Energy Direct Debits: Get money back & your payments lowered Discussion

pochase

Are the estimates on the bill correct?

What are you using for heating? 2190KWh is extremely low.

kenr

I am having issues with EDF.
I was transferred to them last year when my supplier went bust. They wanted to put up my DD to £250/mo but I said no £150 is more like it.
After a year they sent me a refund of nearly £400 then told me they were INCREASING my DD to £274!
I have tried contacting them by whatsapp and email the email is still unanswered since 14/10
I am hard of hearing so phoning them is not an option.
I have emailed and texted them to say I want to complain but thought I would try here as well.

annemariee1978

kenr said:

I am having issues with EDF.
I was transferred to them last year when my supplier went bust. They wanted to put up my DD to £250/mo but I said no £150 is more like it.
After a year they sent me a refund of nearly £400 then told me they were INCREASING my DD to £274!
I have tried contacting them by whatsapp and email the email is still unanswered since 14/10
I am hard of hearing so phoning them is not an option.
I have emailed and texted them to say I want to complain but thought I would try here as well.

Hi kenr,

It's incredibly frustrating getting through to energy companies at the minute, I can't imagine how difficult it must be if you're also hearing impared.

Do you have a friend or family member who can help with a phone call and take over once you've given them verbal permission to the advisor you're speaking too?

There is also the Priority Services Register to consider https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/get-help-your-supplier-priority-services-register
Have a look and see if you qualify, your supplier should then be more helpful.

If the above is just not possible, then you could write another email and also send a written letter. Notify them that you are going to register a complaint with the energy ombudsmen if they do not reply by the 14th November which will be 30 days after your original request.

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/energy

As a last resort you could write to them also and advise you are cancelling your Direct Debit because you feel the amount is too much and your account is in credit. Make sure you continue to make card payments through their website for the £150. It might not come to this though, normally their customer handling teams will see your DD has been cancelled and will call you within a week to get you to reinstate it. Then at that point they should agree to the amount you want to pay and freeze it for a few months.

I've had this palava with OVO a few months ago, although dealt with them by phone. I just came out of a DD freeze and am £250 in credit and they tried to up my payments again.
This time however I didn't need to cancel my DD to get them to keep my monthly payments at £150, they agreed over the phone to keep it at that affordable amount and freeze it again for 3 months.

Good luck

kenr

Unfortunalty no my wife has issues and the account is in my name so they will not deal with anyone else.
I believe we are already on the priority register. 
I looked at the ombudsmen but it has to be over 2 months before they will act.
I thought about deleting the DD and that will be my next move before Dec and they try to take £274. 

I have already tried switching but it seems to be extra difficult at the mo as well. Two weeks since I applied and it is still pending.

annemariee1978

Yeah it'll take a while to switch.
If you've started a switch and you're in credit then consider cancelling your DD to stop them taking all that money.
Make sure you keep on top of your payments by doing online payments and then hopefully your new company may treat you better.
But tbh it's tough out there and they're pretty much the same at the minute.

kenr

I sent an email in as a complaint and they seem to be "working" on dropping the DD again. I wait and watch.

wllcnur

I'm currently in a fixed deal with EDF paying £300 a month.  I have almost £1500 credit and contacted them for a partial refund (I want to keep at least 2 month's payments in credit)  They are a nightmare to deal with and their robot agent said they don't give refunds until the bill is reviewed which is 6 monthly and not due until end of January. Is this correct?  I'm waiting for a response by an agent.

annemariee1978

Hi wllcnur, 

A quick Google brought this info up from the EDF information FAQ page's...

https://www.edfenergy.com/for-home/help-centre/faq/i-want-refund-my-account-credit

"...

I want a refund of my account credit

If you pay by Direct Debit

It's usual for your account to appear in credit for part of the year. We'll update your Direct Debit twice a year to keep your payments on track. Find out more about your direct debit

You'll get a refund automatically if you've got £150 or more of credit at the end of your billing year. If you have less than £150 credit in your account, we'll put it towards your future energy costs.

Don't want to wait for an automatic refund or don't pay by Direct Debit?

1. Make sure you've submitted a meter reading within the past 10 days.
2. Fill in our online refund form.
3. See your credit refund in your bank account within three working days."

kenr

kenr said:

I sent an email in as a complaint and they seem to be "working" on dropping the DD again. I wait and watch.

I spoke too soon. I sent them a 2nd (on the  2nd and 13th) and still NO reply to their request for info and still no answer to my complaint so I have cancelled the DD.
Maybe that will get an answer from them.
Still waiting for So to move me thats been with them since the 10/10

jimbolee

wllcnur said:

I'm currently in a fixed deal with EDF paying £300 a month.  I have almost £1500 credit and contacted them for a partial refund (I want to keep at least 2 month's payments in credit)  They are a nightmare to deal with and their robot agent said they don't give refunds until the bill is reviewed which is 6 monthly and not due until end of January. Is this correct?  I'm waiting for a response by an agent.

Hi wllcnr, I'm having very similar issues with EDF. I've over £1000 in credit. When I called, I had to go through the usual "dance" with the initial operator (We'll review every 6 months, you should have been sending meter readings more often, it's not our fault we fail to install smart meters at your property, etc, etc).

I finally got through to someone who could deal with it and they asked me to submit a meter reading and they would refund the credit, cancel the DD and I could start paying for what I use each month (we are partially moved out and doing the property up so energy use is minimal as no heating required). I submitted a meter reading the next day and waited.

Three weeks on and nothing.

I phone up today and they ask for... another meter reading in order to resolve the issue!

So frustrating. I've given up on EDF - never again!