Random direct debits

somesoldiers

Why are your direct debit dates all over the place? 1 month it's near the end of the month (which is fine for most people I'd imagine) this month is to go out 22 Feb, no doubt the next will be back to end of month.
It is impossible for families to budget with this willy-nilly billing system,can't ye just have a fixed date every billing period adjusted to the next business day when this falls on a non business day like most businesses?

Electric Ireland: Brige B

Hi somesoldiers,

Thanks for getting in touch.

Electric Ireland bills are issued based on when meter readings are taken for individual properties. These readings are taken by ESB Networks for electricity meters, and Gas Networks Ireland for gas meters.

They read all of the electricity and gas meters, respectively, regardless of the supplier, as they own and maintain the meters. They aim to read the meters four times a year, and estimate usage twice a year, however the number of estimates may increase depending on the accessibility of the meter.

Once the readings are provided to Electric Ireland, they are processed, and a bill generated. As such, the bill release dates vary.

Customers who wish to have a set billing date, and billing amount, with Electric Ireland can do so. Those customers can register for Equaliser payments, which is a set amount debited from their bank account on a set date each month. The amount payable is then reassessed every 12 months, to ensure it is in-line with the customer's usage.

Further information regarding the Equaliser can be found here.

We hope this helps. Should you have any other questions please let us know.

Thanks,
Brige

dub45

Electric Ireland: Brige wrote: »

Hi somesoldiers,

Thanks for getting in touch.

Electric Ireland bills are issued based on when meter readings are taken for individual properties. These readings are taken by ESB Networks for electricity meters, and Gas Networks Ireland for gas meters.

They read all of the electricity and gas meters, respectively, regardless of the supplier, as they own and maintain the meters. They aim to read the meters four times a year, and estimate usage twice a year, however the number of estimates may increase depending on the accessibility of the meter.

Once the readings are provided to Electric Ireland, they are processed, and a bill generated. As such, the bill release dates vary.

Customers who wish to have a set billing date, and billing amount, with Electric Ireland can do so. Those customers can register for Equaliser payments, which is a set amount debited from their bank account on a set date each month. The amount payable is then reassessed every 12 months, to ensure it is in-line with the customer's usage.

Further information regarding the Equaliser can be found here.

We hope this helps. Should you have any other questions please let us know.

Thanks,
Brige

Direct debits should not be random.

Under the rules of the direct debit system a billing company must give 14 days advance notice of any debit unless a different notice period has been agreed with the customer. Do you not provide such notice?

https://www.bpfi.ie/customer-assist/personal-customers/directdebit/

• [font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Advance notice of the date and the amount of each direct debit must be provided by the Creditor. The advance notice period is generally fourteen days, or in some cases seven days or less if agreed by all parties, before the direct debit is applied[/font]
  

somesoldiers

They do give 14 days notice, it's just the date is constantly changing. I had a quick look at my DD history and it is usually sometime after the 20th,22nd,25th,29th...and oddly May 5th. I would expect a couple of days here and there due to business day only DDs put this is crazy

Hi Brige

While you may have no control over when the readings are done,when the direct debits are taken by you is completely under your control unless you have also ceded this to a third party

I don't need the easy pay option all I want is some certainty about what date of the month in the two month billing cycle that this actually comes out of my account.is there an option to fix this date? I have no issue with the charges themselves

Electric Ireland: Una

Hi there,

Yes, an Electric Ireland direct debit is always collected 14 days after the bill's issue date.

The bills do not issue on the same date every second month, as they are based on when ESB Networks and Gas Networks Ireland read the meters for a district (or calculate an estimate if they cannot read the meter). They then pass this information to Electric Ireland and other billing companies. 

However, the customer can have a direct debit date changed to a later one which suits them better if they send us a private message here on Electric Ireland Social Media as soon as they receive their bill. A customer can also set up a direct debit instalment plan.

Both of the above would be carried out on an individual bill by bill basis.

Regards,
Una