Bill dispute with E.on

[SA Gold]

hey
Hope you are all doing well.

Had an email from E.on recently saying my direct debit was going up from £154 to £1077
At first, I thought it was a mistake.
Long story short: They claim I have been underpaying them and it's because a lot of the bills are based on estimates.
I got them on live chat and they said they had a reading in May but the way their billing works means I didn't get an email to inform me until August.

If they are correct, the gas and electricity would be £2925 which I find hard to believe for a small 3 bedroom house.
I've spoken with neighbours and they all pay between £130 and £160 a month.

I've cancelled the direct debit (because I won't have £1077 in my account on the 1st of September) but not sure where I go from here.

I've asked them when the gas meter was calibrated (i read they should be calibrated every ten years) and why it has taken them three months to tell me. Their bills state they regularly check readings to make sure people are paying the right amount.

The other thing I have just been made aware of is my mrs said someone from E.on turned up at the house some time ago asking why we haven't got a smart meter and said he needed to record her saying we didn't want one. But, it's my name on the bill, so would have thought he shouldn't have discussed anything with her?

What should I do about the 1st of September payment? I don't want my credit file screwed over again. Can they default me straight away?

Thanks for reading

[Still Waving]

Hi

I don't know what to advise regarding your next move with regard to (I assume) an outstanding balance which they are after. However I would say that, when it is practicable, you ought to shop around for a better energy deal. To me, even what your neighbours are paying seems rather a lot. I believe that tariff caps are due to be lifted in October, which means that energy prices generally will be going up. Sources such as moneysaving expert are reccommending getting a fixed tariff deal before then. I have just confirmed a new 2-year fixed tariff from 8 September with my supplier.

[SA Gold]

Hi !
Thanks for posting, I really appreciate it.
Will definitely look at tariffs and moving supplier - thanks for letting me know about October.
Guess I need to sort this out first and then stick my two fingers up to them.

[Still Waving]

A few years back we were with Scottish Power, and they suddenly wanted to more or less double the direct debit, based on wildly inaccurate estimated bills (apparently they were doing this with a lot of customers). We took issue with them, and there followed protracted correspondence on our part, going up the complaints process, including to the top man, including threats of referral to the ombudsman. Several (mostly incorrect) revised bills later (I guess they gamble that most people won't sit down and meticulously work through the usage and charges themselves from the last correct bill) we finally got a bill I could agree with.

At that point we changed suppliers to one of the newer, smaller companies and have been with them ever since, taking fixed tariffs every couple of years. All done online, submit meter readings on a set date each month, and the new bill is available online shortly thereafter.

The large suppliers seem to be a law unto themselves.

[SA Gold]

It certainly seems that way! Do you mind me asking who you are with now?

[Still Waving]

We have been with Ovo Energy for several years now, without any issues. Another point I like about them is that you have a great deal of autonomy regarding the monthly direct debits. They set the suggested level at the outset, and periodically may advise that you should increase the level, or sometimes advise that you could decrease it, depending on your usage. You can alter the DD level via the online account. We have never bothered to decrease it because usage fluctuates through the year, but unlike some companies they do not say we have increased your DD, and that's it.

In our particular case, we receive the Government Winter Fuel Allowance, so we use that to boost our credit balance to avoid having to increase our DD during the periods of greater usage.

[Warwick65]

PlanB

Di may know something about this- I think there might be a time limit in reclaiming undercharging
https://www.switchcraft.co.uk/energy...-back-billing/

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/check-energy-back-billing-rules

[SA Gold]

Thanks, I will certainly be looking for a new supplier and I'm all for good support, so Ovo looks good

Shame the Back billing doesn't apply to me

[SA Gold]

Hiya.
Nothing back from E.on yet. I had the boiler checked out today. Nothing wrong with it.
Does anyone know how long I have got before they can default me? Payment is due on 1st September.

[Still Waving]

Hi

Am I right in thinking that this £1077 is a one-off to claw back what they say is owed? I see that you have already cancelled the DD, so thay can't try to grab it. Might it be worth a bit of pre-emptive negotiation? ("I've got other payments going out on the same date and this increased debit would cause a shortfall on the monthly budget.") I wonder if, through a phone call, they might be amenable to a mutually acceptable plan for dealing with the sum.

As regards a smart meter, I personally will keep on resisting until such time as they break down the door to fit one.

[SA Gold]

Hi

Thanks. Yes, the £1077 is a one-off amount to bring the account up to date. If I've used it, then I will pay it, (credit card).
I don't want to risk getting defaulted or arrangement to pay marker on my squeaky clean credit file (which is thanks to AAD )
The problem as I see it is if I pay they are even less likely going to want to check the meter.
And I can't really go to another supplier with this looming.

[Still Waving]

I see your point regarding squeaky ... Have you advised them that you have cancelled the DD? They could become difficult if they find that their request is refused by your bank.

Just a point - you said they did a reading in May (but not since?). So, the £1077, is that the amount owing up to that reading, and a further estimated amount will be due from then up to date? Or is the current estimated usage within that figure?

I suppose one option would be to pay as you indicated, but with the caveat that you have doubts about the accuracy of the meters, and you require them to be checked, and to be advised of the findings, and a partial refund to be made if they are found to be overclocking. (What if they find/claim they are under-recording? That would be their bad, I suppose.)

[Warwick65]

I am a tad confused. When you said your DD was going up to 1077 I didn't realise this was a one off payment , I thought it would be an ongoing amount as they thought you needed to pay that to clear the outstanding balance and pay for your usage over the next 12 months. That was the reason I was talking about back billing

[SA Gold]

Hi

Sorry, for the confusion and lack of clarity.
E.on emailed me this so I got them on live chat and they said it was due to estimated billing since I have been with them. They want this amount to take the account to Zero.
My gripe with them is, the operator said they had actual readings on 13th May so you would have thought the underpayment would have been brought to my attention before the email on 9th August.
I've also asked if they can confirm when the gas meter was calibrated.
Thanks for reading this far!

[Still Waving]

Hi

so I got them on live chat and they said it was due to estimated billing since I have been with them. They want this amount to take the account to Zero.
My gripe with them is, the operator said they had actual readings on 13th May so you would have thought the underpayment would have been brought to my attention before the email on 9th August.
I've also asked if they can confirm when the gas meter was calibrated.
Thanks for reading this far!

For what period have they been estimating then? It seems like a case of negligence on their part if they have not taken actual readings for a protracted period. Whose estimates have they been using?

I agree they should have brought this to your attention in May, but I suppose that would just have brought the current situation forward by 3 months. Still, they seem to be at fault on two counts now.