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End of my tether with EDF energy
NovaBlack100
Posts: 22 Forumite
*sigh* i dont know if any of you have read my other threads on this board (under usernames NovaBlack and NovaBlack100) about my ongoing hassle with EDF energy in the past 2 months since i moved into my new rented flat.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2043717&highlight=
and
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2068053&highlight=
Im totally at the end of my tether.
If youve read those you'll have a better idea of the background to this. As things currently stand, As of last week i had 2 electricity accounts setup at my address, and having had enough of the letters on the account trying to charge me for a period before i moved in, i called them to say STOP SENDING ME LETTERS THAT ARENT FOR ME. I tried passing (now a total of 4) of these letters on to my estate agents, but they wont bother calling up and sorting it. So im just stuck in the middle.
The strange conversation with the EDF rep went something like this:
EDF Rep: 'Im sorry, we cant stop sending letters for that old account to your address, as we dont know where the previous tennants went'.
ME: 'Uh.. yeah.. but i rent this place, i have NO IDEA who lived here before me or where they now are...so i cant do anything with the letters'.
EDF REP: 'Yes i understand that, but we have to keep sending letters to that address'
ME: *awkward silence.....* ...right... but you arent ever going to get the money back if you do that are you?
EDF REP: '......Yes i understand what your saying... but we have to keep sending letters to that address'
ME: 'Right.. i do have the estate agents address and contact details.. you know you'd have a much higher chance of getting the money back if you contact them directly as they have a record of who lived here and can get in touch...'
EDF REP: 'uh.. ok.. well what are the details..' *allegedly writes down the details i give*. 'ok that should be all sorted now, sorry about that'.
Anyhow.. somehow something got lost in translation...
because today i received another bill from EDF..
on a THIRD electric account setup at my address. And having called up and checked, the old account they were supposed to have closed is still vey much active. *sigh*.
So i now have 3 sets of letters arriving at my door, one in my name, one for 'The Occupier' and one for 'The Customer'.
Im SICK Of the hassle of getting these letters with 'URGENT' and 'LATE PAYMENT' plastered all over them. Its embarrassing for a start when the other neghbours can see them all (they all arrive in a common porch area).
It makes NO SENSE to send them to me. Yes i understand they want to recover the money.. but this IS NOT going to recover it. Furthermore, why arent the names of the previous tennants on these letters, im really confused. The estate agents have been give letter after letter, but seem to not bother ever doing anything despite promises they will.
Had an even odder conversation with the rep a half hour ago when i called about the third account.
ME: *explained previous correspondence* - So i dont understand how there are 3 accounts here now, and why the estate agents details arent being used.
EDF REP: 'Oh we always have toe send correspondence directly to the property, we cant send it there, we wouldnt have said we would do'.
ME: 'oh.. ok.. i mean im pretty sure the last rep took down the details and said you would.. '
REP: 'No no.. we cant have done that'.
ME: 'Ok so can you at least explain why there are 3 accounts?'
REP: *sounding annoyed now as if i was stupid* Well, look at the account numbers only the last 4 digits change, its jsut an old account.
ME: 'Uh.. well i didnt have any idea about how the numbering systems on your accounts work.. sorry.. So.. you arent going to contact the estate agents?'
REP: 'No we cant we will have to keep sending letters there. Just ignore them.'
ME: 'i can just ignore them?.....'
REP: ' yes thats correct'
ME: ' so if i see any letter arrive from EDF thats NOT in my name i can just screw it up and throw it away?'
REP: 'yes thats right you can disregard it'
ME: 'SO whats the point of sending them.. i have to deal with this hassle, and you have to waste paper sending letters that just get thrown away...And you have the estate agents details. The only chance of you recovering the money is to contact them.. surely ite better for everyone?'
REP: 'No im sorry we cant do that'
ME: '*sigh* thanks for your help.. bye
Totally and utterly ridiculous. Coupled with the stream of other problems ive had im very tempted to just change supplier now, although i fear that will do nothing to stop the letters.
Is it actually worth ever making a formal complaint? will it get acknowledged? (anyone had any luck with this?)
Just to clarify its not just this issue im frustrated with its the things in the ther threads posted above too. They just seem so amateurish. Even their bills seem absurd (the bill for the 3rd account that came through for around £100 had some random 'cancelled charges' of £817 on there. I dont know where the heck they are getting their crazy figures from. So badly organized. Its taken 6 weeks just to get them to acknowledge that their estimates for the property were 10,000 (yes ten THOUSAND) units out from teh actual reading (in my favour). Allegedly it was the previous tennants fault for 'reading the wrong meter. However they couldnt explain how this allged 'mistake' by the tennant had gone unnoticed (im sure id notice if i got a bill for 10,000 units used in a month if i accidentally read the meter wrong). I have called them on a weekly basis now for the past 2 months. FED UP.
Anyone got any ideas of how i can get this to stop?
Thanks
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2043717&highlight=
and
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2068053&highlight=
Im totally at the end of my tether.
If youve read those you'll have a better idea of the background to this. As things currently stand, As of last week i had 2 electricity accounts setup at my address, and having had enough of the letters on the account trying to charge me for a period before i moved in, i called them to say STOP SENDING ME LETTERS THAT ARENT FOR ME. I tried passing (now a total of 4) of these letters on to my estate agents, but they wont bother calling up and sorting it. So im just stuck in the middle.
The strange conversation with the EDF rep went something like this:
EDF Rep: 'Im sorry, we cant stop sending letters for that old account to your address, as we dont know where the previous tennants went'.
ME: 'Uh.. yeah.. but i rent this place, i have NO IDEA who lived here before me or where they now are...so i cant do anything with the letters'.
EDF REP: 'Yes i understand that, but we have to keep sending letters to that address'
ME: *awkward silence.....* ...right... but you arent ever going to get the money back if you do that are you?
EDF REP: '......Yes i understand what your saying... but we have to keep sending letters to that address'
ME: 'Right.. i do have the estate agents address and contact details.. you know you'd have a much higher chance of getting the money back if you contact them directly as they have a record of who lived here and can get in touch...'
EDF REP: 'uh.. ok.. well what are the details..' *allegedly writes down the details i give*. 'ok that should be all sorted now, sorry about that'.
Anyhow.. somehow something got lost in translation...
because today i received another bill from EDF..
on a THIRD electric account setup at my address. And having called up and checked, the old account they were supposed to have closed is still vey much active. *sigh*.
So i now have 3 sets of letters arriving at my door, one in my name, one for 'The Occupier' and one for 'The Customer'.
Im SICK Of the hassle of getting these letters with 'URGENT' and 'LATE PAYMENT' plastered all over them. Its embarrassing for a start when the other neghbours can see them all (they all arrive in a common porch area).
It makes NO SENSE to send them to me. Yes i understand they want to recover the money.. but this IS NOT going to recover it. Furthermore, why arent the names of the previous tennants on these letters, im really confused. The estate agents have been give letter after letter, but seem to not bother ever doing anything despite promises they will.
Had an even odder conversation with the rep a half hour ago when i called about the third account.
ME: *explained previous correspondence* - So i dont understand how there are 3 accounts here now, and why the estate agents details arent being used.
EDF REP: 'Oh we always have toe send correspondence directly to the property, we cant send it there, we wouldnt have said we would do'.
ME: 'oh.. ok.. i mean im pretty sure the last rep took down the details and said you would.. '
REP: 'No no.. we cant have done that'.
ME: 'Ok so can you at least explain why there are 3 accounts?'
REP: *sounding annoyed now as if i was stupid* Well, look at the account numbers only the last 4 digits change, its jsut an old account.
ME: 'Uh.. well i didnt have any idea about how the numbering systems on your accounts work.. sorry.. So.. you arent going to contact the estate agents?'
REP: 'No we cant we will have to keep sending letters there. Just ignore them.'
ME: 'i can just ignore them?.....'
REP: ' yes thats correct'
ME: ' so if i see any letter arrive from EDF thats NOT in my name i can just screw it up and throw it away?'
REP: 'yes thats right you can disregard it'
ME: 'SO whats the point of sending them.. i have to deal with this hassle, and you have to waste paper sending letters that just get thrown away...And you have the estate agents details. The only chance of you recovering the money is to contact them.. surely ite better for everyone?'
REP: 'No im sorry we cant do that'
ME: '*sigh* thanks for your help.. bye
Totally and utterly ridiculous. Coupled with the stream of other problems ive had im very tempted to just change supplier now, although i fear that will do nothing to stop the letters.
Is it actually worth ever making a formal complaint? will it get acknowledged? (anyone had any luck with this?)
Just to clarify its not just this issue im frustrated with its the things in the ther threads posted above too. They just seem so amateurish. Even their bills seem absurd (the bill for the 3rd account that came through for around £100 had some random 'cancelled charges' of £817 on there. I dont know where the heck they are getting their crazy figures from. So badly organized. Its taken 6 weeks just to get them to acknowledge that their estimates for the property were 10,000 (yes ten THOUSAND) units out from teh actual reading (in my favour). Allegedly it was the previous tennants fault for 'reading the wrong meter. However they couldnt explain how this allged 'mistake' by the tennant had gone unnoticed (im sure id notice if i got a bill for 10,000 units used in a month if i accidentally read the meter wrong). I have called them on a weekly basis now for the past 2 months. FED UP.
Anyone got any ideas of how i can get this to stop?
Thanks
0
Comments
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Don't worry about them. Just put them in the bin. If EDF can't prevent there system sending out the letter, which would mean breaching the DPA laws by third party account alteration, just pop them into the recycling. Good luck.0
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Not had time to read your whole post. We had a total nightmare with EDF and nearly drove us to drink!
In the end my husband wrote to Diane Wright at the Times. It was amazing how fast it all got sorted once she called them!MTC NMP Membership #62 - made it back to size 12 after my children & I'm staying here!0 -
Not had time to read your whole post. We had a total nightmare with EDF and nearly drove us to drink!
In the end my husband wrote to Diane Wright at the Times. It was amazing how fast it all got sorted once she called them!
Haha great idea.
Its unbelievable how bad the service has been so far. Just one thing after another. The most frustrating thing is i JUST WANT TO PAY MY BILLS. lol. You think the concept of sending out a bill to a customer to charge them for their electric usage would be something a utilities company would somehow manage to comprehend and implement. Sadly not it seems. The whole concept seems incredibly complex and alien to them.0 -
worried_jim wrote: »Don't worry about them. Just put them in the bin. If EDF can't prevent there system sending out the letter, which would mean breaching the DPA laws by third party account alteration, just pop them into the recycling. Good luck.
Thats what i am doing from now on, im not even going to open one and look at it.
I think i was more worried as somebody said the property could become black listed.0 -
NovaBlack100 wrote: »Thats what i am doing from now on, im not even going to open one and look at it.
I think i was more worried as somebody said the property could become black listed.
There is no such thing as property blacklisting. Any unpaid debt will be held against the debtor directly not the property, this is why there is nothing for you to worry about at all and just treat it as junk mail. EDF will be sending these bills to every known address for there customer in the hope that one will finally reach them, once the customer makes contact and EDF have a correct address they will stop writing to your address. They are unable to make any amendments to the customers account details unless it comes direct from the customer which is why tou have been bang your head against the wall trying to sort it out. Legally EDF's hands are tied and you are completly wating any time calling them up. Most properties have a default noptice from a utility company usually for only a samll amount, £40-50, where someone has moved without providing a forwarding adddress or forgetting to pay the last bill.0 -
worried_jim wrote: »There is no such thing as property blacklisting. Any unpaid debt will be held against the debtor directly not the property, this is why there is nothing for you to worry about at all and just treat it as junk mail. EDF will be sending these bills to every known address for there customer in the hope that one will finally reach them, once the customer makes contact and EDF have a correct address they will stop writing to your address. They are unable to make any amendments to the customers account details unless it comes direct from the customer which is why tou have been bang your head against the wall trying to sort it out. Legally EDF's hands are tied and you are completly wating any time calling them up. Most properties have a default noptice from a utility company usually for only a samll amount, £40-50, where someone has moved without providing a forwarding adddress or forgetting to pay the last bill.
Awesome...
Takes a load off my mind.. righ then .. into the bin they go!
Geez if only they'd actually explained things to me :mad:
I think its teh awful communication that is driving me nuts more than anything!0 -
I know how you feel, but honestly you have absolutely nothing to worry about. All the best, Jim.NovaBlack100 wrote: »Awesome...
Takes a load off my mind.. righ then .. into the bin they go!
Geez if only they'd actually explained things to me :mad:
I think its teh awful communication that is driving me nuts more than anything!0 -
The bills that are addressed to ‘the occupier’ are normally what the industry called deemed customers. They are what a meter point is put on when a person announces they are leaving a supplier but another supplier doesn't take over the meter.
Normally happens in rented accommodation when tenants change hands as there is either a period of no occupancy or it take the new tenant a period for time to sign up with a new supplier, so I can see why their might be three accounts.
1 for the old tenant (maybe they didn't pay the final bill)
1 for the occupier (This is the deemed account when suppliers don’t know who is living there)
1 for the new tenant
I think this scenario is fairly standard, but they should be able to stop letters.
Its worth checking that the letters that are either addressed to ‘the customer’ or ‘the occupier’ are for closed accounts as you have taken over the meter point. Make sure that the other accounts are not accruing money based on usage, the bill maybe be going due to non payment charges though.
Only thing I can think of is that it is a legal thing, maybe they have to chase bills at the known address for a period of time? The bills to the other accounts will eventually get written of to bad debt.
Official advice would be to never ignore any letters that come through your door as you need to make sure that there is no identity theft going on.
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I wouldn't worry about I.D. theft as your name is not on the letters.0
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Hmmmmm, slight change of tack but (this could be stretching things a little)....
You are the current occupier.
EDF keep addressing bills to 'the occupier', demanding payment.
As you are the current occupier, it's quite a shock. You do not know the bill is not for you until you call up and query it.
I would therefore try sending a recorded delivery letter stating that as you are currently 'the occupier' you assume them to be intended for you, demanding money that you do not know (as you do not know until you call them). I would therefore imply that this action could be in breach of the Protection From Harassment Act 1997.
Ok, it's stretching things a little, but every time a letter arrives you have to chase EDF to make sure it's them.
I would then include the address of the letting agent and state that they should try contacting them to try and obtain any forwarding information. State if they continue to pursue you for a debt that is not yours, at this address, you will be forced to take the matter further.
I would then demand a written response confirming that the letters will cease. If they are unable to give such an assurance, ask what course of action they wish you to take that will not cause any further anxiety, or any more of your time to resolve.
Ok, a case probably wouldn't succeed on those grounds, but it at least conveys your irritation over the matter and what you expect to happen. It might at least make them sit up and escalate it to someone who can actually resolve the problem.0
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