Many customers choose to pay for their energy by monthly direct debit, spreading out the cost in even amounts per month rather than waiting for a larger quarterly bill. Not only does this mean they’ll pay in smaller, regular amounts, it also means they’ll know in advance how much their bill will be and can budget for it.
We use customers’ meter readings, as well as details about their property, to work out how much they will likely use over the course of the year and then divide the total amount into monthly payments.
This method means customers may end up paying for more than they’re using in the summer months when usage is lower, but they will also pay for less than they’re using in the winter months when the heating is on.
As a result at different times of the year it is likely customers will sometimes be in debt and sometimes in credit but over the course of the year the credit and debt should cancel each other out and customers will have paid for the total they’ve used.
Of course, the predicted energy use can change based on their habits, the weather and for many other reasons. That’s why we review our customers’ payments and usage annually and if a customer is left with a credit at the end of the year and our projections show they’re likely to use the same amount the following year, we will automatically refund their credit and restart their payment plan for the year ahead.
Similarly if they are in debt at the end of the year we will simply adjust their payments going forward to account for it. And, of course, if a customer chooses to leave SSE for another supplier, we will also automatically refund any credit in their account following a final meter reading.
Any credit in a customer’s account is theirs, and so if a customer asks at any point for it back it will be refunded.
We want to make life easier for our customers and ensure that get exactly what they pay for. That’s why we offer monthly direct debits to make it easier to budget.
If customers have any questions or concerns about their direct debit payments they should feel free to get in touch, we’re always on hand to help. It’s just another way we’re proud to make a difference.