How much are you paying for your energy?

[Howandwhy]

I'm curious to know what everyone else is paying as I was previously with octopus energy paying £100 per month (old tariff) for gas and electric and always has a surplus at the end of each month.

When that tariff expired, U switch suggested So Energy, so I moved to them. They were charging £110 per month. After around 10 months or so I got a call from So Energy to say that I'm £900 behind in payments, but I've been paying each month. They explain that my usage is high!

I'm in a 4 bed semi, 1 adult and 1 primary school aged child. Heating is only used in the rooms being used, double glazing and insulation throughout, tumble dryer used once a week to dry towels. I work from home a few days a week without the heating on.

We agreed I'd pay £150 per month to clear the debt (yes this will take time but they wanted £400 a month)! We agreed this over the phone and in an email setting out the agreement but there was a sticking point.

Before we made this agreement they wanted to take the £900 in one go, which I refused. I cancelled the direct debit and set up a standing order to prevent them helping themselves. The Citizens Advice Bureau said that was the right thing to do, as they often get calls from people who's bank accounts have already been ransacked.

In our written agreement they say they would prefer direct debit (of course they would) but will accept my standing order but as their system is automated and doesn't recognise standing orders I'll still receive letters from them from time to time about the outstanding amount. I said that's fine as we have a written agreement.

I paid as usual each month to the agreed amount but a few months later I get a call from debt collectors for So Energy. I explain that I already have an agreement and email this to them. They agree that this looks like an agreement and put their actions on hold whilst they queried the agreement with So Energy.

In the meantime So Energy have made a negative mark on my credit file. I was not told to expect any of this when we made our agreement.

Yesterday I got a call from their debt collectors (and they've been to my house) to say that the arrears are now £1,500 which was built up over the summer months when no heating was being used and still isn't being used and I am still paying £150 per month. I don't understand why this bill is still climbing?

I reminded the debt collectors (connexus) about the written agreement between So Energy and I buy they said that So Energy told them to disregard that and continue as as far as they're concerned, there is no agreement!

We have gone down a dangerous road when these companies can have a written agreement but then decide to breech it with the full support of the agencies set up to help us, the public.

The Energy Ombudsman's response was that So Energy had the right to recover their costs. The Ombudsman's report never once mentioned the written agreement. Citizens Advice said they get many calls about this but there's nothing that they can do.

Has anyone else experienced this?

3 bed detached, 2 adults, DH wfh 4 days a week (puts heating on if v cold), 2 electric vehicles charged at home - £120/mth Octopus, currently in credit by £300

Five bed detached, two adults. Heating on for half an hour this morning, first time since March but wanted to make sure it was working. £114 a month with Scottish Power, c£250 in credit. DH housebound but puts the gas fire on if he gets chilly, though I don't think that's been used since February.

Have you checked your meter reading against the one they are using?

Two questions OP:

What’s the main point of this thread? It sounds like you really want advice on how to deal with the debt collectors and the energy company’s approach?
(My reading of this is the agreement was for a certain debt level and perhaps no longer applies now that the debt is much higher?)

Secondly did you always submit actual readings every month? Or were you underpaying for your usage based on estimated bills?

It’s not massively relevant what other people are paying. Some people might be on fixed tariffs from before the rates all went crazy. Some houses are inefficient and not well insulated. Usage will vary on too many factors.

But it sounds like you’ve reached the end of the road if the Ombudsman has made the judgement, and the debt needs to be paid.

I’m surprised at what low amounts some people are paying here. We pay £235 a month to British Gas for gas and electricity (fixed tariff last year) and submit our meter readings online. We have a four bed semi with nothing very fancy going on. We both WFH sometimes but I try to use an electric blanket over my knees rather than turn on the heating where possible. I’m amazed that people are paying circa £100 a month!

The bill is still climbing because you're using more than you're paying for. It's not an all inclusive deal.

Agree with @loveawineloveacrisp

Also a query on the figures:

Energy payment £110
Monthly ‘written agreement’ £150
Is that £150 the extra payment to clear the debt?
So they were expecting 110+150=260?

That’s what I would interpret, as just £40 a month to clear the debt (on top of £110 energy dd) would take years!

Ok you have to look at this logically.
Firstly what type of meter do you have traditional or smart meter and if it’s a smart meter is it as smets 1 or 2? If you google it there’s a citizens advice look up system.
Next check if your bills are estimated or actual readings. You can do this on your online account. If it is estimated it will have an E before the reading. There are rules for how often old style meters are read. Unfortunately for smart meters no one tells you when they stop sending readings and then you end up in a pickle.
Is the energy you have used since joining SO energy roughly the same as as you were using in the same period with your previous supplier. Work this out in kWhs not £. The multiple the kWhs by the unit charge and then add on the correct number of days standing charge and you will see if the amount is roughly correct. This only works if your useage hasn’t changed. Eg not used the tumble dryer more or suddenly got an electric car
Check SO haven’t changed your tariff to a kore expensive one since you’ve got behind with payments. If they have tell them to get it out back to the original one.
Check you meter by turning everything and I mean everything off take a meter reading and then come back in an hour and see if the meter has recorded any electricity use.

Im also surprised at the low amounts being paid. Im in a 4 bed detached and pay £320 per month. My electricity usage is high as we charge an electric car so it's about £220ish a month. Gas is about £30 just now but will be higher in winter.

Standing charges will be about £30 a month so £150 payment will not cover what you owe plus any energy being used. Are you sure it shouldn't be £150 on top of what you paid already?

Yes, if you build up a £900 deficit over ~10 months, then paying an additional £40 a month isn’t ever going to clear it. You’d need to be paying an additional ~£90 a month just to stop the deficit increasing more, let alone start reducing it.

And that’s without increasing the energy usage element to a more accurate level. if that didn’t happen, the usage arrears are building AND the debt isn’t being cleared.

I pay £350 a month as our usage varies from 100 month in summer to 600 month in winter. It’s eye watering for sure. We’ve currently built up 800 credit after the summer which is what gets us through winter.

(6 bed Victorian house with single glazed wooden sash windows. Family of 4 with DH wfh. Radiators only used in rooms that are occupied)

I agree with PP, you are not paying enough and keep adding to your debt.

Four of us in a two bed semi. I pay £180 a month with octopus. We have a £300ish credit at the moment but will go into debt by the end of winter.

I think what a PP has said I'd correct, the £150 was likely to be on top of your monthly payment to help clear the debt. I'd negotiate paying off a chunk of it now to show that you will then sort out higher monthly payments.

I’d say the £150 was on top of your usual payment too. Looks like you were on average using £200 per month of energy so would need to up your “normal payment” significantly to cover energy used going forward and then pay the £150 debt monthly on top of that.

Im with octopus and pay £100p/m 2 adults (1 home all day) in 3 bed semi.

It's irrelevant what everyone is paying, you need to go back through your meter readings and statements and work out what you're using and check it against what they're saying you owe.
With Octopus they never billed me for gas unless I submitted a meter reading (don't have a smart on gas but do on the electric) so it always looked like I was in a lot of credit until I submitted a reading.
It's possible that your current provider charges more in standing charges and unit rates than Octopus was doing, hence you could be using the same amount of energy but paying more for it. You need to compare these and find the cheapest provider you can.
£100 a month doesn't sound like a lot though, I paid Octopus £113 a month for just me in a 2 bed with no tumbledrier.

Thanks for your response. I want to know what others are paying.

The problem is I can't find the meter. I am going to look again under the stairs. It was installed before I moved in.

Thank you, I am going to look again for the meter and try this.

Thank you, I am going to look again for the meter and try this.

How did you give a first meter reading when you moved in?

Sorry, I sent you the wrong response earlier. The summer months are where I always build up surplus, this is the first time that this has not happened and it has increased instead. I do not have an electric car nor have we increased usage but the feedback I've had so far is really about finding that meter and then taking things from there.

Thanks everyone and it's been very useful getting a picture of how much others are paying.

Cheers!

It’s probably outside so that it can be read by a meter reader. Might be in a cabinet (pic will appear after review).

The only meter I’ve ever seen indoors is my MIL’s which is under her stairs but there’s a low window in the wall just big enough for the meter behind the glass.

I was never asked for this

This sounds like the root cause of the issue, if you haven’t been submitting actual readings your bills have been estimated, ie too low for your usage.

If you don’t know where the meter is you must have been getting estimated bills - you don’t say it’s a smart meter so I’m assuming not.

Thanks for posting that picture. There is no box outside the house. It must be under the stairs. I'll have to move everything I've dumped in there to try and see it as I can't think it would be anywhere else as I did look outside too. I'll ask my neighbour as well. Thanks again.