Direct Debit guarantee, EDF Energy

jack216

I recently moved home and sent EDF my final metre readings. Approximately a month later I receive a final statement from EDF energy for £452. EDF went on to debit my account £452 pounds on the 18th of the month, when I intitially set up my direct debit the balance was to be taken out on the 1st of the month (PAY DAY). Do EDF have the right to take debit money out of my account on any other date bar the agreed one? I am now going to be charged fees for exceeding my agreed overdraft from my bank aswell as being over fifty pounds overdrawn. Does anyone know what steps I can take bearing in mind my partner has been on hold to the complaints department for over 20-30 minutes per phone call last week????? Any help would be much appreciated!

jalexa

jack216 wrote: »

EDF went on to debit my account £452 pounds on the 18th of the month,

Do EDF have the right to take debit money out of my account on any other date bar the agreed one?

Well the answer to that question is easy, it is "yes possibly". Whenever the amount (or the date) changes the notice period specified in the original direct debit mandate must be given.

So the issue is whether the (£452) bill mentioned that £452 would be collected on such and such a date (and that the notice period was long enough).

If sufficient notice was given, the "normal" or "agreed" day of the month is irrelevant.

If the bill didn't give notice then your bank *must* make an "immediate" refund if you cite "no or inadequate notice".

jack216

OK thanks for the reply!

As you can imagine its very annoying when you check your account to see that your 52 pounds overdrawn! It seems they did give the notice however I wasnt around to receive the letter in time. The amount is irrelevant because I only have myself to blame. Do u think I have a case for retrieving my overdraft charges back from EDF?

thanks.

jalexa

jack216 wrote: »

OK thanks for the reply!

Do u think I have a case for retrieving my overdraft charges back from EDF?

No, unfortunately.

This is possibly an expensive lesson, but £452 is quite a debit balance. *If* you paid monthly, how did that manage to build up?

(your responsibility would have been to replace estimated readings with customer readings, Edf's to review the account balance. Looks like a "joint failure" to me.)

jack216

Yes we paid monthly, clearly we wernt paying enough. We used to live in a 2 bedroom flat and paid roughly £50 monthly for both gas and electricity. Unfortunately we didnt change the payments when we moved into a 4 bedroom, 3 storey townhouse. I totally agree that I only have myself to blame for the amount, just a shame that they took it half way through the month when im not expecting any bills to be taken, it took me by suprise thats for sure. I think ill try my luck with EDF anyway to see where I get.

Thanks for the help, ill keep u posted if I make any progress with them or if it just ends up being a very expensive lesson!!!

mandi

Hi Jack , you may find this interesting

macman

As ever, the moral is to read your meters at least every 3 months, and submit the readings in order to get accurate billing.
Your usage will have been at least 50% higher in the larger property.

davidgmmafan

I would try tackling this thus. Contact the bank and complete an indemnity claim. Then once the funds have been replaced ask them how, given that the transaction which gave rise to the charges has been reversed, the charges can still stand.

It may take sometime but there's a good chance they will conclude that there is more to the direct debit guarantee than the couple of lines you normally see online. This may involve telling a little white lie if you did receive the notification but hey banks lied about the nature and justification of their charges so we'll call that a draw.

EDF won't cover the charges as they haven't done anything wrong.

macman

If proper notice was given of them taking the DD, then there are no grounds for any claim under the DD guarantee scheme.

davidgmmafan

How will the bank check this?

People like to think that the DD guarantee involves some sort of thorough investigation but it usually goes something like this.

Customer: I'd like to file an indemnity claim as I was not notified of this amount/I have no dealings with this company and they have just pillaged my account.

Bank staff:- Some waffle denying all knowledge of this process, saying you have to take it up with the company. Then check on the internet or with a super visor, realize the direct debit guarantee does exist.

Mess on for a few minutes filling on a (hopefully electronic form).

A day or two later the money gets put back in your account, the company amends their records and you thrash it out with them.

I can see what you are saying their WAS notification, but generally I'm of the view that bank charges are so over the top that anything goes when challenging them.

I wonder if the OP feels like they have gotten any benefit from this 'service' they have been charged for by the bank... That's a whole other forum though...