Edf Energy Problem

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I receive Income Support & I am on the Energy Assist Tariff with Edf. Until January this year I used to pay with a payment card. Then in January I agreed to set up a Direct Debit and they worked out my usage and said I could pay £32 a month. I was concerned that this would'nt be enough, but they said they would review it in six months.

Well I received a my bill yesterday and they said that they would have to increase the payments to £85 a month. I was so shocked, with it being such a large increase. I rang Edf straight away and said that in view of me being on Income Support and having alot of other bills to pay, that I could'nt possibly pay that amount. The lady I spoke to said that I still owe approx £170 from last winter with having the heating on so much, plus £77 for this last quarter. I told the lady I would be prepared to have a prepayment meter installed as a way of paying off this amount. She asked someone about it and said that as I live in a block of flats it would not be possible to have a prepayment meter as all the meters are in a small room downstairs. In the end she got the amount down to £67 a month for the next year. She even said if I have any spare money available I could top it up every now and again. And if get in any difficulties to contact them again.

I live in a two bed room flat. During the summer I am using a lcd tv, o2 wireless box plugged 24/7, fridge freezer 24/7, laptop charging through the day. Also a humax pvr on a few hours a day. The immersion heater only heats water in the bathroom and I have it on at night on economy 7 approx 30 mins to 1 hour a day.
There is a water heater in the kitchen but the switch is under the sink and as I have osteoarthritis in my back and a slight curvature so am unable to reach the switch. So I take a washing up bowl into the bathroom for the water and take it back to the kitchen for washing up. I don't own a washing machine, I do all my washing in the bathroom sink and leave it on a clothes horse to air. I also use the oven for approx 30 mins a day. I use economy 7 storage heaters in the winter.

I don't think I use a huge amount of electricity, but I have decided I shall just have to manage without heating this coming winter. I really think that Edf should have realised that the amount I have been paying on Direct Debit would'nt be enough. Has anyone else been in this situation with Edf energy.

richy_cool

I had a similar problem with British Gas. They are supposed to review the DD amount regularly. See my thread below