Islands Energy Group – the parent company of Guernsey Energy, Manx Gas and Island Energy – has brought in a change to its billing system to support Guernsey customers with budgeting.
Guernsey customers who receive ‘mini bulk’ deliveries will now be billed the company’s standing charge on a quarterly basis, as opposed to each time a delivery is made, which is how it is currently billed.
Jo Cox, CEO of Islands Energy Group, explains the rationale for the change: “Our standing charge is calculated on a daily basis, which is not changing, but what that currently means for customers is that if there has been a significant amount of time since they last received a delivery, they will be billed the standing charge in one lump sum. For example, if a customer only requires one delivery a year, they are billed a year’s worth of standing charge at the time of that delivery.
“Our new process will spread these payments out regardless of delivery frequency. Customers will receive consistent billing of the standing charge at a consistent cost, making for easier budgeting.”
As the standing charge will no longer be related to a specific delivery, customers will receive two bills – one covering the standing charge and a separate one for each delivery. The changes will bring ‘mini bulk’ customers’ billing in line with that of mains gas customers, who are already billed at consistent intervals.
Guernsey Energy recommends that all customers use direct debit payments as these enable customers to spread the cost of heating over the year. Using direct debit alongside e-billing gives easy access to bills, as well as being a greener solution as it avoids paper bills.
Jo added, “We hope customers experience easier management of their bill payments as a result of this change. If you have any concerns or questions, we would encourage you to contact our Customer Services team on 01481 724811.”
