Martin Lewis issues direct debit warning to 230,000 customers of disrupted energy suppliers

Martin Lewis used his ITV show tonight to urge all Igloo, Symbio and Enstroga customers to set up direct debit payment with E.on Next by December 3 – or risk paying more
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Martin Lewis issues urgent warning to E.ON Next customers
Martin Lewis has issued an urgent warning to customers of failing energy providers Igloo, Symbio and Enstroga.
Some 230,000 households that previously belonged to these energy companies have since moved to the new supplier E.on Next.
But the founder of MoneySavingExpert explained how E.on was unable to transfer between direct debit mandates.
This means customers have to set up a new direct debit with E.on or risk overpaying around £ 100 per year.
Speaking on his Martin Lewis Money Show Live tonight, Martin said you have to do it by tomorrow (December 3) or you’ll end up paying more.
All customers have been placed on the standard E.On Now tariff which follows the price cap, which is £ 1,277 per year for those paying by direct debit.
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But customers who don’t pay by direct debit – so those who pay in cash or by check, for example – face a higher price cap of £ 1,370.
âI have an urgent warning,â Martin said on his third energy-themed show tonight.
âE.on Next struggled to get the details to be able to move your direct debits and that being said, to get the cheapest rates you need to set up a direct debit with E.on Next now.
âYou have to do it within two months and that two month deadline is tomorrow (December 3).
Worried about paying your energy bills this winter? Let us know: [email protected]
âIf you do this today, you’ll get the cheapest rates backdated two months ago – but if you wait and do it in a few days, you’ll only get the cheapest rates in the future.
âSo if you’re at Igloo, Symbio, or anyone else who has moved to E.on Next, go ahead now and set up your direct debit to get the cheapest rate. “
To set up a direct debit, you can follow the instructions contained in the email sent by E.on.
Customers can also update their contact details by logging into their account online.
In a statement released earlier this week, E.on said: âWe were unable to transfer direct debits for these customers as part of the transfer process to Eon Next because we were unable obtain the necessary information to do it in time.
“We have therefore written several times to all affected customers to explain this and ask them to set up a new direct debit to take advantage of the lower debit limit.
“We urge all affected customers to set up their new direct debit as soon as possible.”
What you need to know if your energy supplier goes bankrupt
More than 20 energy companies have gone bankrupt since September 2021 as companies struggle to bear the cost of rising wholesale gas prices.
Last week he was warned that eleven more energy companies could go bankrupt in a disastrous year for the industry.
If your supplier goes bankrupt, here’s what you need to know …
Most importantly, your energy supply will not be affected – so you won’t end up without gas and electricity.
Any credit you have with your old provider is also protected. If you are owed money, your new energy business should reimburse you for all the money owed to you.
When a business goes bankrupt, the energy regulator Ofgem will assign you a new supplier – so you don’t need to look for a new supplier.
However, you should take a meter reading when your new provider contacts you and take screenshots of your bills online in case you are suddenly unable to access your account.
Customers are being moved to tariffs on the energy price cap, which is currently the cheapest tariff available.
However, if you decide to move away from your new provider, you should not be charged an exit fee.
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