EDF MAJOR problem - can anyone please advise?

electric_comperella

Ok well to start with it's late/early depending on your point of view - so I'll apologise in advance if this isn't terribly coherent.

I will also say for the record - I am a complete numpty and believe me am kicking myself already - so please be gentle with me....

I'll start at the beginning.

Tonight I decided to have a declutter of my filing cabinet(I suffer with insomnia:o)....getting rid of all old bills and just keeping the most recent ones for reference...that is when the problems started...

I noticed that I hadn't got a recent bill from EDF energy - they supply both my Gas and my Electricity....

Now in the past 6 months I suffered a very close and traumatic bereavement and already have problems with mental ill health - so together I've not been exactly "with it"

However I have been proud of myself that whenever I've received a bill through the post I've dealt with it promptly and everything financial was up to date...or so I thought.

In the mess of everything following the bereavement I hadn't noticed how long it'd been since I got a utility bill as there's been a steady stream of council tax, water, credit card bills etc...

Anyways after an hour or so this evening scouring high and low for EDF bills...I decided to check online to see when I last paid it...after checking online banking it seems my last payments were NOVEMBER 2010 :eek:

Ok so this is where I started bricking it....checked credit card statement and no mention of it there (thought I might have paid it elsewhere)

So after an hour or so trying my damnedest to get into EDF's online account area it's showing an unpaid bill from March this year of nearly £300

It's also saying I chose to be paperlessly billed (not true) and has now set my account to a fixed payment...of £165 regardless of meter readings....

Now I've not received ANY paper bills this year....or any reminders....final demands...summons....

I'm scared to death to know what my credit report looks like (was excellent before)

I've never defaulted on a payment in my life through always living frugally as possible (with this great advice of people on this forum:A) since leaving home a few years ago.

I'm just lost....

• only 1 bill showing on the site (16 Nov 10-27 Feb 11) (where are the rest?)

• no reminders

• setting me to paper-free

• allowing a years worth of arrears to accrue (how long could this have gone on for if I hadn't seen it?)

Can I also add I've been in touch with EDF over this time....1 time to change tariffs when I had a bit of a financial review last month...
and prior to that as I couldn't log into their online system...but they said they'd sort it and never did...I didn't think it'd be a problem - as I just expected bills to arrive as they always have done.

• It was never mentioned to me at any point that I had a years worth of arrears on the account!!:eek:

Anyways...I've submitted readings online tonight and have paid via my online banking the March bill, changed to paper billing etc - not sure what else to do??:(

I tried to pay on the EDF site via CC for quickness but it was having none of it.

Anyways I'd appreciate advice if anyone has any...I'm way out of my depth on this one - no experience of it and tbh my head is still a shed after the sudden loss of my mother

Thanks in advance xx

spiro

I thought most paperless billing tariffs normally required payment by DD but in your case this does not appear to be true. If you are on a paperless account then normally all communication will be via the online account or email. If they are saying you will pay £165 (per month/quarter?) this implies they may be collecting payment via DD or it could mean they will colllect £165 in addition to your billed amount.

Suggest you phone them up.

electric_comperella

I will do first thing on Monday when they open rest assured

There's no mention of payments collection, indeed the part where you put your bank account details is empty.

Just that they will bill me £165 every quarter but seemingly not collect the cash in any way shape or form *Sigh*

edf are now joining santander, hmrc and ebay in my bad books...

samsmam

Goodmorning, I just wanted to say your not the only one. I checked my bank statement for last month as we had gone overdrawn and found EDF had taken £336 out.
On further checking it would appear that this is for last quarter based on the meter readings. However we are (or thought we were on a fixed monthly direct debit) We were also told we were getting a discount for paying monthly DD.

t0rt0ise

If EDF take money from your account without informing you then you can tell your bank this is an unauthorised payment and get it back. Of course then you will still owe the money but any going overdrawn and paying charges will be sorted.

electric_comperella

Hi Samsman/Tortoise....

I sorta wish I had been on DD...at least I'd be facing a refund....and not arrears ...roll on 8am - gonna have some serious words!