E-on changing DD Date for final bill

A question about : E-on changing DD Date for final bill

Hello,

I received a final bill as I am leaving E-On based on an estimated figure dated 30th December, which would have been delayed by new year etc.

They didn't take any payment on the 1st January which was the agreed date for the direct debit amount of Ј40.

The next thing I know a payment on the 15th has bounced from my account due to insufficient funds for Ј49.33p.

It did state in small writing underneath the bill amount This amount will be taken on the 15th January but I hadn't read this as I just looked at the figure.

Do they have to give notice of the direct debit change 10 working days before the new payment date or the old? Because it was only 2 days before the old payment date.

Additionally can they actually do this on a bill request letter, or do they have to send me an extra letter making me aware of the changes more thoroughly.

Also can they arbitrarily change the date seemingly just because I'm leaving them and they want their money back there and then?

It annoys me because if they had taken Ј40 at the start of the month it would of been fine! Now I'm going to be charged by Santander as well.

Does anyone have any advice that would be helpful?

Do I have a case using DD guarantee?

Thanks

Biogenetics.

Best answers:

• They told you when they were taking the money - you decided not to take note of it.
  They were entitled to the Ј40 anyway on 1st Jan s o it should have been sitting there waiting so you would have had to make arrangements for the extra Ј9.33 - are you actually telling us that the extra Ј9.33 put you overdrawn.
  I can't see what you are whinging about unless you spent the Ј40 that they didn't take on 1st Jan hoping that you could defer it a bit.
• Good morning biogenetics,
  I'm sorry about the confusion this has caused.
  Are you leaving due to changing supplier or moving house? If moving house you can provide your final read to us or if changing suppler the new supplier should supply your reading, so you receive an accurate final bill.
  The final bill is the place where we will advise how and when the outstanding balance will be collected from a bank account, or how any credit would be refunded to you.
  You wouldn't receive a separate letter about it.
  Hope this helps a little.
  Helena
• I'm staying in the same property and moving power company.
  I have provided the meter readings (or attempted to) several times, and in fact the final bill E-on have sent me is based on an estimated figure.
  As no payment was taken on the 1st, I assumed the direct debit had been nullified as whenever I have moved energy company in the past they have taken no further payments and simply sent a statement for any remainder which I have then paid on my next pay day by debit card.
  I'm also consulting with my bank to see if actions have been taken in breach of DD Guarantee by not informing specifically that payments would increase.
• @matelodave,
  Thanks for your sympathetic post.
  My point was that it was in small writing underneath the amount, and it's fair to assume that if a company doesn't take a payment on an agreed date, then it's their fault not mine, otherwise what is the point of having a direct debit guarantee.
  I set a direct debit at a set rate, and on a set day for convenience. Surely a company cannot simply change this for their benefit.
  The amount and payment do not concern me, I'm happy to pay E-on whatever I rightly owe them. The fact that they altered the agreement (possibly without proper notice) is what I am concerned about, and that I will probably be charged by my bank for this is.
  I don't see what the need to have altered the payment date was.
  Whenever I've moved energy companies previous, they have sent me a bill and stopped the direct debits from being taken, leaving me to ring them to settle any outstanding amounts. This has applied to:
  British Gas,
  Ebico,
  Npower.
  And even I believe with E-on in the past. Yet for some reason this time it's gone differently!