That meter reading tip sounds a good idea, didn’t know about that so that would make life a little easier.

Soup – you don’t seriously use cash do you?

Soup: that’s actually another reason I like DDs and online banking though. I can login and see a list showing all my direct debits, who they go to, when they were last paid and how much for.

It’s like an instant budget.

(Good God, I can’t believe this boring arse subject has managed to make it to 42 posts. We can waffle on about any old crap can’t we? It must be a sign of middle age. 🙄 )

BBC’s Watchdog recommended cancelling Direct Debits and setting up a standing order for gas/electricity. Stops the buggers guessing that your consumption and hiking the amount they take from your account each month. Seems like a good move since I noticed my direct debit has increased yet again (now £125/month) and still no meter readings! Don’t we pay enough for this service to have at least bi-annual meter readings? I cannot understand why the energy companies don’t get together and arrange to have one man read all the meters at the same time.

I am going to switch suppliers. My current supplier NPower put their prices up late last year, but didn’t take a meter reading – how can they reasonably do this? My summer monthly consumption had been under estimated for quite sometime prior to this, so I ended up paying for gas at the higher price.

Hey, try asking your gas and electricity supplier how they calculate you upper and lower tariffs. They have different thresholds for different months. I will be switching to a flat rate tariff whith a monthly standing charge as I am convinced it will be cheaper.

The conversion from meter reading to units of energy can be confusing too.

I’m sick of all the switching and shifting sands with different tarrifs. NPower has about 15 online tarrifs.

I don’t see why I should be locked in to a minimum 12 month contract or having to pay a different rate if I choose another method of payment. The unit price should be the same for everybody. No penalties for any method, just one rate.

The whole minefield of paying for your energy utilities is about profit for those companies. The regulator should grow a set of balls and do the job for which they were created; to and straighten these companies out when they step out of line!

We should go back to paying a quarterly bill after the meter has been read.

Spongebob: as mentioned above, just submit your own meter readings every month – especially if you’ve just moved in somewhere. This will establish a nice accurate pattern of usage so you don’t end up overpaying.

Live update:

I’ve just come off the phone with Virgin after they took £86 out of my account rather than £30! Flippin direct debit and incompetent virgin*.

*If they offer you free TV package don’t take it, it’s not worth the hassle.

Wow! 47 posts on such a boring subject 🙄

Graham – embrace middle-age, it’s also an excuse for behaving badly 😀

Bob – couldn’t agree more with your second post. These Regulators are getting paid money for old rope. Who regulates them?!

jonb – yep, they can do what they like!

After an angry conversation I did get £100 back, but I have made three or four complaints since January regarding them changing my contract and various other bits.