I pay my electric bill by direct debit, I was paying £50 a month, which has always covered the bill, well, I had a letter this morning, saying that its going up to £80 a month ! I`m going to phone up and tell them to stick it where the monkey sticks it nuts ! and then buy electric stamps from the post office every month .
Lyn
lottie
They are very naughty aren't they? They get interest on our monthly direct debits and interest where they over estimate how much we use. But you can phone up and reduce it - just tell them how much you want to pay a month, and then you can repay the deficit as and when it is needed.
Kathy
I have a prepay box, take the little to key to any paypoint shop/PO and top up with however much you want. Also, the price of electricity has taken quite a jump so that might account for increase in payment?
redwillowrose
I`m going to phone them this morning, I`ll let you know what they say
Lyn
muntjac
can i suggest that if you use a prepayment meter you check your next invoice , as there will be a section on " credit ", this is actual money they owe you ,DO NOT BE CONNNED BY THE RETARD on the end of the fone saying its just a thing we have to do ,, ( contact the power ombudsman folks and ask them , ) demand a refund of the money they owe you ,,, they are holding this money and getting interest from it as well . so therbye robbing you again . accept no excus they offer , demand the money back . when they send you vouchers for a present ,, these bbbbbb are actually giving you your money back .. i rest my rant
Kathy
Does this depend on who is supplying the service? I'm with Scottish Power for both gas and electricity, both prepayment meters. (Tried Scottish gas, they were useless).
muntjac
if you have a credit amount in a box where payments are then yes . be careful when transfering accounts as they wont transfer the credit amount with you .legal theft
Kathy
Thanks, I'll watch out for that, thieving so and so's.
redwillowrose
I have been trying all day to contact the electricity company, and I cannot get through ! I did find out what I owe though, and the actual balance of my bill is £77. and this is for the quarter, and they want me to pay £ 80 a month !! I will try to get through again tomorrow.
Lyn
lottie
You can actually pay what you like on a monthly direct debit - even if it is say £30 a month - but you will have to pay any lump sum you owe at the end of each quarter.
If you look at your last years bills for electricity and work add them up.
Add up all your monthly payments (you should actually have a bill somewhere with it all on.
Then you can work out how much a month you should pay to cover them ( adding on any amount that it has risen by).
I means that in the summer months you will be in credit and the winter months you will be in debit, but it sorts itself out over the course of the year.
If you can't afford or don't agree with the increase payment - just make sure you tell them so - they can not force you to pay it. So long as you are making direct debits of a sensible amount that will cover your usage over the year.
If ever you get a problem with bills do not let them build up into big problem. See your Citizens Advice Bureau - phone up for an appointment if you can get one or sometimes you just have to turn up and wait your turn.
Take all your bills, and statements and write down what you have coming in and what is going out - food, car, etc take it all with you, and they will help you sort it all out - and on your behalf will get in touch with all your debtors for you and sort out an agreed payment plan to help you get through any 'tight' times you have.
They will also work out a budget for your household expenditure too - it takes a lot of worry off you if you get help.
redwillowrose
thanks Lottie, I just hope I can get in touch with them, as they said the £80 will be taken out automatically !
Lyn
Also, the price of electricity has taken quite a jump so that might account for increase in payment?
