Energy Helpline & EDF

jalexa

youravinalarrrf wrote: »

An individual user's usage will obviously vary over time and if that differs from the usage given/stated by the customer at the switchover then the Direct Debit/s will need to be adjusted to reflect that difference...

Well yes, but the heating fuel use is highly seasonal. It is virtually impossible to predict ahead of an annual review whether the actual consumption is tracking the stated consumption. And doubly impossible to predict the severity of the forthcoming winter.

Personally I would prefer these minor adjustments to be made each time a meter reading is submitted...

Perhaps I agree (in principle) except for 2 things. (1) this is how (pre-contract) Edf said it would work...

http://www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for-your-home/direct-debit/direct-debit-existing-direct-debit-customers.shtml

2 months in I've already had my 2 reviews.:D

Secondly, unless the weighting formula is shared with the customer its impossible to check the accuracy of any review other than an annual review (after 12 months supply). I am not aware that the winter weighting formula has been shared.

There is one other factor which may be present in the currently woeful Edf DD review "sub-system". Any period of custom which commenced in the summer (but with accurate payments) cannot produce a big enough summer surplus to achieve an account balance by the (April) annual review. But I can see little evidence in the pre-contract Edf DD info that gives any expectation of (or entitlement to) a correct payment being increased to achieve an "adequate" summer surplus.

Having said that EDF currently have a computer system in place which has been programmed by a fekkin eejit who has difficulty adding 1 + 1 and the system should be taken offline until a fix is put in place! :mad:

Leave the Egyptians out of this. Much more like to be an "injit":D

I agree with your remarks about the system. Or rather time that the Regulator intervened, with a deadline backed up with an exemplary fine.

youravinalarrrf

As I stated on another thread if the annual kWh usage figures provided by a customer during the switching process are accurate then the monthly direct debit amounts agreed at the start will be adequate to cover one whole year's usage from the contract start/switch date assuming the winter weather is similar to that included in the usage figures given.

One years usage in kWh is one years usage regardless of whether it's summer or winter! The usual summer surplus balance seen on an account can and will occur naturally only if it's given enough time to start building up from the contract start/switch date. EDF's sytem appears to be disregarding this but whether it's by design or just a fault with the sytem we don't know.

Also we don't know what, if any, customer usage data is shared/passed between suppliers when a switch occurs? I doubt that any is as they even seem to have difficulty in some instances passing simple meter readings to one another so accounts can be closed by the losing supplier. There's only 6 main players and they're all on the same team in reality so it could be possible for them to share any detailed usage data in their posession so accurate forecasts can be made?

Shhhh! don't mention the word "Cartel"!

I notice their system's offline today for planned maintenance so we'll see what progress or otherwise has been made on Monday.