A BIG THANK YOU to all for your input
I have been with the same electricity supplier (npower and their predecessor Northern Electric) for over 28 years now and have never, ever, fallen for the Direct Debit routine.
I pay my bills quarterly, by cheque, and insist on paying for 91 days supply (per quarter)
only.
(Note: One of the quarters must be for 92 days to account for the total of 365 days)
I also always insist on the 92 day quarter being in the summer months.
A meter reader attended on 29th Oct 14 asking for access to my meter. I told him he was too early as the quarter still had 13 days to run. He then stipulated that he needed access to check that all was well with the installation.
OK - I told him he could have access but that he must not record the actual reading as this would put my billing out of sequence. He agreed and made a show of checking the cupboard, torch in hand, then informed me that all was well.
Lo and behold - on the 8th Nov I received a bill for 77 days worth of supply
Back I go on the phone to my supplier to complain.
The end result of this is that the bill has been cancelled and I will receive an updated one with my 91 day reading as the criteria for the billing.
Incidentally, the meter person was not an employee of my supplier (although he was wearing their logo) and actually works for an agency - good old SWMBO spotted him in his van on her way up the street.
....let's see what happens next time an agency tries to gain entry to my property
....they won't get in without a warrant, that's for sure
(lying little so and so)
Regards,
Ray.
NB Ref the overcharge - I would love to be able to find out just how many households have been ripped off by that strange bandit known as "computer error" - Yea, right