepared to set up a new DD for e.g. £100. No iffs or buts, I'd bet money on them accepting it.

 

[big-all]

first utility are ferkin useless
last september i accidentely clicked on a link i thought was to get information about a fixed tariff till 2018 but alas i actually switched
no problems i thought 2 weeks to cancel email then phone the next morning yes no problem
asked them to email and send paper confirmation to cancel non arrived a week later same again no recognition
to cut a long story short 12 phone calls later nearing 3 hrs on the phone still no resolution in sight but after 6 months i at least get an email saying they have worked out the rebate
it took them 3 months to put me back on the correct tariff and 11 months to work out the rebate aqnd acctually apply it to the account 5 months after i had left them but after another lengthy call to tell them there £32 bill was about £24 to much
i asked them to waver the remaining amount which they did closing the account with a zero ballance but a month on the system still thinks i owe £22 and sends me "reminders "

 

[JBR]

It seems to me that if ever a really honest, customer-centric, competitive and reliable power company came along, they'd corner the market.

Anyone know of one?

 

[big-all]

It seems to me that if ever a really honest, customer-centric, competitive and reliable power company came along, they'd corner the market.

Anyone know of one?

to be fair they will throw assets at what they think is important customer services value for money whatever they think is important

if a company satisfy all communication issues then there prices will be greater to cover the costs
i prefer a 20% failure rate and a 10% less cost on energy than a 10% failure and a a 20% more cost on power

 

[noseall]

We pay our bills quarterly based upon what we owe. No more, no less. I guess no one does it this way anymore.

 

[securespark]

You get paper bills?

 

[HawkEye244]

I think most people pay a fixed amount to save being reminded how much their getting ripped off. I do.

 

[JBR]

We pay our bills quarterly based upon what we owe. No more, no less. I guess no one does it this way anymore.

I think I'd prefer to do that, but the direct debit agreement comes with a reduction in price.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Doesn't the reduction also apply to quarterly bills when paid by DD?

 

[JBR]

Doesn't the reduction also apply to quarterly bills when paid by DD?

I don't know. I'll have to investigate.

 

[noseall]

You get paper bills?

Yes. We do all the other stuff via the internet and logging onto our provider web site i.e. meter readings, payments etc.