EDF dual rate meter problem

jd87

We have an economy 7 meter and for the past few years we have been on a normal (non-economy 7) tariff with EON. They used to just add the two readings together. Our usage isn't suitable for an E7 tariff.

We recently switched to EDF through their website as we wanted to switch to their Online v5 tariff. The switch went through no problem, but we have recently had our first bill and for the electricity we have been put on their standard economy 7 tariff. I phoned them up and the person said it was just a mistake and they would get another bill sent out with the right tariff. After a couple of weeks nothing had happened, so I sent an email asking for an update. They are now saying that they can't add the readings together and we will have to get a meter exchange.

1. Is this meter exchange going to cost me anything?
2. Why wasn't I informed that I wasn't going to be put on the tariff I had requested?

notbritishgas

Suppliers vary in how they treat people with E7 meters who want to change to a standard tariff.
You were lucky that EON had the system to add the two readings together and I understand from this site that BG are the same.
My supplier Npower do not do this however and a meter change was necessary when I swapped last January, they did not charge then.
I do not know if EDF charge.
If you applied online I doubt if there was a facility to tell them that you had an E7 meter but wanted a standard tariff.

KimYeovil

If the meter was not changed then customers could just switch to E7 for a month or three over winter and then switch to a non-E7 tariff for the rest of the year. The pricing of day/night units is not balanced for that sort of shenanigan.

Of course you are not involved in such behaviour but for that reason (I am just guessing) suppliers have to watch out.

Dustykitten

A friend's EDF meter was changed FOC about a year ago. We are in a similar postion, with EDF, on checking our bills over a year they work out very similar E7 v standard is just a few £ different for us on about 18% night useage.

I'd start by doing the calculation and see if it is worth the worry. EDF won't add together but Scottish Hydro used to do it no problem in the past.

This post is useful:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2192843&highlight=edf

JennyR68

jd87 wrote: »

We have an economy 7 meter and for the past few years we have been on a normal (non-economy 7) tariff with EON. They used to just add the two readings together. Our usage isn't suitable for an E7 tariff.

We recently switched to EDF through their website as we wanted to switch to their Online v5 tariff. The switch went through no problem, but we have recently had our first bill and for the electricity we have been put on their standard economy 7 tariff. I phoned them up and the person said it was just a mistake and they would get another bill sent out with the right tariff. After a couple of weeks nothing had happened, so I sent an email asking for an update. They are now saying that they can't add the readings together and we will have to get a meter exchange.

1. Is this meter exchange going to cost me anything?
2. Why wasn't I informed that I wasn't going to be put on the tariff I had requested?

Oh dear I think I better get on the phone myself to them. I'm in process of moving to them and have emailed twice and sent a letter to query about the meter as I too have a E7 meter on a normal tariff. They haven't replied though.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere though that they don't charge to change your meter.

spiro

KimYeovil wrote: »

If the meter was not changed then customers could just switch to E7 for a month or three over winter and then switch to a non-E7 tariff for the rest of the year. The pricing of day/night units is not balanced for that sort of shenanigan.

Of course you are not involved in such behaviour but for that reason (I am just guessing) suppliers have to watch out.

The only reason the meter ever needs to be changed is due to poor design in the suppliers billing system that does not allow them to add the two readings together.

JennyR68

Just phoned EDF and they said I'll need to be charged E7 rates for the first 28 days then I can give them a call and they will arrange to change the meter. She said their billing system doesn't allow you to add the 2 rates together.

I'm quite happy with that, even on E7 rate for a month it's 15% cheaper than what I was on with BG.

Premier_2

Costs, if any, charged by the big six for changing meters in such circumstances are given in this thread:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2192843

tori.k

Dustykitten wrote: »

A friend's EDF meter was changed FOC about a year ago. We are in a similar postion, with EDF, on checking our bills over a year they work out very similar E7 v standard is just a few £ different for us on about 18% night useage.

I'd start by doing the calculation and see if it is worth the worry. EDF won't add together but Scottish Hydro used to do it no problem in the past.


EDF told me too that id only save a £1 a week going from E7 to a standard meter (12% night use), we decided to change anyway thinking £50 im my pocket is better then there's. but funny enough we actually saved over £20 dec-jan so even if i used the same amount of electric every month ( tumble dryer on everyday at the mo) we would still see a min saving of £244 PA.

Back to topic there was no charge for changing the meter as long as we stay with them for 12 months after the meter change

Talldave

notbritishgas wrote: »

....
My supplier Npower do not do this however and a meter change was necessary when I swapped last January, they did not charge then.
I do not know if EDF charge.
....

Npower can cope with Economy 7 meters on a standard tarriff. Up until I moved away from them last autumn, I'd been doing just that for several years.

So, although I rate Npower as the most incompetent supplier I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with - they are just about able to add two numbers together to run a standard tarriff off an economy 7 meter.

That said, I wouldn't recommend anyone to move to them.