Energy supplier Bulb has said it will be contacting customers after a 'technical outage' meant their direct debit payments were not taken as usual at the beginning of the month.
Customers have complained both on Moneysavingexpert forums and social media after they discovered that the payment due to be taken on 1 June was not claimed.
Bulb said only a "small number" of the company's 1.5million customers have been impacted. and it was contacting them to notify them of the issue and confirm how much they owe.
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A spokesperson for Bulb said: "Due to this outage a small number of direct debit payments for 1st June weren’t taken. We’ve already begun communicating this to affected members, explaining that their payments will be taken in the coming days, giving them appropriate notice of the payments. No other payments were impacted that day and members don’t need to take any action."
However angry customers on Twitter reported confusion, with one claiming that Bulb had tried to take an additional payment 11 days after the direct debit was claimed.
@KeithFo19462930 said: "Hello Bulb, I pay my bill with you on the first of every month as I have on on the first of this month, I have just got off the phone with your team as you have tried to access my account 11 days later for more money, stay out of my bank account."
@Murtaman asked: "Should this kind of thing from @BulbUK even be allowed? When people live on limited budgets and assume their bill payments have gone out as normal, something like this can put them in debt, leave them without groceries etc."
Direct debit payments due to be taken by Bulb on 1 June will now be taken in the coming days and affected customers will be given notice when this will be. Bulb said affected customers don't need to do anything as their payments will be taken automatically. But you do need to ensure you've got enough money in your account to cover the payment.
If you manually paid your bill after your direct debit to Bulb failed, Bulb has said that you will not have your direct debit taken later this month. The energy company said it will be contacting people directly to thank them for their payment and confirm receipt. If another payment does mistakenly go out though, meaning you've paid the same bill twice, contact Bulb.
The firm said the following month's payment will then be taken as normal at the start of July.
Bulb was put into special administration at the end of November last year, by far the largest energy company to go bust as the price of wholesale gas caused chaos in the energy market.
Because of its size, Ofgem appointed an administrator to run the company until Bulb is either rescued, such as through restructuring, or until it's transferred all of Bulb's customers to other suppliers.
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