The reading is now higher than I will use for months so I am not sure what to do. They have closed off all the ways to submit readings except by phoning them and jointing the general hour long queue with new alphabetic accounts which isn't a customer choice and don't know how I was selected for one. So it's costing me more in phone calls than just leaving it wrong but it will be cumulative won't it. Next estimate will be based on more than this estimate and will creep up and up.
The same thing happened to me, Furby. In the end I spent a while on an 'online chat' thing and eventually (45 mins later?) was 'talking'to an actual human being who said to submit a reading once our meter read higher than their estimate had been (I know, ludicrous) which took at least three months; and he also promised they wouldn't submit a bill for one whole month. Now as it happened I think they DID submit a bill, and we are now over £500 in credit, but when STPD called them about her similar over-credit situation, they told her their policy now is to have 'three months credit in hand'.
We shall use a lot less energy in the coming months too.
Energy prices per unit are coming down, but that might mean they get less money in so they are putting the standing charge UP to make sure that doesn't happen. We're screwed aren't we.
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
I changed from Southern Electricity to OVO because they bought them out so not quite the same thing. However once I changed I was able to do everything in their app including meter readings and changing my direct debit amount. They also have a forum like this one where you can ask for help.
Even if it is difficult it may still be worth it as as a one off to avoid all future problems.
we are now over £500 in credit, but when STPD called them about her similar over-credit situation, they told her their policy now is to have 'three months credit in hand'.
To hell with their policy, I'm not sure it is legal - there's been some publicity about energy suppliers forcing their customers to in effect make interest-free loans to them to ease the suppliers' cash flow. So much so that there has been talk about ring-fencing customer credit balances to stop them from doing this - which of course they have all been opposing. I think at one time if your credit balance exceeded 3 months worth of your regular payments, such as your direct debit, they were supposed to refund the difference if you asked for it.
As it happens my credit balance with E.ON is just over 1 month's DD; it's been coming down during winter.............
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
And I bet its their estimated 3 months too isnt it. Might be why when I finally gave a reading they then over estimated another ridiculous reading before sending my statement. By my sums I was 4 months credit and will be more since cooker went. I have no idea where the estimate came from maybe its the average for my type of house rather than my own usage.
The cheek of it. People who pay on getting bills are fined 13 pounds for not paying in 7 days. They would be 3 months owing at that time so them getting three months debt free while direct debits have to keep 3 months credit is unfair and does look like cash flow being the exact same 3 months. Not our jobs on direct debits to pay for people who pay on receipt of bills though is it.
I dont switch for many reasons. One is companies are fine while things tick over. Gas was fine until they closed the automated meter reading phone line that was only a short phone call. Its when anyone needs to Do Something its all goes wrong and they have no policy for its gone wrong you have to fit problem into something there is a policy for like switching companies. My mum even had to do a home move to her own property of 20 years when (they said) she had let "Dave" move in and he was paying her bills now except he never did of course. So even if you dont switch they find ways to mess things up but no point looking for trouble. Other reason is gas meter is in my living room and I dont want to be zapped every half hour or listen to it bleeping its little heart out when its battery is failing. I spend a lot of time in the living room these days. Almost all switches and even new tariffs when there are any are compulsory smart meter these days.
E.ON took my DD earlier this month but they took only the amount they have been taking for the last 6 months; the rest was made up by the £67 a month subsidy but that stopped after March. So they should have upped my DD in April to compensate, but they didn't.
I am going to wait and see what my balance is after my readings have been taken, around 26/4. Then I shall decide if I need to increase my DD; it will have to increase in June/July in any case when my contract runs out and I go on to the standard variable tariff, assuming that is all there is available by then. I don't really want to go into deficit, I prefer a credit balance.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
Doesn't everything non essential in accounting stop during first week of April? Maybe will increase it for next month mine is due later in April and they advised me it's going up because of the 66 pounds stopping.
Oc has done well to have a fixed deal but people who signed up to later fixed deals that will now be (everyone is hoping) more than the new energy cap are complaining and lobbying governments to make energy companies cancel contracts. The whole idea of fixed deals is you get a cheap price now for the risk you might lose out in future so why should they be let off. If prices had gone to the expected 6k for typical use they wouldn't be asking to pay 6k instead of their fixed deal would they.
I have posted off a meter reading with an explanation about it being lower. Don't know if they even open paper post now as post address has been removed from last bill but I keep old bills.
I do understand the best idea is to just not submit a reading until its more but because of the quarterly price caps they are estimating again every three months and will be estimate based on top of estimate and my reading will never be lower than latest estimates. And their estimates seem to be random big numbers. I did wonder if it's a scam to take government money because governmemt is subsidising higher prices and when eventually they get a correct reading and have to refund the customer will that difference be paid back to government I doubt it.
Energy bills will be coming down in July. From existing high levels and still dearer than pre Ukraine levels. My electric has been put up following the removal of government subsidy but only 5 pounds more than before subsidy price and gas has so far stayed the same at twice what I am using. At least mine isn't randomly doubled so is the best one can hope for I suppose.
In other bad news water bills will be going up above inflation for next 10 years to pay for replacing victorian sewers which have done well to last longer than the Victorians probably ever thought but are now crumbling. Phone bills are already higher than inflation each year to pay for replacing copper wires.
My electic direct debit is being reduced a few pounds hooray. Everyone remember to send a meter reading this week so you aren't overcharged.
Lastest bill bad news is water bills will be going up and some companies will be bankrupt and need to be nationalised. People can't be left with no water for very long so government has no choice whether there is money in the chest or not and there isnt. Water companies have lots of debts and anyone with debts is likely to struiggle this year as plans were made assuming rates would stay low forever which I can't understand with only a GCSE in economics has never made sense to me.
So we have energy bills, food bills, mortgages and rents and now water. All the essentials of life which can't be cut back on very much if at all. Water probably can be for people with meters. When I was little and all we had was an immersion heater which cost a lot we only had baths once a week and only underclothes and shirts were washed at the weekend outer clothes were sponge cleaned until half term. So people probably could cut water use and still survive but it's difficult once had a better life to reduce down again. The water company that has hosepipes bans already is blaming people working at home drinking more though. Thats another thing everyone seems to be constatly drinking water now don't they at my school we had one small glass of water at lunch time and were expected to survive and same at work until we got a water cooler put in only because it was a new law we had to.
I got quite a surprise this month on he energy bill front. My bill did not just go down a few pounds...
I think what's happened is that the energy cost has gone down by about 25%, they have finally taken into account the 30% reduction in my energy use and I will be about £1,000 in credit by the next payment. Whatever it's another welcome reduction iin outgoings! I did make sure I submitted readings today so it all looks pretty good.
E'on Next have offered a one year fixed rate tariff that is 5% lower than my July capped tariff. It is expected that in October the cap will come down a further 7%, i.e. lower than the offered fixed tariff, before rising again in January. Since my energy use between now and October will be at a minimum, it makes sense to ride out the slight increase then look for a potential fixed deal some time around October. So that is what I shall do.
I am still paying the reduced rate that was calculated to include the rebate which no longer applies and I am running up a large deficit. When attempting to rectify that by increasing the direct debit amount the Eon screen refuses saying I can't reduce it any more.
Edit: Figured it out. It told me I should pay £124.42 per month to pay down the deficit and keep up with July 1st charges. It self entered the sum of £124 in the user entry box but wouldn't accept that figure. I increased it to £125 and it was happy with that.
Interesting that WR and I have approximately the same energy bill, mine is higher because I haven't been paying enough, and his is lower because he'd been paying too much.
In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this.
(Terry Pratchett 1948-2015)
And to make up the trio, my new DD for E.ON is £120 a month, which is what they think will pay for my energy for the next 12 months. It was actually a few pence less than that but I used my online account to round it up to £120. Like Eccs I shall wait before moving to another fixed price deal in case their price comes down; my old deal ran out earlier this month.
Like the late Chaircat Midge, I am not always right.
Mine is 120.33 so it is all very similar amounts. That's just for the electic only at furby house.
I submitted both my readings today even the gas one because when I complained they rang me and told me the correct new phone number for meter readings , don't know why any staff on the old phone number didnt know about the new number. Its not the end of quarter yet but there is always a fuss and systems stop working on the last day when everyone tries at once.
I have had my electric reduced again to 109.02 so that's nice.
The gas I submitted the reading by landline phone but they are bombarding me with texts asking for a reading by text instead . I got a text saying we will text you from an unknown number but is us honest why not just text from original number. I am ignoring the texts and they can just estimate one days use hopefully won't be so much I don't use it in next three months.
I must remember to submit a gas reading today. They always massively overestimate our use, seeming to base it on what we used one week in a cold snap years ago when we also had the ovens on full blast every day
Thats another thing everyone seems to be constantly drinking water now don't they at my school we had one small glass of water at lunch time and were expected to survive
I used to cycle three miles to school every morning and only remember using the drinking fountain outside the toilets about twice, on a very hot sunny day when it was sports day. Like you I do find it odd that everyone always has a water bottle swinging from one hand now and that primary school children are supposed to be reminded to drink every 45 minutes!! one wonders how the teachers find the time!
I do carry a water bottle with ME all the time now though so I've obviously joined the cult! I freeze a half-bottle of water (the small ones) and then top it up with cold water on the morning of a trip out and the water stays beautifully cold all day. If you use this tip, don't be tempted to freeze MORE than half (as it massively expands) and stand the bottle UPright in the freezer, or it freezes over the opening and you won't get any cold in.
"... not to be told a story, but to live inside a dream." - Hades, The Burnt City
I always boil tap water ever since there was kryptosporidium in the water and they knew and didn't tell anyone except the hospitals to protect vulnerable patients. So I just boil water anyway because we wont be told when we need to so best thing is just always do anyway. Its an extra expense in electricity but seems to work well.
The ofgem are reducing the energy price cap down because households use less energy now. Seems a silly idea to me because people did that thinking bills would be 6k but now its down to 2k won't people just use a bit more and be warmer this year except the people who really can't pay the 2k.
The price cap has reduced below 2000. Surprise surpise. They probably adjusted people's estimated typical average use (that no real person actually uses) to make it be under 2000 and sound good. With the loss of the 66 pounds government money its still more to pay this year. Standing charges are increased so only people who use a very lot are really benefiting this winter and the news is on my nerves. Some mention it a bit but still run with the headline of price cap reduced.
And the price cap is only for 3 months a time now so is expected to rise again in January. It doesn't really fit in with the paying so much a month plans which have to guess these things in advance or go more horribly wrong than they ever used to which was all the time anyway.
Eon next are giving customers with an income less than 19k 25% off their bills or 50% off if disabled or in energy debt already. Doesn't seem very well thought through how they will know people's incomes because 19k is above the limit for any benefits which is the usual easy way for companies to choose the deserving.
The half price eon was only invited customers and you had to sign up to them accessing your bank account to check you were spending more than earning. So that wasn't me.
Price cap is going up again 100 pounds in January. At the same time my debit has been put down because of my credit balance so I will at some point end up owing again and then it shoots up again. There should be a better system than paying yoyo amounts mine has always been that way using electric heaters the algorithms don't seem to count for it.
so they are putting the standing charge UP to make sure that doesn't happen. We're screwed aren't we.
