EDF lack of communication re online meter readings and billing

feijoa

I've been with EDF for some years now - and had generally been satisfied with their service. However their new website is worse than useless! In the past, I've submitted meter readings online whenever requested. The request for meter readings used to come by post (sometimes together with an esimated bill) and I would then submit the reading online and get the actual bill through the post.

In the past two days I have received two letters from EDF, telling me my payment is overdue - and that "..we recently asked you to send us your latest electricity meter reading or pay £171.00. We haven't received your meter reading or payment, which means that you need to pay this outstanding balance immediately...."

As I had neither received a request from EDF for this particular meter reading nor any bill, estimated or otherwise, by email, online or through the post, I'm pretty hacked off at being seen as a bill defaulter! Their website now keeps crashing - and on the rare occasions when I have managed to log in - it has proved impossible to submit a meter reading or indeed view my bill! I eventually submitted my meter reading by phone last Thursday - only to receive their second overdue reminder letter today. Still no sign of a bill.

This morning, after hanging on for over 40 minutes to speak to an advisor, I was informed that a bill had been sent to me in June! I pointed out that I had paid that particular bill on 26 June - and that it was presumably this latest undelivered bill about which they were sending me reminder letters. The repeated response was the standard "Well, we must have sent you a bill...."

Oh God! It was like being in a loop - or Groundhog Day! The advisor was quite unwilling to acknowledge that maybe - just maybe - their communications are currently pretty dire! I managed to email them via their website to complain - just after I'd submitted my meter reading by phone - needless to say, I'm still waiting for a response. I asked the advisor to send me a bill based on my meter reading by post - as well as any future communications.

Anyone else experienced similar problems? I'm seriously considering switching supplier - but maybe out of the frying pan into the fire! We're not dual fuel as there is no mains gas available where we live. I am wondering if this might be a strategem on EDF's part to get me sign up to Direct Debit - they keep asking me to do so.

jalexa

feijoa wrote: »

I'm seriously considering switching supplier - but maybe out of the frying pan into the fire!

Indeed!

The first thing to do is to compare tariffs using a Consumer Focus accredited comparison website using your known typical annual consumption from the last bill (you have received).

Most suppliers offer discounts for Direct Debit. Up to you whether the discount is sufficient to change your mind. Be aware that your current supplier can choose to block a transfer if there is a big enough debt on your account.

Tattybogle

What I find unacceptable is the way that EDF now only send a bill ONCE a year and do not prompt meter readings in this time. This means that the customer has to be on the ball with submitting meter readings in order to keep on top of the direct debit payments. I hadn't cottoned on to this and my credit balance had amounted to well over a thousand pounds but what I had not realised was that I hadn't been billed for 7 months. When I submitted my meter readings the credit balance dropped to £150.

I must have overlooked this billing change. It's a strange way to run the account but has given me the impetus to change supplier (again).

I feel quite angry with myself; I'm usually good at keeping on top of these things.