Just been pushed into signing gas over to EDF

KPanton

I just got visited by an EDF guy, very high pressure, and I'm currently off sick with depression, so I'm not of the mind to battle him, tho I did try to ask him to give me the paperwork and let me read up on it, he wouldnt leave pretty much without me agreeing, also I asked him do I have to sign anything, he said no, then gets me to sign something on the screen, I'm feeling kinda lost and stuck with something I dont want, and feel like I've just been pushed into it.

Is there any kind of cooling down period on these things?

Currently I'm with British gas for gas and EDF for electricity, but I know British gas sent me a letter recently saying I was on a special tariff as I was on a benefit. So I do want to do some research eventually and find out if I'm on the best options, but I dont want to do what I've done and just sign something...is there any cooling off period or other protection?

lauren_1

Saying NO THANKS and shutting the door does not constitute as a battle.
Ring them up and complain if you felt he was leading you off the path or may have tricked you in to signing without realising what it was for.

As for saying you were pushed, you could have easily shut the door....

elsien

It depends if he turned up unsolicited, or whether you made an appointment for him to come.
If he just turned up on the doorstep you have a cooling off period - I don't remember how long, but I think it may be 7 days.
If they phoned / called first, and you arranged for them to come, then I don't think the cooling off period applies.
If in doubt, call consumer direct for advice. I don't have the number, but you should be able to google it fairly easily.
Edit - here you go. http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

Lauren-1 - a bit of sympathy wouldn't go amiss. Some things are not so easy when you're battling depression.

lauren_1

Yes, i know, but many depressed people still prevale some common sense.
I am sypathetic, very much having had ppp, pnd et al.

1carminestocky

If you have a doctors note relating to your depression I really don't think Eon would be in the business of telling you it's a legally binding contract, even if there WASN'T a cooling off period. Give them a ring (or better still get your partner/friend etc to ring them) and explain the situation and the fact that you are thinking of complaining to the relevant regulator and listen to them back down hastily, lol. Don't worry unduly and good luck with your illness, btw, a much-under appreciated illness IME (as one poster has already demonstrated :rolleyes: ) .

augustsmummy

My hubby signed up to eon for gas and electric on the step like you. We had a 14 day cooling off period, we rang them straight away to cancel, but had to ring back after 3 days as we werent on the system yet. They were polite with us and asked why we didn't want to switch, we explained we owed money to our current suppliers. They said they couldnt take us then as we owed money, and cancelled the agreement.
So dont worry too much, you can cancel, just give them a ring and explain you dont want it. Also when we did swap (about 6months later) british gas sent us a letter asking if we really wanted to switch, if not they would sort it out for us. hth

brysiewysie

1carminestocky wrote: »

If you have a doctors note relating to your depression I really don't think Eon would be in the business of telling you it's a legally binding contract,

EDF not Eon!

KPanton

Thanks for such quick replies, and yes, I do have trouble dealing with people, and sadly I'm a walkover for anyone who wants to stop me to sell something, fortunately being on benefits I dont HAVE any spare money, and when they find that out they tend to get bored of harrassing me fairly quickly.

This guy knew he had something I needed tho, so I guess he wasn't gonna quit, I'll be on the phone on monday, or I'll write using registered post if I am not up to it. If I call, I think I'll write a letter anyway, as the rep lied outright to my face and pressured me, treating me like an idiot with lines like'whats wrong? do you not want to save money?'

thanks for the support too, the mass media at the moment seems to have decided I am the root cause of everything that is wrong with Britain at the moment, and that I'm not ill, I'm just lazy and a bit moody, which doesn't really help. I did work solidly for 15 years, and keeping me on benefits seems to be about 10% of what an MP spends annually on furniture for their 2nd home, so I don't think I'm that bad... sorry, just tired of being the media's current scapegoat, and yes, I know some people are claiming unfairly.

/rantover...and thanks again for the quick advice, I'll get onto it monday!

It's a shame as EDF Energy have always been good as an electricity supplier.

Francesanne

KPanton wrote: »

I just got visited by an EDF guy, very high pressure, and I'm currently off sick with depression, so I'm not of the mind to battle him, tho I did try to ask him to give me the paperwork and let me read up on it, he wouldnt leave pretty much without me agreeing, also I asked him do I have to sign anything, he said no, then gets me to sign something on the screen, I'm feeling kinda lost and stuck with something I dont want, and feel like I've just been pushed into it.

Is there any kind of cooling down period on these things?

Currently I'm with British gas for gas and EDF for electricity, but I know British gas sent me a letter recently saying I was on a special tariff as I was on a benefit. So I do want to do some research eventually and find out if I'm on the best options, but I dont want to do what I've done and just sign something...is there any cooling off period or other protection?

You normally have 14 days to cancel the contract. I opted to cancel my new contract with E-on after a few sleepless nights. I wrote to them and then confirmed over the telephone.

Francesanne

1carminestocky wrote: »

If you have a doctors note relating to your depression I really don't think Eon would be in the business of telling you it's a legally binding contract, even if there WASN'T a cooling off period. Give them a ring (or better still get your partner/friend etc to ring them) and explain the situation and the fact that you are thinking of complaining to the relevant regulator and listen to them back down hastily, lol. Don't worry unduly and good luck with your illness, btw, a much-under appreciated illness IME (as one poster has already demonstrated :rolleyes: ) .

Think you meant EDF and not E-ON (see original post). All these names start to blend in after a while.

KPanton

Just as a quick note to close this one, I did call EDF and they couldn't have been nicer, not a moment's argument, didn't even ask me why, or ask me if I was sure. Just thanked me for my time and said to call again if I changed my mind or needed anything. So I guess their sales people are maybe all contracted...from hell. Honestly, you'd never believe it was the same company

Again thanks for the helpful replies.