Energy Suppliers

[Kol]

Just initiated the switch to green.energy on the sturgeon / fixed 12 month plan from Bulb also.

My energy usage has been half what Bulb have now increased my monthly payment to, while already 150% in credit of an average month.

 

[Haggisman]

Anyone with Octopus had issues with getting an electricity bill? My online account shows my up to date usage, but for the last year or so, they haven't generated a bill unless I request one (gas is fine and is generated every month after I submit a meter reading).

Annoying logging into my account and seeing a £400+ positive balance, only to realise that's because there's 3 months of electricity to come out!

 

[EssexBoy]

green.energy only charge what you use so another plus for them.

 

[Gixer]

I've just carried out the yearly change of energy supplier from Scottish Power to Avro. The change is going smoothly however Avro have set my DD up at £85. I was paying £64 with Scottish Power so considering the tariffs are comparable this is an excessive amount.

I've tried contacting Avro by phone, that is pointless. Called at 15:30 to get a lines closed and our opening times are until 16:00, figure that one out! I emailed asking for my DD to be reduced to £70. I did receive an answer but it basically stated I have to wait three months, provide meter readings etc then they'll adjust. We're just going into the season where heating is coming on so if anything they'll raise the DD even more. The way I see it is a DD is 12 equal monthly payments that'll cover my yearly use of energy supplies. Taking last years details I calculated out the below based on my new tariff details:

Elec: 2830 units Start 6995 / End 9825
Gas: 816 on meter = 9128.4064units Start 2655 / End 3471

Daily charge = (365*(19.425*2))/100 = £141.80
Elec charge = (2830*14.4113)/100 = £407.84
Gas charge = (9128.4064*2.4833)/100 = £226.59

Total for the year = £776.23
Divide by 12 = £65

So setting at £70 I'm allowing for slightly higher usage. I have emailed this information to Avro yet since sending this and requesting them to provide me the information they have based my DD amount on they've gone silent.

I'd like to know my rights and whether I can force them to lower my DD. Unfortunately after carrying out a little more reading Avro aren't the fastest bunch to pay back money owed to the consumer and come changing suppliers next year I don't want to be hundred's in credit and having a battle to get it back into my account. Anyone know how I can force this issue a little more?

 

[dl8860]

As you say we are going into the more expensive months, so if anything you'll need to pay more than your annualised monthly average of 65 (or 70) to cover your actual usage, and once winter passes you'll be able to adjust it as needed anyway.

 

[booyaka]

At this time of year it's hard to convince a supplier that you should be lowering your monthly payment - I would wait till March/April time and see how your account looks then.

 

[geekyadz]

Cancel the DD and setup a standing order - nothing they can do about it

 

[iamdjdz]

Can you ask for a refund of credit on the account? I did that with our supplier recently but its in a bit of credit now for winter.

 

[Bug One]

I've been with Avro for a couple of years. They're cheap - and the online stuff all works pretty well - in a kind of 'less is more' non glitzy simple approach. I was in a similar situation when we moved to them, I've always been well in credit with them - and took a while before they reviewed my monthly payments. I think that's probably how they actually manage to undercut quite a lot of their competitors.

However they're dreadfully slow at anything that requires contacting them for. I've recently completed a house move - and my old account is £425 in credit. You would think it would be relatively easy to get that money returned. However I've had to actually phone them to prompt them to refund that.

 

[Gixer]

Cchaos, I think I read that there is a charge for cancelling DD's so I'd need to be careful on that front.

I've only paid one instalment of £85 so far. The thing that concerns me is what Bug One is on about. It's highly likely next year I'll move on to a different supplier, as I do most years, and I don't want to be massively in credit. If anything I'd like to owe Avro a small amount. I budget and have allowances for that scenario. I don't want to have the hassle of fighting to get my own money back. Bug One they were very quick in responding to me twice that they'll not lower my DD straight away but now I've presented actuals and facts they've gone quiet.

I don't understand the monthly review thing, it makes zero sense. If an energy supplier wants to do that then bill me for what I use only. I've provided actual figures to base a years payments on I should pay £65 to £70 a month in my eyes and it'll all be fine. I just want to know my rights with regards to forcing the issue to lower the DD, if I have any at all that is?

 

[Gixer]

As you say we are going into the more expensive months, so if anything you'll need to pay more than your annualised monthly average of 65 (or 70) to cover your actual usage, and once winter passes you'll be able to adjust it as needed anyway.

After reading up on Avro the last thing you want them to do is raise your DD, it sounds like a nightmare to get it lowered again. They're all very happy to take more money but not hand it back it seems. EDF were great, they upped my DD by £10 a month. I emailed stating please lower it back to the original value as I can cover any extra at the end of the year if needed. Turned out they owed me £30 back at the end of the year. If the DD is setup based on yearly usage then base it on my actual figures is my argument. I don't pay more one month and less the next for my TV licence because I watch more TV than the following month do I!

Just feels like a bit of a scam to fill their accounts to be honest.

 

[dl8860]

After reading up on Avro the last thing you want them to do is raise your DD, it sounds like a nightmare to get it lowered again. They're all very happy to take more money but not hand it back it seems. EDF were great, they upped my DD by £10 a month. I emailed stating please lower it back to the original value as I can cover any extra at the end of the year if needed. Turned out they owed me £30 back at the end of the year. If the DD is setup based on yearly usage then base it on my actual figures is my argument. I don't pay more one month and less the next for my TV licence because I watch more TV than the following month do I!

Just feels like a bit of a scam to fill their accounts to be honest.

I know what you mean, but as a smaller supplier I'm not surprised they try to err on the side of having customers build up some credit rather than ride close to the nub or go into debit often.

I don't know if you can call it a scam if it's done according to their T&Cs. You'll always get any overpayment back in the end, the question is just of timescales and it's all done within the terms of the contract you signed.

 

[Gixer]

Scam was maybe the wrong word. It'd be good if something was put in place where suppliers have to also pay back interest on any credit accrued, they'd think twice then about taking too high a payment. I guess for now I'll keep presenting the facts via email and see what happens, if anything. I do appreciate that some customers must be a nightmare for them alas my wife and I are very sensible with our finances and budget appropriately. Plenty in the rainy day pot too to cover any extra at the end of the year. Not that Avro know this.

 

[dl8860]

Scam was maybe the wrong word. It'd be good if something was put in place where suppliers have to also pay back interest on any credit accrued, they'd think twice then about taking too high a payment. I guess for now I'll keep presenting the facts via email and see what happens, if anything. I do appreciate that some customers must be a nightmare for them alas my wife and I are very sensible with our finances and budget appropriately. Plenty in the rainy day pot too to cover any extra at the end of the year. Not that Avro know this.

Some suppliers will pay you interest on any credit balance. From the first line of your post it sounds like you are used to shopping around for energy, so all I can say is you should be aware all suppliers operate differently, you're likely getting a good unit price at the tradeoff of better customer service and other benefits like interest on credit balance. Can't have it all.

 

[Gixer]

I've changed each year for the past 3 or 4 as my current supplier has never been able to better the tariffs on offer online. Customer loyalty means nothing in today's world it seems.

I guess I'll have to wait until we're into late spring when my payments / usage will match up and then after that request a lower of my DD and hope. Still a damn farce

 

[jpaul]

when you submit your first reading to Avro , if it's less than the direct debit, ring up for a credit back on you bank account.

However I've had to actually phone them to prompt them to refund that

like that

 

[Gixer]

when you submit your first reading to Avro , if it's less than the direct debit, ring up for a credit back on you bank account.


like that

I could just be really cheeky here and based on my last years actual usage divide the units by 12 and use that value to submit a meter reading each month

 

[darael]

@Gixer
Most of the suppliers I've been with prefer you to be at least a month's direct debit worth in credit by around October. Avro are probably averaging a winter's usage for your direct debit to avoid a negative balance - so I would argue that this small and temporary increase is in your best interest.

As I've recently switched to Green, I've hardly built up any credit. But when I get my refund back from my old supplier, I plan to pay this to Green so I am almost immediately a month's DD in credit. I could keep the refund and stomach a likely increase in direct debit for about 6 months, but it's not worth the hassle.

One thing I don't like with Green, is that to log in to their website portal, they email you a one-time "Magic Link" you need to click on. You don't have the option to set a password, so this Magic Link is always needed unless you use their app on your phone/tablet. I don't want an app just for the sake of being able to 'conveniently' manage my gas and electric!

 

[MrMarvelous]

The company i've been whinging about in this thread for being absolutely useless have gone under. I'll be switching to E.ON on the 16th of October.

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money...-without-energy-supplier-Tonik-goes-bust.html

https://www.tonikenergy.com/

 

[Gixer]

@Gixer
Most of the suppliers I've been with prefer you to be at least a month's direct debit worth in credit by around October. Avro are probably averaging a winter's usage for your direct debit to avoid a negative balance - so I would argue that this small and temporary increase is in your best interest.

As I've recently switched to Green, I've hardly built up any credit. But when I get my refund back from my old supplier, I plan to pay this to Green so I am almost immediately a month's DD in credit. I could keep the refund and stomach a likely increase in direct debit for about 6 months, but it's not worth the hassle.

One thing I don't like with Green, is that to log in to their website portal, they email you a one-time "Magic Link" you need to click on. You don't have the option to set a password, so this Magic Link is always needed unless you use their app on your phone/tablet. I don't want an app just for the sake of being able to 'conveniently' manage my gas and electric!

To me it doesn't work on a monthly basis though. If a supplier wants to alter my DD based on usage then fine set it up so I pay for what I use and actually promote that's how the DD will work, I've no issue with that and have available funds to do so. Hell I've the funds to pay for my years usage up front if they wanted it. The whole point of monthly payments to me is to take a years worth of usage, divide by 12 and pay that each month. I've provided evidence of what I use in a year and offered to pay a slightly higher rate than that even. Why do you need to be in debit? that just seems crazy to me. I'd much prefer my money to be in my account making me interest rather than my suppliers account.