MSE News: 1.2 million EDF Energy customers face price hikes

Former_MSE_Guy

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The power giant is hiking electricity costs by 2.6% in most of the UK, at a time when household consumption will rise ..."

Read the full story:
1.2 million EDF Energy customers face price hikes

bondy01

Yes , they sent both me and my parents a letter on wednesday about it. Didn't mention that nectar points are being withdrawn at the end of the year. Time for a switch......

hybernia

Is it because EDF is a French company that the English it speaks may not be English as we understand it to be??????

We were with EDF on an online V3 dual fuel saver tariff and then in January this year received a patronising letter from them which said "all good things have to come to an end", as if EDF had been doing us an enormous favour and we should be undyingly grateful.

The ending of the "good thing" pushed our kWh electricity cost up from 13.77p including VAT, first 225 kWh each quarter, to 17.30p including VAT, first 225 kWh. The kWh charge for all other kWhs used stayed at 10.49 including VAT. We thought about changing from EDF then but the letter went on to say:

"We're committed to giving our customers value for money and would like to reassure you that your new prices remain extremely competitive."

I think it was the "extremely competitive" bit that worked. No point in changing suppliers if EDF was at or near the absolute top of the class when it came to value for money.

We have now received this latest letter from EDF which again seeks to stress how good a deal EDF customers get. The letter actually begins with the phrase "At EDF Energy we're committed to providing all of our customers with competitive prices and great service". It then goes on to say it has had to face rising electricity costs for the past 18 months and has "been able to absorb these additional costs for as long as possible".

(Well it didn't seem to be absorbing them particularly well in January this year. Or are we all supposed to forget that?)

Anyway. The EDF letter says (here we go again) "you'll be pleased to know that your new prices continue to be very competitive".
EDF now wishes to charge us 17.76p including VAT per kWh for the first 225 used each quarter and 10.76p per kWh including VAT for the remainder.

It's academic as we shouldn't have received this letter anyway: we quit EDF two months ago for Scottish Power. But because we are concerned about the use of language in EDF communications, we wonder if the time hasn't now arrived for the regulator to rule that
when any energy supplier writes to a customer promising "extremely competitive" or "very competitive" pricing, that supplier must include within that letter a comparison table to show the truth, or otherwise, of that claim?

KimYeovil

hybernia wrote: »

Is it because EDF is a French company that the English it speaks may not be English as we understand it to be??????
[...]
because we are concerned about the use of language in EDF communications, we wonder if the time hasn't now arrived for the regulator to rule that when any energy supplier writes to a customer promising "extremely competitive" or "very competitive" pricing, that supplier must include within that letter a comparison table to show the truth, or otherwise, of that claim?

So what evidence do you have that their new tariff prices are not competitive? Any? Didn't think so.

bondy01

KimYeovil wrote: »

So what evidence do you have that their new tariff prices are not competitive? Any? Didn't think so.

I'm also on that same tariff. Npower is over £200 cheaper , e-on not far behind and EDF Online saver 7 is £130 less. I'm probably going to scottish power also as uswitch do a nice cashback amount. It's a shame that we now seem to have to swap utilities every year.

hybernia

KimYeovil wrote: »

So what evidence do you have that their new tariff prices are not competitive? Any? Didn't think so.

I hadn't realised KimYeovil was the resident moneysavingexpert with whom all posts must be cleared otherwise Kim will publish her conclusive insights into the poster's credibility.

Do you get out much, Kim?

patman99

Atlanic's online tariff is 11.65p p/Kwh (day rate). Only thing is, you have to submit your own meter readings every month. Still, if it means only paying for what you use, then it has to be worth the hassle.

Don't forget, the French Govt owns EDF, so uses its non-French customers to subsidise it's French ones.

hybernia

Thanks, patman99 -- I wasn't aware of EDF's ownership. Clearly, if a State-owned energy company can play into that particular State's political agenda, then those interests will be served first. (And adieu to anyone who isn't a national of that country.) Apparently, EDF is to drop its Nectar points "bonus". Perhaps it could now start offering gite holidays instead.

Jayceee

hybernia wrote: »

I hadn't realised KimYeovil was the resident moneysavingexpert with whom all posts must be cleared otherwise Kim will publish her conclusive insights into the poster's credibility.

Indeed Kim, your post was a little bit 'stroppy' I think.

frisket

I too received the letter from Saint EDF, I'm so glad they've been watching my back all this time. Nice of them to also send the letter to be received today, after the price hike.

God bless utility companies, god bless EDF!

Mr_K

I too received this EDF letter, which was interesting as I completed a switch to EON a couple of months ago ! Glad I did now. I suspected EDF would start to increase charges now they've introduced a cancellation charge to their latest online tariff.

(Don't let Kim upset you, seems to be very partisan towards EDF for some reason )