EDF mislead with lower gas & elec direct debits??

ANNIEP_2

Are EDF misleading customers and getting them into more debt for gas & electricity? - Please beware!
Just in case you are not aware of what seems to be a new 'trick' by EDF to keep customers!
We are with EDF for both elec and gas.
This week we received notification that our direct debit was to be slashed by just over 50%!! Our annual useage has not changed at all! This may seem like the answer to prayers by some.
BUT - Some customers may not realise that if they just accept this and go along with it, if their useage has not changed, they are only building up more debt which EDF will want paying back eventually. This could cause real hardship to some people. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

Bark01

Have you built up credit with them? what was your DD before and now and what is your annual consumption.

Do you think plunging customers into debt is really an effective strategy for any company? Its not like energy companies charge interest on the debt and it costs them to recover it.

They would much rather have customers in credit.

Have you even spoken to them and asked EDF why they have done this?

another one post troll?

shortchanged_2

ANNIEP wrote: »

Are EDF misleading customers and getting them into more debt for gas & electricity? - Please beware!

Do you work for British Gas?

pstuart

The same has happened to me (retired and Trolless).

At this time of the year we have been some £70 to £90 in gas credit (no heating during the summer), just got the gas bill today showing £38 credit (hard winter last year - took the summer to pay it off).

Our DD of £31 (jealous ?) has been reduced to £25 ???????????

Which means we will owe a sustantial amount early 2011 - immediately called them and had it increased to £40.

So I presume that a change in company policy has taken place, perhaps making me think twice next year when I think about switching suppliers (would have to pay up the large winter debit before switching).

I think that they are making that much profit that they can take the hit on an 'interest free loan' in order to massively increase market share.

Take advantage, switch over to them but don't be flattered by a b......... low DD quote or you may get locked in!

deondublin

pstuart wrote: »

Which means we will owe a sustantial amount early 2011 - immediately called them and had it increased to £40.
!

so 6 months from now when they 'review' you account again and you owe then £300 it will be april - just when they will need to stick their prices up massively - think SSE have gone up 9% now so will have 4 months of increased rates...EDF will need to recoup somehow and i reckon increase by 20% - 25%...cheeky merds! no doubt you'll get a nice slab of edf branded brie as a make gesture of good will...

go OVO!

pstuart

deondublin wrote: »

so 6 months from now when they 'review' you account again and you owe then £300 it will be april - just when they will need to stick their prices up massively - think SSE have gone up 9% now so will have 4 months of increased rates...EDF will need to recoup somehow and i reckon increase by 20% - 25%...cheeky merds! no doubt you'll get a nice slab of edf branded brie as a make gesture of good will...

go OVO!

I think I get your drift.

Reads like you had a good lunch.

pstuart

Although we are Duel Fuel with EDF we get the gas and electric billed separately - you have read my comments about them re the gas bill.

This morning we received the electric bill, we are in credit to the tune of £3.87, so they are reducing our DD from £50 to £29 per month.
What a cracking surprise for spring 2011.

Game On!

KimYeovil

Crivens. They can't win, can they? You have meters in your home. You know if you are underpaying or overpaying or baby-bear-ing. No-one is being 'locked-in'.

pstuart

You should get out more and talk to the poor masses who don't seem able to look after themselves.

These are the people who are being cynically manipulated by EDF to gain market share by not increasing prices until March 2011 (good) and then keeping people from switching because of large bills built up by artificially low DD payments (bad).

The thread is about b......t low DD's which may get some people into financial difficulty, the person who started this thread needs our many thanks for posting, not derision!