EDF problems

Reverend2009

Hi all

I have had a lot of issues with EDF over the past year or so, regarding high charges from them for my electricity.

I spoke to someone at EDF again today and they dropped the bombshell that I had, over the course of 7 years, ZERO units used on my off-peak period. I asked her exactly what she meant by that and she said that it's exactly as it sounds... I have never used any electricity during the off-peak period in the 7 years I've lived here.

Now that's a bit strange. Especially since I've been on the WarmWise tariff in all that time.

However I'm totally ignorant of these things, and I'm not sure where I stand. The lady at EDF said that I would have to get an independent electrician to come and look at my setup here to confirm whether there was a fault somewhere, and that EDF would not do that.

So I'm totally confused by this... If I'm on WarmWise tariff, am I not therefore paying more for peak electricity? And if so, am I being utterly ripped off if my off-peak charges are at zero for 7 years?

I don't have storage heaters, by the way. We heat using domestic oil and everything else is, obviously, electric.

Sorry if any of this is unclear, I've literally just got off the phone and I'm still a bit confused by the whole thing.

Can anyone advise me on this? I have paid around £1000 in the past 12 months on electricity.

Please help.

Reverend2009

Anyone at all who knows about this subject with advice for me?

Hazzanet

I think you need to see if the timeswitch is changing over to the off-peak rate and at what times. If it isn't swapping to the off-peak units, then you need to call EDF to take a look at the timeswitch.

If the timeswitch is working correctly, it could be the meter (unlikely), or you haven't got your equipment (washing machine etc) running during the off-peak rate,

I must say it's unusual to have a peak/off peak tariff if you don't heat using electricity. It's fair to say that your overnight off-peak usage will be low unless you're running a laundry or charging storage heaters.

Out of interest, did you change from all-electric heating to oil-fired?

Reverend2009

Hazzanet wrote: »

I think you need to see if the timeswitch is changing over to the off-peak rate and at what times. If it isn't swapping to the off-peak units, then you need to call EDF to take a look at the timeswitch.

If the timeswitch is working correctly, it could be the meter (unlikely), or you haven't got your equipment (washing machine etc) running during the off-peak rate,

I must say it's unusual to have a peak/off peak tariff if you don't heat using electricity. It's fair to say that your overnight off-peak usage will be low unless you're running a laundry or charging storage heaters.

Out of interest, did you change from all-electric heating to oil-fired?

No this house was oil-fired when we moved in in 2002. I have no idea why I've been on that tariff for all this time. EDF are no help whatsoever - they say I have to pay for an independent sparky to come out and check our setup and that they will not do anything unless a qualified, certified sparky makes a signed statement that there's a fault.

Reverend2009

I'm still hoping someone will give me advice here?

Bark01

if you are on an off peak tariff switch to a non off peak or maybe ECO 20:20 then you will get a meter changed for free. It won't help you prove that the old meter was faulty but will sort you out going forward. The engineer who installs the new meter might be able to check the old one though.

penrhyn

My suggestion is that you start taking your own meter readings. If you are not heating with electricity you should not be on a heatwise/economy 10 tarrif as you will be paying a permium for your peak units. Its rubbish that you would not be using night units, as posted above its probably a fault with the timeswitch/radioteleswitch, have you had a look?

Reverend2009

Well I've done what checks I can on the meter, but I'm not sure what I should actually be looking for in this case - I've asked a mate of mine (who's an electrician) to have a look at the layout here by photo (he doesn't live close!) and after waffling on about stuff I don't understand for 20 minutes he eventually said that there was almost definitely something wrong with the meter.

Meter readings are all up to date and still not a single KW used on the off-peak rate since 2002.

I have written a huge letter to EDF explaining that as far as I can understand it, they have overcharged me: WarmWise being an 'Economy 10' tariff, I should be charged off-peak rates for 10 hours of the day, right? On ALL my electricity? Therefore, 10 hours being 42% of 24 hours, if I've been paying peak rates for 24 hours of the day this equates to 42% overcharging (between the cost of 'off-peak' and 'peak').

Does that sound right?

dogshome

Hi Reverend - It appears that 7 years ago you moved into an all electric house that was on some type of Economy 7 tariff that overnight heated strorage radiators and a hot water tank, but a previous occupier has discarded the storage radiators and hot water tank and installed an oil fired boiler for heating & hot water. What should have been done at that time was to inform the Elect supplier of the change, who would then have installed a standard meter on which you are charged less for each unit.
I'm afraid that working out the % of your present day/night use is not an option and even if it were, you would still be paying a premium on evry thing you use during the day
However, the customer desk at EDF should have recognised the problem just from your meter readings, let alone your phone calls. Write to EDF and head the letter COMPLAINT, pointing out that you have inherited a house with Oil fired Heating & Hotwater, that there are no storage radiators fitted and that the Warmwise tariff is totally wrong for your household - as a sting in the tail you could ask as to how you work out the credit you are due because you have been using Standard Electricity that has been charged for at the Premium Warmwise day rate.
Good Luck

phead

Chances are you have a old clock based timeswitch, and its stuck on day, the same thing happened to me. They need to come out and replace it with a radio switch.

They then wait a few weeks to check what your actual day/night balance is, and apply to the previous bills (though only going back so far), and refund anything due.

Its their fault, and they should correct it. If they don't play ball, then start by going through their official complaints procedure.

Reverend2009

Hey all, thanks for your replies. EDF have written in response to my complaint claiming that it's my own fault for not switching from the Warmwise tariff, and that they have not overcharged me, and are not offering ANY credit / refund / solution to the issue.

Where do I stand here? Do I have any rights to complain and get some kind of credit or refund?

Or am I stuffed?

Cheers.