EDF Nightmare

SuziQ

I have had nothing but trouble with thse guys since I changed suppliers,and if it wasn't for them putting us in arrears by undercharing us for 8 months I would have swapped ages ago.

Basically,we were swapped over to EDF after a guy doorstepped my husband and got him to sign a form-whilst he stated categorically he was not swapping us over. I found out when we had a letter from BG saying we had decided to change supplier. My husband decided to go with EDF anyway as he thought the prices quoted looked better.

Apart from the under-billing,we have also had ongoing problems with them taking 2 lots of DD's from my account for my bill plus arrears on electric-so taking 2 payments for £100. One is eventually credited back to my account,but I have been thrown over my OD limit and had to pay fees-the bank blames EDF,EDF say they haven't requested the DD.
I have had to swallow some of the charges-my bank let me off a couple-and have hopefully solved the problem now,(plus check my account as often as I can.)
I was advised to explore the energy assist tariff by CAB so have ust managed to get through after many attempts all week.
Not only do they say that as my youngest is on DLA I cannot be on any sort of social tariff with any supplier (his comment was 'the govt are already giving you extra towards your heating bills in your DLA') which I can sort of understand (although it's the opposite of what the CAB said) but he laso says that my gas has been on energy assist since I joined EDF and that I actually owe them even more money!

He has gone off to discuss with a supervisor, as he can't understand why I have gas on single fuel energy assist and electricity on single fuel-which makes me think this was a simple mistake by whoever inputted our account originally, I was on very low income (£4,800 per annum) when I joined EDF but was in receipt of ctc and wtc,not IS,CTB and DLA like now.

I certainly never asked to be put on energy assist back then but had assumed I was on dual fuel as it's slightly cheaper (basically the same discount given to those on energy assist-come on,wake up at the back!)

I am totally confused now but feel strongly that it is not my fault I was on the wrong tarrif,surely the fact I was on single fuel cancels out any money I might owe from being on energy assist as ALL of my bills should have been on dual fuel anyway.

Anyone have any comments to make on this? I seem to blunder from one mistake made by someone else to another at the moment,and tbh even if I had have read every bill ,energy assist to me would have meant an economy seven arrangement to me as I thought the term socail tariff was used for those with low incomes!

Bruce_

DD are covered by guarantee, so the bank should help you if they are wrong.

Alfie_E

Bruce_ wrote: »

DD are covered by guarantee, so the bank should help you if they are wrong.

Unfortunately, the Direct Debit Guarantee only covers the amounts taken by direct debit. It does not cover bank charges or other consequential loss. You could argue that a bank should refund any bank charges to adhere to the Banking Code principle of treating their customers fairly. However, if the bank weren’t at fault, they have no obligation to refund those charges.

SuziQ

Finally got a result from this on the 5th phone back from EDF.

They have now agreed that at the time I was put on energy assist is was possible for them to have done so 'accidentally' so I'm not liable,and they have admitted I should have been on dual fuel discount from the word go. They have said they have written off any underpayment from being on energy assist (I still reckon I am slightly worse off as missed out on any discount at all on my electricity)but have now stated they can-and will put me on energy assist tariff for both,so basically getting a slightly lower unit rate,so that's something I suppose!

I always dread trying to sort out problems with utility companies and my experience today hasn't changed that fact!

With regards to the bank charges,as I have said I have given up on that and swallowed my loss-I believe in picking your fights and I really can't see me winning that one,got some of the charges waived by Barclays but not all-and I feel it was EDF at fault for the DD anyway.