EDF - Problems with power outages

Jerri_64

Hi I'm new to forum life, so please bear with me.

I live in a small village and the property I have is all electric. From October 2009 the village has been plagued by a considerable number of power cuts, lasting between 12 & 24hrs in duration, last one was this weekiend in which the power was on an off all day on Sat and then on the Sun, completely off for 12hrs. We have suffered 10 power cuts since last Oct.

On telephoning the EDF help line, the explanation given was that there was a fault on the overhead cable supplying mine and 10 other properties. As this has been the explanation throughout these power cuts, I can only summise that the engineers have not repaired correctly and mearly patched the cable and hoped for the best.

Calls by the partish council to EDF have resulted in nothing, EDF's stance is basically "tough".

We have put in various ESG2a claims to EDF and surprise surprise, despite all being sent recorded delivery, one employee quite rudely told us that "you have already been given £50 for the power cut in Dec, what more do you want? Let me tell you, you wont get anything more from us".

These power cuts have let me and my neighbours excessively out of pocket from ruined food, supplies of calor gas, having to order hot food as due to no gas supply we cant have gas cookers, my own calculation as to what I personally am out of pocket amounts to £200, for food etc, the actual EGS2a claims total is £450.

I have contacted the energy ombudsman who has given me the name of a woman to write to at EDF and to give her 10 working days to respond. Given that I have written 10 letters to EDF about these power cuts and not received even a "thank you for your letter, we will be in touch shortly" apart from the once when they sent a £50 payment (which btw took 3 months to arrive), but no letter, I'm not holding out much hope.

Can anyone tell me what to do next. I was considering not paying the next bill until I get some action. Or can I go to the Small Claims Court. I find it unbelieveable that 9 recorded delivery letters have gone astray. I have checked with Royal Mail and they have been delivered correctly and signed for, but this one woman, who was extremely rude and patronising insisted that they had received no letters and basically tried to make out I was a liar.

Any help gratefull accepted.

spiro

The Distributor (wires) and Supplier (elec) are two seperate companies. Not paying your bill will only get you in trouble with your supplier while not doing anything to the distributor.

Jerri_64

confusing, both are EDF and one would have thought that same name same company. I was actually told that they are the same company but different department.

I am not actually refusing to pay, just wondered if a threat of not paying might generate some action. Bit pointless saying I'm going to change supplier because of the continued power custs if EDF are the distributor, but if I and others in the village said, "hang on, you are responsible for maintenance & repair of these power lines, you are not maintaining them to the required standards, then why should we pay a company that is less than efficient?"

Would appreciate some help on whether it is worth starting legal action if this so called customer services manager decides that she cant be bothered in dealing with the villages complaint?

Bark01

EDF Networks and EDF Energy are in effect two different companies, its part of one of the licenece conditions impossed on energy companies. Networks have access to information on alll customers on the grid whilst EDF Energy only has access to information on its own customers. Having access to information of all customers would give an unfair competitve advantage to those suppliers that also have a networks division.

You pay your bill to EDF Energy then EDF Energy then pay EDF Networks for the use of the network. If you wapped to british gas you would pay British Gas Home Energy and then they wold pay EDF Networks.

Your problem lies with EDF networks and not EDF Energy so not paying your bill won't have any positive effect on your situation. All you can do is follow the ombudsman advice and keep them informed of any progress. Record all your contacts with EDF networks, you may need to refuse contact by phone.

Jerri_64

Ah ok thank you.

Update on this, the woman I was advised to write to (I also sent her a copy by email) is not available - surprise surprise, got told that this other person is dealing with it, I wait with anticipation as to what this person says.