Direct debit management

Direct debits are how the majority of Good Egg Energy customers pay their bills, and they're one of the most common reasons customers get in touch. Whether someone wants to set one up, change the amount, or understand why their payment has increased, knowing this process thoroughly will serve you well every single day.

How direct debits work at Good Egg Energy

Customers on a direct debit pay a fixed monthly amount, calculated to cover their expected annual energy costs spread evenly across the year. Because energy use varies seasonally — higher in winter, lower in summer — the direct debit is designed to build up credit during lower-usage months and draw it down during higher-usage ones.

This means it's completely normal for a customer's account to be in credit during summer and closer to zero in winter. Customers sometimes see a credit balance and assume they're overpaying — it's worth explaining the seasonal smoothing principle clearly when this comes up.

Setting up a direct debit

To set up a direct debit for a customer in Kraken:

1. Navigate to the customer's account and select Payment settings
2. Choose Set up direct debit
3. Enter the customer's bank account number and sort code — read these back to the customer to confirm
4. Set the monthly payment amount and the preferred payment date
5. Confirm the Direct Debit Guarantee applies — let the customer know they can cancel at any time and are protected against incorrect payments
6. Save and confirm the setup with the customer

Direct debits typically take up to 10 working days to activate. Let the customer know when their first payment will be taken, and confirm they'll receive written notification from us before any payment is collected.

Amending a direct debit

Customers can request a change to their direct debit amount or payment date at any time. Common reasons include a change in financial circumstances, a new tariff, or an account balance that's drifted significantly from zero.

To amend a direct debit in Kraken:

1. Navigate to Payment settings on the customer's account
2. Select Amend direct debit
3. Update the payment amount and/or date as requested
4. Confirm the change with the customer and advise when it will take effect

When a customer asks to reduce their direct debit, check whether the proposed amount is sufficient to cover their expected usage. If it isn't, let them know clearly — not to refuse the change, but to make sure they're making an informed decision. A direct debit that's too low will result in a growing debt balance, which causes bigger problems down the line.

Cancelling a direct debit

Customers can cancel their direct debit at any time under the Direct Debit Guarantee. If a customer requests a cancellation:

• Confirm any outstanding balance on the account — if there's debt, discuss an alternative payment arrangement before cancelling
• Cancel the direct debit in Kraken under Payment settings
• Agree with the customer how they'll pay going forward — manual payments, a different payment method, or a new direct debit once their circumstances change
• Log the cancellation reason on the account

Failed payments

When a direct debit payment fails — because of insufficient funds, a closed account, or a bank error — Kraken will flag this on the account. The steps to follow are:

1. Check the failure reason in Kraken — this helps you have a more informed conversation with the customer
2. Contact the customer promptly to let them know the payment has failed
3. Establish whether the issue is temporary (e.g. a one-off cash flow problem) or ongoing
4. Agree a plan — a one-off manual payment, a revised direct debit date, or a payment plan if the customer is in difficulty
5. Log the outcome and any agreed next steps on the account

Approach failed payment calls with care — financial difficulty is often behind them, and the customer may already be stressed before you've said a word. See Supporting customers in financial difficulty if the conversation moves in that direction.

Direct debit reviews

Good Egg Energy reviews customer direct debits periodically to make sure the amount being collected still reflects actual usage. When a review results in a recommended change, customers are notified in advance.

Customers who call to query a direct debit increase often just need it explained clearly. A useful framing:

"Your direct debit has been reviewed based on your actual usage over the past year. Because you used more energy than the previous amount was covering, we've adjusted it to make sure you don't build up a large balance owed at the end of the year. The goal is always to keep your account as close to zero as possible."