Energy bills direct debit

[Acidburn]

Hi all
Genuine question - what happens if people can't pay £££ for their enegry and cancel direct debit? After notifying the energy provider. What happens if people collectively do that?

I was coming on here to post this exact question. I think masses of people cancelling their DD payments would be far more effective then any organised march or protest

Ours is already £450 p m I switched to a fixed rate tariff in the hope it helps ??

i have to go without to pay it but I don’t want a pre payment meter so there’s no choice as if we don’t pay they’ll change us to one

If you cancel your dd you will be billed as usual but if you don't then settle up they will involve debt collection companies then apply to court to gain entry to change to a prepayment meter.

If you cancel your dd and end up in significant debt they can switch you to prepayment meters and if you don’t pay enough basically they will cut you off. The only utility they’re not allowed to turn off is water - they can and will cut your electric and gas. Many people don’t realise this. If you are a vulnerable household (children under 5 or those with disabilities) you need to speak to your energy provider and register as a priority user and it makes it less likely they will cut you off.

This group has lots of advice -

www.facebook.com/groups/966754150512356/?ref=sharewww.facebook.com/groups/966754150512356/?ref=share&exp=9594

Red letters from the energy company.
Then debt collector letters.
Then bailiffs will force entry and fit token meters - you'll still pay the full amount but now there are hefty fees added.

Interestingly we are not the only ones thinking like this.

dontpay.uk/

Depends where you are. Here in Scotland you will build up debt and have repeated requests for payment to be made. If you fail to pay, they can get a warrant to install a prepayment meter. You have no option to refuse and police will enforce entry for the work to be carried out. If you have a smart meter, they can be switched to prepayment remotely with no need for warrants. Once you have a prepayment meter installed, you’re debt is loaded up. I think this can be organised such that you pay a certain amount of debt each month so it’s not like you’re in a completely pit. Once you’re in prepayment mode, you cannot build up more debt, so the issue is resolved for the utilities company.

I think in the rest of the UK they can go with the bailiff option but I don’t know much about that.

DP worked for a utility company hence hearing this over and over about non-paying customers.

It's the energy companies and shareholders I feel sorry for, they've only seen a 400%+ increase in profits this year.

Sending them thoughts and prayers....

It is absolutely awful, but you can’t just not pay for a service and still expect to receive it. If you don’t pay you will eventually get cut off.

You will have a prepayment meter installed
itll take a while as they’ll need to get a warrant to have it fitted but then you will literally have to pay for what you use or not have any

there is a lot of support available if you are struggling to pay your bills
speak to your supplier and cab for help

I cancelled mine because they wanted me to pay more than my monthly usage and be in credit by 2 months in case I get behind, despite never missing a payment. I'll manage my own money thanks. I transfer the money each month instead.

I wrote my my MP for the first time. I think they need to feel the pressure. The government right now seems to be in a state of paralysis and completely out of touch with ordinary people.

Totally agree @VaggieMight I really think people need to take action (even a small action like cancelling a DD for one month) we must push back

Right? How does one buy shares in an energy company anyway? asking for a friend

EDF took more than I agreed by DD. I cancelled it & now pay online weekly. I submit a meter reading monthly. I'm still in credit.

You crack on then OP. Cancel the DD, wait for your quarterly bill to arrive.

Let us know how it goes.

@Greentime101 I'd like to see Poll Tax level of protests. Cancelling DD would have effect, but a missed utility payment can affect chances of getting a mortgage, or remortgaging etc. I'm not sure us plebs can beat the system. I'd rather see street protests, seems to work well in France.

Most companies offer discount for paying by dd to so check that out before cancelling
and ultimately you agree the dd amount that’s being paid

I have accidentally cancelled a DD before in error with no long term problems plus for the elderly etc it’s probably the only option they have . I do think many will go out and protest, people are desperate

I've never had a DD with my business energy company. The bill is massive and I just pay what I can when I can and they've never even questioned it. I think if you pay something they dont care. It's if you pay nothing they send the debt collectors in

The idea is that you build up a credit over summer so that you have an excess in your account for winter use - otherwise your bills in winter will be extremely high and very low in summer (unless you literally don’t use your heating in winter). The idea with direct debits being at the same amount all year round is to enable this build up of credit. By cancelling and paying for just what you use month by month you will be facing astronomical bills in winter especially now with the October price hike coming.

If you cancel your direct debit you won't have a prepayment metre installed. What nonsense.

If you cancel your direct debit you need to take a metre reading monthly, enter your metre reading monthly online or by phone. And then they will produce a bill based on usage and you pay that.

They will install a prepayment metre if you repeatedly fail to pay what is owed.

well from my experience with british gas, they sent me a bill for 3 months with a date to pay by online. i forgot to pay, they emailed yet again saying if i didnt pay they would sent in debt collectors, i had already paid by this point

Those saying they've reduced their DD so that they are only paying for what they use.... That's fine as long as you realise from Oct - Feb you will probably be using 3-4x what you are now, but you won't be in anywhere as much credit as you would have been..... And suddenly paying for what you use on a monthly basis will feel really tough.
I know everyone thinks the high DD's are just the energy company wanting your money early, but honestly it really is designed to help people budget by smoothing costs out over the year. Because unfortunately a lot of people just wouldn't put the extra aside in summer to be able to cope with winter.

If I cancelled my DD then I would still pay a monthly payment that equals my last worst winter month's usage.