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Scottish Trust Deed Forum
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Topic starter
18/12/2010 9:01 am
When I was changing my DDs over to my new bank account, my energy provider's computer decided that my electricity DD was too low and needed to rise by ?ú100 per month!
To cut a long story short, it turns out that I hadn't been paying enough so it had to rise to cover the outstanding bill. Fair enough but their computer spreads that out over a very short period (eg 3 months) which translates into a hefty DD hike.
One phone call to them sorted out the whole thing - they were able to spread the outstanding bit over a much longer period, reducing my monthly DD. It's still abut higher than before but manageable.
One thing I'm learning in this process is not to panic about anything. The sky isn't falling in so don't panic and sort each issue out calmly and sensibly.
Cheers,
DebtFreeWannabee
18/12/2010 10:52 am
That seems to be a wider issue DFW.
I don't think that anyone I know understands how energy companies calculate the monthly payments via direct debits. There must be a way to make it more clear for consumers.
Qualified Debt Adviser & Forum Administrator - Ask me anything about Trust Deeds 
Topic starter
18/12/2010 2:20 pm
My feeling is they try to set things up so you're paying in advance.
Just when you've built up some credit, lo and behold, they use it to pay your next quarterly bill.
Cheers,
DFW
22/12/2010 10:19 am
Of course, the other option is to include any utility arrears prior to the signing of your trust deed in with your other debts. It may be that you would have to move to another supplier but there are no shortage of companies ou there offering incentives to switch!
Scottish Debt Solutions Expert - Ask me for help setting up a Scottish Trust Deed or Debt Arrangement Scheme plan.
Topic starter
23/12/2010 3:38 pm
That's a good tip Kevin. People tend to think only of loans and credit cards but not the other unsecured debts they could tip into the pot.
Cheers,
DebtFreeWannabee
