Ruined Credit rating - thanks EON

leeCal

As far as I know the idea is to make the utility companies a fair offer not refuse to pay anything at all. Having said that I don’t really agree with the idea, apart from the underlying threat which serves to let them know that people aren’t prepared to be shorn like sheep. 

As I understand it the utility companies have to pay these rates themselves, if we don’t pay then their only recourse is to seek compensation from the government. I may be misinformed though, so forgive me if that is the case. 

Biblioklept

Even switching to paying what you owe rather than a set direct debit will hit the companies. For example I am hundreds of pounds in credit to them at the moment, I'm just one person. Think of the interest they earn every day with people's money sat in their accounts because direct debits are set too high (with their excuse that it will offset in the winter months). 
They do this as it earns them more, that's why they incentivise people paying by direct debit usually with small discounts. 

Cartini

Biblioklept said:

Even switching to paying what you owe rather than a set direct debit will hit the companies. For example I am hundreds of pounds in credit to them at the moment, I'm just one person. Think of the interest they earn every day with people's money sat in their accounts because direct debits are set too high (with their excuse that it will offset in the winter months). 
They do this as it earns them more, that's why they incentivise people paying by direct debit usually with small discounts. 

I`m in credit too, with both my gas & electricity (Octopus) and water company (SW Water).  I only shower a couple of times a week, the other days I "bird bath" / strip wash, so my water consumption is very low.  I had the sense to have a 4Kwh solar PV system installed in 2015, that`s definitely helping to keep the edge off the electricity bill (I`m paying £20 - £25 a month), and my gas (used just for hot water (not shower though)) is turned off until 1st October - this date may vary depending on how warm / cold it is.  All this sees my "in credit" with the Octopus go up by £10 a month.  Until the next wave of price increases, that is.

Cartini

woodbine said:

Cartini said:

Biblioklept said:

My understanding of 'don't pay on October 1st' isn't that you don't pay at all, it's that you don't pay by direct debit any more and pay only what you use or can afford. 

I`ve just looked at the "don`t pay" website.  You are correct in that they are proposing, if they get 1 million "supporters" (I won`t be one), that all 1 million cancel their Direct Debits on the 1st October.  There`s nothing about paying by other means, but this line more or less confirms they won`t pay at all:

"A non-payment campaign is when people collectively commit to not paying a bill or charge. "

In some cases I might support a can't pay won't pay campaign, as many people did with the poll tax. However gas and electric are far too important to our lives to play "chicken" with the big utility providers, there can only be one winner and it's not the consumer.
I doubt there will be a million who join up, atm it's just a few thousand it's simply too important in 2022 to have electricity and gas.

I can see why some people would join such a movement, but my ex-military mentality won`t let me do so.

racyguy

woodbine said:

racyguy said:

woodbine said:

A credit score means little, it's credit history that lenders are interested in, and it's only a problem if you want to take on more debt by borrowing money.

As for fuel debt most providers have access to funds that might be able to help you, and from October you will receive the £66.66 a month for 6 months, and more help might become avaliable if the new PM decides on an emergency budget.

Maybe when the country gets back on its feet and I decide to have a car again say, or something drastic happens like the heating and water boiler packs up or some other home emergency crops up I will want to borrow money. For over 55 years I have never had a black mark against me for not paying a bill. That is until EON decide to ruin it.
Getting the £66.66 a month from October isn't going to remove the black mark or even pay off the ever increasing debt.
And to add insult to injury you are suggesting that I kiss EON's feet and ask for a handout?

I should add that gas and electricity accounts don't appear on anyones credit history/report so problem solved, and I did check mine before posting this.

Yes they do if in debt to them.

janer1967

Just had my new energy bill direct debit increases by 55% so I have no complaints as it was what I expected and a lot less than others have experienced 

I'm quite a low user despite being home majority of time 

My son showers everyday I strip wash daily and bath couple times week ( I can't shower ) the washer is on once a week and tumble dryer as I can't hang out washing 

Lights on all day as can't have curtains open , TV or music on most day 

Heating in winter set at 21 degrees , in Sumner fan on when hot weather 

Cook most days 

Wish everyone was in my position I've been there in the past in arrears with energy bill and thinking about every bit of energy usage 

racyguy

woodbine said:

poppy123456 said:

Utility bills don't usually appear on your credit reports—unless you fail to pay them.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-unpaid-utility-bills-appear-on-your-credit-report/

there really is no excuse to be rude to someone who is trying to help you no excuse at all

Rude?? where??

poppy123456 said:

Utility bills don't usually appear on your credit reports—unless you fail to pay them.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-unpaid-utility-bills-appear-on-your-credit-report/

Poppy stated the obvious - which is what I already know.
As for Poppy trying to help, please tell me where in their statement it is meant to help me?

poppy123456

racyguy said:

woodbine said:

poppy123456 said:

Utility bills don't usually appear on your credit reports—unless you fail to pay them.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-unpaid-utility-bills-appear-on-your-credit-report/

there really is no excuse to be rude to someone who is trying to help you no excuse at all

Rude?? where??

poppy123456 said:

Utility bills don't usually appear on your credit reports—unless you fail to pay them.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-unpaid-utility-bills-appear-on-your-credit-report/

Poppy stated the obvious - which is what I already know.
As for Poppy trying to help, please tell me where in their statement it is meant to help me?

I can't read your mind! Your post sounded like you disagreed with the energy company for doing this to your credit report. I was simply confirming that will do that if you don't pay your bills.

woodbine

racyguy said:

woodbine said:

poppy123456 said:

Utility bills don't usually appear on your credit reports—unless you fail to pay them.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-unpaid-utility-bills-appear-on-your-credit-report/

there really is no excuse to be rude to someone who is trying to help you no excuse at all

Rude?? where??

poppy123456 said:

Utility bills don't usually appear on your credit reports—unless you fail to pay them.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/can-unpaid-utility-bills-appear-on-your-credit-report/

Poppy stated the obvious - which is what I already know.
As for Poppy trying to help, please tell me where in their statement it is meant to help me?

It's poor form to compound the matter when someone points out that someone else has been rude. I for one will no longer read or post on threads you start.

racyguy

poppy123456 said:

racyguy said:

I can't read your mind! Your post sounded like you disagreed with the energy company for doing this to your credit report. I was simply confirming that will do that if you don't pay your bills.

Sorry if you took it that way.
No the opposite I am in agreement with it being recorded.
It was more the way they did it that annoyed me. The way I see it now - they are not interested in helping me get over the problem so it will make no difference really if I do pay less this month - the credit history is already trashed for the sake of £300 or so.

tifo

Companies don't care about trashing our credit record, they're only interested in being paid. They're not on our side and never have been. There's no reward for loyalty. It's business, they supply a service we pay them, the moment we can't (not their problem) they debt collect.

Credit ref agencies absolve themselves of all responsibility saying they report what's sent to them. If the firm won't change their entry it's impossible to get it removed. 

I've many years personal experience in the above.

racyguy

Madrokaleb said:

You need to save money. It is the first place to start. Create a separate account or debit card where you can transfer interest from your salary, part-time work, advance payment, or business profits. How much exactly depends on the level of income and mandatory spending. It must become a habit. Therefore, try to postpone systematically every time, and do not skip or transfer payments. It is important to understand that the recommendations of blogs like Young and Thrifty  are very useful given the global financial crisis, and this should not be ignored.

I do budget very carefully. But being on a limited income (State Pensioner) more is going out than is coming in. Even the many benefit calculators tell me that our weekly income is approx £100 less than what it should be - but that is another story repeated many times on here. We were not entitled to the £650 COL payment which was a shame
So, we manage on £100 a week less than what the State says that we should be getting.

Thankfully I have now not only brought my Council Tax account up to date but since the receipt of the £150 disability COL payment I no longer owe anything for gas or electricity.
It has been hard, and we have given up on having a lunch, putting the central heating on and no new clothing for the past 6 month.