[Aliballibee]

We are on Next Flex and currently pay just over £400 per month. Currently over £1000 in credit yet EON want to take 2 x payments in October and then increase to over £450 per month. Eon won't / haven't answered queries.

if I cancel the DD and just pay the actual billed amount is thr Next Flex rate the same? Seems to be the only way we regain some control. All of this will start on 1st month.

Appreciate any comments/assistance.

[JoeSoap]

@Aliballibee

Ok, I'm now off my small phone and at my PC so I shall try to put my thoughts more eloquently. Here's how I read things now...

You pay your DD on the 4th of each month and it is currently £405.43.

On 4th October you will pay £338.43. Your current DD less £67.

From 4th November to 4th March inclusive you will pay £438.29. Your increased DD less £67.

From 4th April onwards you will pay £505.29. Your increased DD without the £67 reduction.

These amounts are based on your current usage forecast and may change if your usage changes.

Currently, there is an option to reduce your DD by up to 10% in your online account so if that continues to be the case, at any time your DD changes you can reduce it by up to 10%

This is how I read your situation and if anyone wishes to comment then please do so.

[meldrewreborn]

@Aliballibee

yes it’s the same - you can pay after the event by DD rather than by fixed monthly DD. But if you do not pay by DD the tariff prices you pay will be higher.. The fixed monthly DD averages your bills which help to lower the amounts you would have to pay in the winter - think January bill after Christmas spree.

Your spend is much higher than the OFGEM average - but that must imply your consumption is also high. You cannot control your prices, but limiting you consumption is within your own gift.

EDited to reflect that paying after the bill is issued by DD gets you DD rates, but using other methods will mean you pay higher prices. Thank you @JoeSoap

[JoeSoap]

@Aliballibee

Firstly may I ask why Eon Next would take two payments in October? Some are reporting notification of two different DD amounts in October but the consensus is that this is caused by confusion surrounding all the changes coming on 1st October and the expectation is that only one of these amounts will actually be taken.

Secondly, the Next Flex tariff will rise on 1st October to somewhere in the region of the EPG so your nominal DD would be expected to increase, although the £66/67 per month government help will affect the amount you actually pay for the next six months.

@meldrewreborn suggests the rates will be the same if you cancel the DD and pay the actual billed amount. Unless he knows something I don’t know (which isn’t unusual) the tariff for payment on receipt of bill is slightly higher than paying by DD. As long as you pay by DD you can pay the same amount monthly as you do now or pay variable amounts according to the bill. Whichever method of DD you choose will attract the small discount over paying on receipt of bill.

Finally, at this stage, you may want to consider waiting until the changes take place so that you know exactly what your DD is going to be and what the tariff rates are going to be. You can then use your estimated consumption to work out roughly what you should pay over the year. You can deduct your credit balance, divide by 12 and come to your own conclusion as to what your DD should be. You will still need to apply the £400 government assistance. Armed with this info you can then contact Eon Next to negotiate from a position of strength.

In a nutshell, I’m suggesting hanging on a few days until things become clearer and then work things out.

Customer service will be overwhelmed at present so whichever method of contact you choose you will have to be patient.

[meldrewreborn]

@JoeSoap
payment on receipt of bill attracts a higher tariff unless you pay by DD. On the now invalid OFGEM prices it was £215 more expensive per annum. I’ve not seen an official assessment of the difference under the EPG - my own is circa £150 per annum for an average user. But the more you use the greater the difference .

[Aliballibee]

Thanks for the responses.

Seem to be contradicting information on whether Next Flex tariffs are lower on DD than they would be on receipt of a bill. With regards to the two amounts, we are being advised as attached; payment on 01/10 and another on 06/10, unless that's just advising on the new rate



In terms of monthly price fluctuation e.g. post Christmas that's not an issue for our personal circumstance. The DD was simply a process of simplifying our payments and taking the hassle out of monthly bills. We would be happy to keep the same current DD and see how this works over the winter but EON don't give you that option. I'll look at our usage over the last 12months (we moved to EON from another operator) and build up a picture.
I appreciate EON, like all providers, are busy but Twitter and WhatsApp messages have gone unanswered for more than 48hrs so don't hold out much hope there.

[JoeSoap]

Originally Posted by meldrewreborn

@JoeSoap
payment on receipt of bill attracts a higher tariff unless you pay by DD .

Yes that’s my understanding and why I queried your response of, ‘yes it’s the same’ when the OP asked, ‘If I cancel my DD… is the next flex rate the same?’.

Have we got our wires crossed?

[JoeSoap]

@Aliballibee

I think @meldrewreborn and myself agree it’s cheaper to pay by DD.

The figure for 1/10/22 is your current DD less the £67 assistance. The figure for 6/10/22 is, I think, what it will rise to following the rate increase. My guess is that you will only pay the higher amount in October and not both the new DDs. Truth is, I don’t think any of us know.

Once your new DD is up and running you can reduce it by up to 10% in your online account so for the next 6 months at least you can pay about what you’re paying now.

Edit… as you pay your DD on the 4th it could be that you will pay the smaller amount in October and the higher amount thereafter. That’s how it reads to me.

Confused?

[Aliballibee]

Hi JoeSoap

Really appreciate your input here. I'll carry out a usage review over the last 10months with EON (we moved when Igloo collapsed) and continue to record usage for my own records. This will give us a better chance to challenge the update in the new year, if we feel its incorrect.

Best regards

[Doug]

Yes, I think I will cancel my direct debit.

Does anybody know how to see/download bills here? Is that possible do you know?