Anyone cancelled a dd with Scottish Power /£100's in credit

[pumpkinpie01]

We are with Scottish Power and our direct debit is currently double what we are using . We have made massive cutbacks and gone from a family of 4 to 3but they weren't interested when I told them that . I am closely monitoring and do meter reading weekly after previous issues . I have asked them to lower the direct debit and used their online dd manager but can only budge it by a few pounds. By my calculations we will be £1100 in credit by October when the government puts £400 credit in. I know prices are going to go up in October but I still don't think we need to start winter £1100 in credit ! I would rather cancel by dd now and just pay as we go but the rates are more for that which seem very unfair . Just wondered if anyone has cancelled their dd and managed to pay on the same tariff ?

Can you ask them to return some of your credit balance?

By cancelling your dd you could be changing your contract with them so they may change their rates.

You can change your DDyourself if you have online banking or change it to a standing order so the utility company can't change it.

I have asked them to return my credit and they keep fobbing me off saying they will look at in a few months , I said no I will be hundreds in credit by then . She agreed with me and attempted to change the dd but said there was a computer error and said to call back in a month when it could be reviewed again , they just keep fobbing me off !
@Itsbackagain this is what I'm thinking , I'm sure I read somewhere that someone cancelled their direct direct with them , they paid regularly and SP never bothered changing the rates . @Nat6999 I do have online banking going to look at that now , thanks

You can only cancel your DD via your bank; you can't amend it through them

Op call the company directly for a credit rebate and to ask a human being to reduce your DD.

@NewBootsAndRanty yea just looked it's only standing orders that can be changed not dd's. I have spoke to several people there and explained the change in circumstances and the cutbacks we have made . Ideally I would like to cancel the direct debit , use up my existing credit then submit meter readings every fortnight /month and actually pay for what I use without having to pay more for the privilege !

Don't know why energy companies don't actually give people the option of paying the same every month or less in the summer and more in the Winter , they should give people a choice really .

Many people like to pay the same each month instead of a lot more in winter and a bit less in summer.

However it does sound like Scottish Power is taking far too much from you but apparently OFGEM are about to launch a crackdown on this so have a look at what Money Saving Expert advises

www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/06/energy-regulator-set-to-crack-down-on-suppliers-setting-excessiv/

the energy watchdog are putting plans in place to stop high credit balances.
i called sse and told them their dd wasn’t in my budget and they reduced it. I’m still in credit!

I'm having the same battle with Scottish Power. Between the minimum direct debit and the credit I've amassed they are asking £300 more worth of usage based on my actual average usage that I used last year. And that's before the additional £400 government thing.

Actual usage, not actual average usage.

I am with Scottish Power, you can amend your accout settings to return any unused balance after a bill. Can you not do this via the app?

community.scottishpower.co.uk/t5/Bills-payments-refunds/Refunds/ta-p/32

This is their info. So you should be able toninsist and poi t out that they are in breach of their own t&c's

@FourTeaFallOut so you re £300 in credit now ?

@Onceuponaheartache just looked on the app I can't see how to do that ?, that sounds ideal . I can go into the direct debit manager but it only lets me drop it by a few pound .

My energy supplier won't reduce my dd, like you my household has got smaller thus using less fuel. I supply monthly meter readings but still can't get my dd reduced. I now phone every other month and demand a £200 refund, been doing this for last 12months. Despite the refunds, I still have a sizeable balance which would cover a sudden price rise.

No, I'm £560 in credit. Using my last year's annual usage at my fixed current rates mean I should pay £2600 across the whole year. But despite my credit, they won't take less than £195.

Or at least, I can't reduce it on the app.

I suppose we had a mild winter last year, so maybe they want more in the tank, just in case? Can it work like that?

@Seasidemumma77 bloomin eck that's bad ! Shouldn't have to do that , so you are overpaying by more than £100 a month really . When I was with n power if they tried to increase it I would just refuse and it always stayed the same , same with Orbit they tried to increase it once when I refused she said ' can't you afford it ?' I said ' yes I can but I'm not actually using that amount so why would I give you that !' Very frustrating.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61860717

@lightand that's interesting thank you , wonder when that will come into force.

Result - rang Sp told them by the time the government had put the £400 in i would be £1100 in credit and it was way too much and I wanted a refund of my credit and he said yes . Not what was said last time !

Excellent news!