Take The Headache Out Of Your Energy Bills!
Energy bills have always been one of the biggest costs for any household every month, but in winter the cost gets even higher.
Understandably, a lot of bill payers will be worried about how they’re going to keep up to date with the bills this winter as many of us start to turn up the heat. However, you can make things a lot easier for yourself with a bit of simple planning.
One major problem with energy bill statements is people assume all their energy bills are up-to-date and correct, and that they are being charged the right amount of money. But things aren’t always this simple.
Don’t get caught out with estimated usage.
If you signed up to pay your energy bills by fixed Direct Debit to save money, the payments will typically be based on your estimated annual usage divided by the number of payments (i.e. 12 if you’re paying monthly). If you’ve just switched to a new company, they may not be aware of your typical annual usage, meaning your monthly payments could be set too low. If so, you will essentially be getting further into arrears every month without even knowing it.
Energy companies recently tend to provide customers with a statement every six months, meaning it could be six months before you even realise you’re in arrears. In this time you could build up a debt, which will usually have to be repaid on top of your regular payments – This can be a HUGE blow and really mess up your monthly budgets.
If energy prices rise, those arrears could grow even more quickly. This happens to so many people when energy bills increase every year.
Be one step ahead of your energy supplier
As simple as it sounds, the best way to do this is to provide your energy supplier with regular meter readings and ask them whether you’re paying enough – Hard to do when you could be struggling with the current bill already.
Ask your supplier to calculate your monthly payments by looking at your previous annual usage and dividing it by 12 months (or by four if you’re paying quarterly). This should ensure you are paying enough over the course of a year, but it might be a good idea to add another £5 a month to your payments to be on the safe side.
In our guide “Become Energy Comparison Savvy” you’ll find all the energy suppliers signed up to the confidence code of practice. This will make sure that when you receive information about the supplier and the costs for your energy supply, it will have been worked out in a fair and honest way for you. It may be time for your to compare them and try and swap to another supplier. (Read the article and see if you can save)
