EDF -- contacted after 4 yrs to say i owe!!

tracyhardy

thanks spiro but now read my post above yours!!

DaveMurphy

Contact Scottish Power and ask why you've never received a bill from them despite having paperwork contracting them to supply your property. Ask EDF why they believe they are responsible for your energy supply. Do this in writing and ask for an explanation in writing. Keep a diary of all contact you have with both companies.

Once you have established which company is actually supposed to be supplying your property contact the benefits agency and request to be put on the Fuel Direct Scheme. This will deduct an amount for current usage and a reasonable amount for arrears from your benefits at source.

Above all stay calm and don't let them bully you into agreeing a repayment plan you can't afford or installing a prepayment meter that will overcharge you for your supply. The energy companies claim that PP meters don't overcharge but you will certainly be entitled to less discounts not to mention find it more difficult to switch supplier at a later date when you get the accounts back in order.

Once you know for certain which supplier is responsible for your gas and electricity you should also ask them about their policies for vulnerable customers.

There's also a distinct possibility you may have been subjected to doorstep misselling. Has anyone come to your property r to read/check your meters and asked you to sign anything?

DVardysShadow, you said "expect to settle by paying off the arrears over the period they were accumulated". I've seen this in some set of guidelines somewhere, do you have any idea where that might be?

Cardew

Tracy,

Until this afternoon you thought that gas and electricity was included in your rent?

You now have discovered a signed 'contract' from Scottish Power that you signed. What have you got from Scottish Power that they signed?

If EDF want payment from you from the day you moved in, it would appear that they have been your supplier from the start of your tenancy.

elaina79

When we moved into our new build we had a fight with EDF trying to convince them that they supplied our gas. They managed to find the electricity account but it took ages to find the gas account. I can see why if you were not aware about the accounts not being with the rent and that EDF generally dont have a clue how this can happen.
I am on a prepayment meter for my electricity with them and at the moment I am using about £2.50 per day, however I'm not sure if they are taking anything for the debt yet but this can be as low as £6 per week.

tracyhardy

Cardew wrote: »

Tracy,

Until this afternoon you thought that gas and electricity was included in your rent?

You now have discovered a signed 'contract' from Scottish Power that you signed. What have you got from Scottish Power that they signed?

If EDF want payment from you from the day you moved in, it would appear that they have been your supplier from the start of your tenancy.

it was up to a couple of months ago that i presumed it was cardew....then was hit by EDF for a £2500 bill ... it wasnt till then and after that i realised that it wasnt and i completly forgot about signing on the doorstep with scottish power untill today after posting where i realised that i couldnt of been that gullable.

mark55man

good luck Tracy

all the posters above are giving you good advice, and/or telling you how it will look to the electricity company (hard hearted money grabbers).

I think you should write to them both asking for their clear statement of what they believe the position is. then let us know what they say and you will receive further good advice. i think you are quite within your rights not to agree anything until you know for sure.

I think we've all made some silly mistakes in our dealing with companies - in some ways its lucky you are dealing with energy companies who have some leigislation around how they have to behave towards vulnerable people - and a record for completely messing up billing

I would say I am not an expert in debt - and sometimes it is not always obvious when you should write and when you just just keep quiet - but you seem to be doing OK

Cardew

Tracy,
What have you got from Scottish Power?

What is on the 'contract' you have signed? and when was it signed? How long after you moved in?

I suspect that 'contract' is a worthless bit of paper, that hadn't been actioned.

EDF hadn't billed you because they didn't know you existed( because you hadn't contacted them). So how would Scottish power take over the contract?

tracyhardy

Cardew wrote: »

Tracy,
What have you got from Scottish Power?

What is on the 'contract' you have signed? and when was it signed? How long after you moved in?

I suspect that 'contract' is a worthless bit of paper, that hadn't been actioned.

EDF hadn't billed you because they didn't know you existed( because you hadn't contacted them). So how would Scottish power take over the contract?

ive got a form which i have the blue copy with my details aswell as meter details , what option was chosen, payment details inc DD and decleration at bottom with my signature and an agents signature states that payments were due to start on 28/12/2006 which is shortly after i moved in. ive also got a "Customer check list" that is signed stating no.7 and i quote "I understand that i need to take no further action in order to become a scottish power customer"-- there are 8 comments that are there all counter signed and then signed at the bottom with said contract no!!!!
thx for sticking with me on this and hope to spk soon .... thx tracy

Cardew

tracyhardy wrote: »

ive got a form which i have the blue copy with my details aswell as meter details , what option was chosen, payment details inc DD and decleration at bottom with my signature and an agents signature states that payments were due to start on 28/12/2006 which is shortly after i moved in. ive also got a "Customer check list" that is signed stating no.7 and i quote "I understand that i need to take no further action in order to become a scottish power customer"-- there are 8 comments that are there all counter signed and then signed at the bottom with said contract no!!!!
thx for sticking with me on this and hope to spk soon .... thx tracy

Tracy,

You moved in November 2005!

You signed that contract a year later.

In that year you should have contacted EDF to sort out paying for your gas and electricity.

What probably happened is the Scottish Power salesmen submitted your form and they couldn't trace you on the system - as you hadn't registered with EDF, so they didn't bother to chase matters.

You can chase Scottish Power if you want, but I doubt they will accept any responsibility.

mark55man

could the OP make anything of the fact that she had notified an electric company - even if it was the wrong one