not paid for gas in 26months-never had a bill!

spiro

mattcanary wrote: »

Hmm, I think EDF are trying to wriggle out of their responsibilities under the industry guidelines, by sending out a payment card.

I would say the fact they sent out a prepayment card for the gas is irrelevant, seeing as the meter was changed to a quarterly one. You were in contact with them about setting up DD payments for the gas and electric. Therefore you have contacted them about the gas. Therefore, under the industry guide3lines they should only bill you for one years usage of gas (as you do not appear to have had a bill showing any gas meter readings for over 2 years).

I think this is only true if the company that exchanged the meter told EDF and their system processed the exchange. 'Found Exchanges' are not uncommon in both gas and elec and in this case could account fro why EDF thought the gas was still prepayment.

AnxiousMum

Ah EDF! They did the same to me a couple of years ago - I would call and ask for the account number, they said a bill would come, I never received a bill for 2 years, and then got a whopping one for about £1800. Wish I had known about the not having to pay more than one year. They too offered to put in a prepayment meter when I called them about the bill and how soon they wanted the money - I wonder if it's a ploy on their part to get people onto the prepayment metres at a higher rate?

amee1987

thanks for all your replys. Anxious Mum, i asked about the higher rates if i switch to the prepayment meter and the customer advisor for EDF assured me that the rates were the same. i don't believe that though!

i have asked for everything in writing and i am going to write back with a letter of complaint.

thanks for your comment also DeeDee71, i still feel as though it is repaying as i thought i had been paying it for two and a bit years, my bad! as i have mentioned previously, i am not disputing the fact that i have to pay for what gas i have used, my dispute is the fact that on maternity leave i will not be able to afford the payments that EDF have offered. that is my concern.

macman

I still don't understand why you thought that a bill marked 'electricity' included your gas as well?
Do you not check your bills against your meter readings?

amee1987

as i have said before,

'i havent ever received any bill for gas, so have never seen any different to what i have received for my electric (which i assumed covered both). this is my first house, my first property i have had to deal with things on my own, but i guess i will have learnt the hard way!'

and no, i dont check my bills against my meter reading. i wouldnt even know where to start! and i dont have any kind of perception as to what a 'right' payment for the meter reading would be anyway!

macman

amee1987 wrote: »

as i have said before,

'i havent ever received any bill for gas, so have never seen any different to what i have received for my electric (which i assumed covered both). this is my first house, my first property i have had to deal with things on my own, but i guess i will have learnt the hard way!'

and no, i dont check my bills against my meter reading. i wouldnt even know where to start! and i dont have any kind of perception as to what a 'right' payment for the meter reading would be anyway!

I was suggesting that you cross check the meter readings on the bills against the actual readings on the meter, not that you necessarily redo your own billing calculatons-though the latter is not too tricky to do.
If you don't even check that the readings correspond, you have no idea if you're even being billed for the correct consumption, never mind the correct price.

deedee71

amee1987 wrote: »

thanks for your comment also DeeDee71, i still feel as though it is repaying as i thought i had been paying it for two and a bit years, my bad! as i have mentioned previously, i am not disputing the fact that i have to pay for what gas i have used, my dispute is the fact that on maternity leave i will not be able to afford the payments that EDF have offered. that is my concern.

Amee, you may then be able to go down the line of fuel poverty ie, your fuel is over a certain percentage of your income.

But also make sure you are receiving all the benefits, grants etc that a new baby brings. Your maternity pay may be £400 a month, but that's not going to be your only income!

amee1987

after looking back through all my documents i found a supply contract issued to me when the pre payment meter was taken out! it states that i requested direct debit payments to be set up over the phone, although i have no idea why EDF have no record of this. luckily i had kept it!

i was reading a suppliment free with the paper by money saving expert that said 'remember, companies are there to make money' just goes to show they definately are!

i wrote a letter and enclosed a copy of the contract, i hope they will consider reducing my payments and with the back billing code of 12months this should be put into effect. if the amount i owe reduces, the payments will reduce too! i think i need to consider changing my energy company as i am really disapointed with the service offered and EDF's lack of record keeping.

thankyou for all your comments, they are greatly appreciated!

macman

What made you think that utility companies are not in it to make money?
You won't be able to switch suppliers until you have cleared the current debt on your account.
EDF have messed this up badly, but if you read your bills in future and check your meter readings then you can avoid getting into this kind of situation.

PNPSUKNET

I would of been calling up more than once if I hadnt had a bill, 2 years come on.