Energy suppliers sitting on around £4 billion direct debit surplus - 12/02/2009
Energy suppliers have collected around £4 billion in surplus funds from direct debit payments and are now seeking to further raise direct debit bills, according to Mail Online.
Many customers opt to pay their energy supplier by direct debit as it helps access cheaper rates, but homeowners often have more debited than they actually owe.
With the country gripped by recession and cheap energy less readily available, people are finding it difficult to claim back money they are owed.
Mark Todd, of EnergyHelpline, told the website: "We've heard from a number of customers with big credits who are struggling to get their money back. It's clear there are problems with the whole billing system."
Consumers could choose to switch energy supplier if they are unhappy with their existing provider.
The Energy Retail Association said that direct debit price increases were related to the hikes in wholesale costs that took place in the latter part of last year.
All the UK's major energy suppliers have been accused of failing to lower prices quickly enough over the winter months.
If you want to find out more about how to compare energy suppliers and save up to £378 in minutes, click here.
Save up to £300 on your gas & electricity bills at energyhelpline.com
Compare prices from all energy suppliers to find your best deal