Payment problem
PE's bill is correct, but something has gone wrong with the payment.
- A Direct Debit failed
- A payment has not been allocated
- The wrong bank account is being used
- A payment was made but is not showing
PE Solutions Direct Debit & Payment Help
Got a problem with a PE Solutions payment?
Start with the bill.
Before cancelling a Direct Debit, disputing a payment or assuming PE has taken the wrong amount, establish:
What PE billed
What period the bill covers
What PE says is outstanding
What has actually left your bank
And whether the underlying bill is correct
A payment problem and a billing problem are not always the same thing.
We will show you how to work out which one you are dealing with.
PE payment looks wrong? Check these first
Get the latest PE bill and your bank statement.
- 1.PE account number
- 2.Supply address
- 3.Billing period
- 4.Previous account balance
- 5.New charges
- 6.Payments or credits shown on the account
- 7.Amount due
- 8.Payment due date
- 9.Amount actually taken from your bank
- 10.Any previous unpaid or disputed balance
Do not look only at the amount PE collected.
You need to understand how PE arrived at the balance first.
Is this actually a payment problem?
There is an important distinction.
Billing problem
The amount PE is trying to collect is based on a bill you believe is wrong.
- Estimated reading
- Wrong meter
- Wrong opening reading
- Incorrect rates
- Wrong billing period
- Change of Tenancy issue
- Unexpected additional charges
- Catch-up billing
Work out which problem you have before deciding what to do next.
Work out what to check next
Question 1: Does the amount taken match the amount PE says was due?
Yes: Move to Question 2.
No: Compare the bank transaction with the PE bill and account.
Question 2: Do you agree with the underlying bill?
Yes: This may primarily be a payment/account allocation issue.
No: Investigate the bill before treating this as only a Direct Debit problem.
Question 3: Is the bill based on an estimated reading?
Yes: Take an actual meter reading and photograph.
Question 4: Does PE show a previous balance?
Yes: Find out where it came from.
Question 5: Have you already made a payment that PE has not recognised?
Yes: Keep evidence of the payment and ask PE to trace and allocate it.
Where can I see my PE bills?
PE customers can use Enfiniti to access account information including bills.
Download the full bill.
Do not rely only on a dashboard balance.
A full bill gives you much more useful information for checking the account.
PE Enfiniti & Login HelpWhy does PE say I owe this amount?
Start by reconstructing the account.
Take the latest bill.
Look for:
- Previous balance
- Payments received
- Credits
- New energy charges
- VAT
- Any additional charges
- New balance
Then compare the payment history with your bank account.
A large amount due does not necessarily mean the latest month's energy use was enormous.
Part of the balance could relate to an earlier bill.
Equally, a payment leaving the bank does not prove PE has allocated it to the correct account.
Follow the numbers.
Why has my PE Direct Debit increased?
Do not assume there is one reason.
An increased collection could potentially relate to:
- Higher energy consumption
- Higher contract rates
- A previous unpaid balance
- A catch-up bill
- Estimated billing being corrected
- A Change of Tenancy issue
- An account adjustment
- Additional applicable charges
- A contract ending and different rates applying
- Or another account-specific reason
Start with the bill.
If the bill itself is wrong, investigate that.
If the bill is correct but the payment does not make sense, investigate the payment.
Does PE collect the same amount every month?
Do not assume your PE Direct Debit will always be exactly the same amount.
The amount PE collects depends on the billing and payment arrangements applying to the individual account.
Check:
- The contract
- The bill
- The payment terms
- And any Direct Debit communication from PE
If the amount has changed unexpectedly, ask PE what balance or bill the collection relates to.
PE has taken the wrong Direct Debit amount
First establish exactly what is wrong.
Write down:
- Amount PE billed
- Amount PE said it would collect
- Amount actually collected
- Collection date
- PE account number
- Bill number
Then check whether there was:
A previous balance
A credit
A rebill
A second invoice
A cancelled invoice
A Change of Tenancy adjustment
If you still cannot reconcile the amount, contact PE with the specific figures.
Do not just say:
“You've taken too much.”
Say:
“My PE bill shows £1,842.16 due, but £2,417.52 was collected from our bank on 18 August. Please explain the £575.36 difference and confirm which invoice or account balance the collection relates to.”
Specific numbers make the problem much easier to investigate.
This is an illustrative example.
Do not imply these figures belong to a real PE customer.
I've already paid PE but the account still shows a balance
Keep evidence of the payment.
Useful evidence can include:
- Payment date
- Amount
- Payment reference
- Bank transaction
- Account number used
- Invoice number where applicable
Then compare it with the PE account.
Ask PE to confirm:
Whether the payment was received
Which account it was allocated to
Which invoice it was allocated against
Whether any amount remains outstanding
If the business has several PE accounts, make sure the payment has not been allocated against a different site.
I have several PE accounts
This is where payment problems can become confusing.
Do not treat a portfolio balance as one number until you understand the individual accounts.
Create a simple list:
- Site
- PE account number
- MPAN or MPRN
- Invoice number
- Invoice amount
- Payment amount
- Payment date
- Outstanding balance
Then reconcile each account.
If £5,000 has been paid across several sites, establish exactly where PE has allocated it.
My PE Direct Debit failed
Do not ignore it.
First check why the payment failed.
Then check:
- Whether PE still shows the amount outstanding
- Whether another collection is expected
- Whether you need to make a separate payment
- Whether any payment or late-payment consequences apply under your agreement
Contact PE if the next step is unclear.
Do not make a duplicate payment simply because you are worried.
Establish what PE expects first.
Can I cancel my PE Direct Debit?
You can control a Direct Debit mandate through your bank.
But cancelling the mandate does not cancel the underlying energy contract or automatically remove money legitimately owed under it.
Before cancelling because of a dispute, understand:
- What the contract requires
- What PE says is outstanding
- Whether another payment method is permitted
- Whether cancelling could put the account into payment default
- And what part of the bill you are actually disputing
A Direct Debit cancellation and an energy-bill dispute are different things.
What if the Direct Debit itself was collected incorrectly?
UK Direct Debits are covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee.
If an error is made in the payment of a Direct Debit by the organisation or your bank or building society, the Guarantee provides for a refund from your bank or building society.
But this needs an important distinction.
A Direct Debit refund does not automatically mean the underlying PE energy bill has been cancelled.
If PE still believes the contractual amount is owed, the billing dispute can remain.
So if you use the Direct Debit Guarantee because you believe a collection was made incorrectly, also resolve the underlying account position with PE.
Do not present the Direct Debit Guarantee as a way to avoid a legitimate business energy debt.
What if the PE bill itself is wrong?
Then move away from the bank transaction for a moment.
Check the energy bill.
Start with:
- Meter serial number
- Previous meter reading
- Latest meter reading
- Actual or estimated
- Consumption
- Billing dates
- Unit rate or rates
- Standing Charge
- Other applicable charges
- VAT
- Contract type
- Contract dates
If the meter reading looks wrong, take a current photograph.
PE Bills & Meter Readings GuideCheck all the PE charges before disputing the total
PE can present charges across different lines.
Do not assume the bill should contain only:
Unit Rate
and
Standing Charge.
Depending on the supply and contract, other applicable charges can exist.
If you are checking the bill against the original quotation, compare the whole quotation with the whole bill.
How to Read a PE Solutions QuoteHas the PE contract ended?
A sudden increase in the amount due can also happen because the contract position has changed.
Check the latest bill for the Contract Type and Contract End Date.
If a fixed contract has ended without a new agreement being arranged, the account may be on Out of Contract pricing.
Do not assume the old fixed rates continue indefinitely.
PE Out-of-Contract & Deemed RatesPE is charging me for before I moved in
That is not primarily a Direct Debit problem.
It is a Change of Tenancy and billing-period problem.
Gather:
- Date you became responsible
- Opening meter reading
- Meter photograph if available
- Lease, completion or occupancy evidence
- First PE bill
- Any previous-occupier information shown on the account
Then establish exactly which period PE is billing you for.
You should not simply accept responsibility for another occupier's energy because the amount has been included in an account balance.
PE Change of Tenancy HelpPE has billed months of energy at once
A large catch-up bill needs to be investigated before deciding what it means.
Work out:
- Which period is being billed
- Why it was not billed correctly earlier
- Whether previous bills were estimated
- What readings PE has used
- Whether the meter is correct
- Whether payments were already made during the period
- Whether credits have been applied
- Whether the business may qualify for regulatory backbilling protection
Do not assume the 12-month backbilling rule protects every business.
Ofgem's backbilling protection applies to domestic customers and microbusinesses where the relevant conditions are met.
Business size and circumstances matter.
Could the 12-month backbilling rule apply?
Potentially, if the customer is a microbusiness and the relevant conditions are met.
Do not automatically tell every PE business customer:
“They can only bill you for 12 months.”
That is wrong.
The protection is subject to eligibility and exceptions.
If the bill reaches back more than 12 months, establish:
- Whether the customer qualifies as a microbusiness
- What period PE is trying to recover
- Why the charges were not billed earlier
- Whether accurate billing information was reasonably available
- Whether the customer acted obstructively or unreasonably
- Whether there are other relevant exceptions
If necessary, escalate the billing dispute.
I can't afford the PE bill
Do not ignore PE.
And do not promise a payment plan that has not been agreed.
Contact PE as early as possible.
Explain:
- The amount due
- Why the business cannot pay it in full
- Whether any part of the bill is disputed
- What the business can realistically pay
- Whether the difficulty is temporary or ongoing
If the bill itself is wrong, keep that dispute separate and clear.
For example:
“I am disputing £4,200 of the invoice because it relates to an estimated reading. I am not disputing the remaining £1,100.”
That is much clearer than saying:
“I can't pay the bill.”
Will PE give me a payment plan?
Do not assume one will automatically be offered.
If the business cannot pay the full amount, contact PE and ask what arrangements may be available for the individual account.
If PE offers an arrangement, get the details clearly recorded.
Check:
- Total balance
- Amount disputed, if any
- Payment amount
- Payment dates
- Duration
- Whether normal ongoing bills must also be paid
- What happens if a payment is missed
Do not publish a standard PE payment-plan term unless PE has actually agreed it for the account.
PE is chasing a balance I dispute
Do not ignore the debt communication.
But do not simply repeat:
“The bill is disputed.”
Explain exactly what is disputed.
For example:
- Invoice number
- Amount
- Billing period
- Meter
- Reading
- Charge
- Previous complaint or case reference
- Date the dispute was raised
- Evidence already supplied
Then ask PE to confirm how the disputed balance is being handled while the investigation continues.
Keep copies of every communication.
What if PE continues chasing while investigating?
Keep the billing dispute and collection activity documented together.
Record:
- When the original dispute was raised
- Who it was raised with
- Any PE reference number
- What evidence was supplied
- What PE said would happen next
- Any later debt letters, calls or emails
If the underlying issue remains unresolved, consider escalating through PE's complaint process.
PE Solutions ComplaintsMy PE account is in credit
First establish why.
A credit balance can arise for different reasons.
For example:
- Payments exceeding billed charges
- A rebill
- A corrected meter reading
- An account adjustment
- A previous overpayment
Do not assume every credit should automatically be refunded immediately.
Check whether there are outstanding or pending charges and ask PE to explain the account position.
If you believe a genuine refundable credit remains, ask PE what is required to return it.
Do not publish a guaranteed PE refund timescale unless verified.
PE has sent a final bill
Check why it is final.
Possible reasons include:
- Supplier change
- Change of Tenancy
- Business leaving the premises
- Meter/account change
- Contract/supply ending
Then check:
Final billing date
Final meter reading
Whether it is actual or estimated
Payments already made
Credits
Outstanding balance
If you have left the premises, compare the final reading with the reading taken when you left.
PE is still taking payments after I moved out
First establish whether PE has completed the Change of Tenancy.
Cancelling the Direct Debit does not establish the date your responsibility ended.
Check:
- Move-out date
- Closing meter reading
- Evidence you left
- PE COT correspondence
- Final bill
- Any payments taken after the move
If PE has billed beyond your period of responsibility, raise the billing period as the issue.
PE Change of Tenancy HelpSomeone called asking for PE payment details
Be careful.
Knowing your:
Business name
Supplier
Address
Meter details
or contract information
does not prove the caller is PE.
If somebody unexpectedly asks you to make an energy payment or change bank details:
Do not rush.
Do not give online banking passwords.
Do not give authentication codes.
Do not rely on the phone number they gave you.
Verify the request independently using PE's known contact details.
Current PE energy Customer Care:
0333 370 9900
What should I send PE about a payment problem?
It depends on the problem.
Useful information can include:
- PE account number
- Invoice number
- Supply address
- MPAN or MPRN
- Payment date
- Payment amount
- Payment reference
- Evidence from the bank
- Relevant PE bill
- Meter photograph where billing is disputed
- Previous correspondence
- Complaint or case reference
Do not send:
Online banking password
PE portal password
Authentication codes
Full unnecessary banking security information
Want us to check the PE account?
Send us:
- The PE bill you are querying
- The previous bill if relevant
- The PE contract or quotation if the rates are disputed
- Meter photographs if the consumption is disputed
- Relevant PE correspondence
- And tell us what payment has actually been made.
If you send a bank screenshot, remove or cover information that is not needed for the energy query.
We do not need:
Online banking passwords
Enfiniti passwords
PINs
Authentication codes
How The Best Energy Rates can help
When somebody tells me PE has taken the wrong amount, I don't start with the Direct Debit.
I start with the account.
What did PE bill?
What has already been paid?
What does PE say is still outstanding?
And is the bill itself right?
If the bill says you've used 30,000 kWh and you've actually used 10,000 kWh, arguing about the Direct Debit amount isn't going to fix the real problem.
We need to fix the bill.
On the other hand, if the bill is completely correct and you've already paid it but PE hasn't allocated the payment properly, then we have a different problem.
Work out which one it is.
Then you know what evidence to send and what you're actually asking PE to fix.
The Best Energy Rates Desk
Please don't cancel your Direct Debit as the first reaction to a bill you don't understand.
We completely understand why people do it.
They see a big amount due and think:
“I'm stopping that coming out.”
But now we can end up with two problems.
The original bill might still be wrong, and now the account can also show an unpaid balance.
First we want to know why the bill is that amount.
Is the reading estimated?
Has the contract ended?
Is there an old balance?
Has PE rebilled something?
Are there charges on there you weren't expecting?
Have you already paid some of it?
Once we've worked that out, we can deal with the payment properly.
And if PE has genuinely collected an amount incorrectly, that's different.
The important thing is knowing exactly what happened rather than guessing from the number that disappeared from the bank.
The Best Energy Rates
PE payment problem checklist
Simple PE payment query template
Subject: PE account payment query Hello, I am querying a payment/balance on our PE energy account. Business name: PE account number: Supply address: Invoice number: Invoice amount: Amount paid or collected: Payment date: The issue is: [Briefly explain exactly what does not match.] I have attached the relevant bill and payment evidence. Please confirm: 1. the current account balance 2. which invoices are outstanding 3. where the payment has been allocated 4. the reason for any difference between the amount billed and the amount collected 5. what action is required to correct the account if an error has occurred Please provide a reference number for this query. Kind regards, [Name]
If the payment problem is actually a disputed bill
Subject: PE billing dispute Hello, I am disputing part/all of the following PE energy bill. Business name: PE account number: Supply address: Invoice number: Billing period: Amount billed: Amount disputed: Reason for dispute: [Explain the specific reading, meter, rate, charge or billing-period issue.] I have attached the evidence available, including: [List evidence.] Please investigate the disputed amount and confirm: 1. whether the bill will be reviewed 2. whether a revised bill is required 3. the amount PE currently considers undisputed 4. how the disputed balance will be handled while the investigation is ongoing 5. the reference number for this query Kind regards, [Name]
PE Solutions Direct Debit and payment questions
Why has my PE Solutions Direct Debit increased?
There can be several reasons, including increased consumption, different rates, an earlier balance, rebilling, estimated-bill corrections or other account adjustments. Start with the PE bill and establish what balance the collection relates to.
How do I check what PE Solutions says I owe?
Download the latest full PE bill and check the previous balance, payments, credits, new charges and amount due. Then compare those figures with the payments that actually left your bank.
Where can I see my PE Solutions bills?
PE customers can use Enfiniti to access account information including bills. Download the full bill if you are investigating a payment or balance problem.
PE has taken more than I expected. What should I do?
Compare the amount billed, the amount PE said was due and the amount actually collected. Check for previous balances, credits, rebills or other invoices before asking PE to explain the specific difference.
Should I cancel my PE Direct Debit if I think the bill is wrong?
Do not treat cancelling the Direct Debit as a solution to the billing dispute. Establish what is wrong with the bill first. Cancelling a payment mandate does not automatically cancel the energy contract or remove a legitimate balance.
Does the Direct Debit Guarantee apply to PE Solutions payments?
UK Direct Debits are covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee. Where an error is made in the payment of a Direct Debit by the organisation or bank, the Guarantee provides for a refund from the bank or building society. A refund does not automatically cancel any underlying energy charges that remain legitimately due.
I have already paid PE but the account still shows money owed. What should I do?
Keep evidence of the payment and ask PE to confirm whether it was received, which account it was allocated to and which invoice it was applied against. This is particularly important where the business has several PE accounts.
What happens if my PE Direct Debit fails?
Check why it failed and what PE currently shows as outstanding. Contact PE if necessary before making another payment so you do not accidentally pay the same balance twice.
Why has my PE bill suddenly increased?
Check consumption, meter readings, rates, previous balances, account adjustments and whether the fixed contract has ended. A larger payment can be caused by the underlying bill rather than the Direct Debit itself.
What if PE is charging me for energy used before I moved in?
Treat this as a Change of Tenancy and billing-period issue. Establish the date you became responsible, opening reading and supporting occupancy evidence and ask PE to correct any period that does not belong to you.
What if PE bills several months of energy at once?
Check the billing period, readings, previous estimates, payments and why the charges were not billed earlier. If the bill reaches back more than 12 months, check whether the business qualifies for Ofgem's microbusiness backbilling protection rather than assuming the rule applies to every business.
Can PE backbill my business for more than 12 months?
The 12-month backbilling protection does not automatically apply to every business. It can protect qualifying microbusiness customers where the relevant conditions are met, subject to exceptions. The individual circumstances need to be checked.
What if I cannot afford my PE energy bill?
Contact PE as early as possible. Explain what is owed, whether any part is disputed and what the business can realistically pay. Do not assume a particular payment arrangement will automatically be offered.
Will PE Solutions give me a payment plan?
Do not assume one will automatically be available. Ask PE what arrangements may be available for the individual account. If an arrangement is agreed, get the balance, payments, dates and conditions clearly recorded.
PE is chasing a bill I have disputed. What should I do?
Do not ignore the communication. Give PE the invoice number, disputed amount, reason, evidence, date the dispute was raised and any existing reference number. If the issue remains unresolved, consider escalating it through PE's complaint process.
PE is still taking payments after I moved out. What should I do?
Check whether the Change of Tenancy has been completed and whether PE has the correct move-out date and closing meter reading. Cancelling the Direct Debit does not by itself establish when your responsibility for the supply ended.
Can The Best Energy Rates check a PE payment problem?
Yes. We can help establish whether the underlying issue relates to billing, meter readings, contract rates, Change of Tenancy, account balances or payment allocation. Send the relevant bills and evidence rather than passwords or banking security information.
What should I send TBER about a PE Direct Debit problem?
Send the relevant PE bill, previous bill where useful, payment information, PE correspondence and meter photographs if the underlying consumption is disputed. Do not send online banking passwords, PINs, authentication codes or your Enfiniti password.
The Best Energy Rates is an independent business energy intermediary. We are not PE Solutions or Pozitive Energy.
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