EDF Energy: upping direct debits by random, huge & unnecessary amounts

BobQ

Standard clauses are irrelevant if they are charging you more than they are likely to supply. They all do this in my experience. Its like an interest free loan to them.

I recently had BG increase my DD by £30. I wrote to them and asked them why they had done this when I had reduced my consumption in the past year and the increase was either anticipating an unannounced 33% increase in gas charges or was assuming my consuumption would increase by 18%. They promptly apologised and reduced my DD by £15 which is equally wrong since I am now underpaying. They really are incompetent.

I'm all for increases that aim to prevent you underpaying and getting into debt but increases that are obviously aimed at building up a surplus are cynical or incompetent. Provided you are not in debt they all need to realise its a bill they are entitled to be paid in full not a debt they can manage against your will.

DirectDebacle

BenNevis wrote: »

Direct Debacle. I guess that you’d expected I’d reply to your posts #25 & #29 and I’ve done so only in the hope that’ll help in what you’re trying to do.

You have posted in the folorn hope that you might be able to salvage something from the wreckage of your shattered credibility.

I don't need any help from you. You have managed to make yourself look very foolish, all by yourself.

Maybe in this matter the difference between “require” and “prohibit” isn’t important but you never know.

To behave in the way you have over something you regard as unimportant, beggars belief.

It was important enough for you to justify stalking backfoot and I across three separate threads, in order to try to make a silly semantic point.

Important enough to post in a most confrontational, distasteful and hostile way.

Important enough to, I believe, create the alter ego dude89 to continue your vendetta. All symptomatic of this.

Outrageous behaviour.

peterx

snowcat53 wrote: »

Am curious- why if you're in credit are you asking them to put your DDs up?

Sorry so long to reply. I know energy as increased over the last year as i was on their fantastically low tariff.I am now on their fixed price 2012.
So i was £237 in credit and decided to ask for £200 back which as now been paid into my bank account.Anyway the advisor said that usually you built up credit to see the winter through and she would check over the last year as to what my usage should be.So after checking we agreed to increase my direct debit in january by £15.

Boxman

Quick outline of my experience - my meters were both read on 23rd November, just had a statement where the gas reading only has been applied, therefore substantial credit balance therefore they decide to halve my direct debit. Have contacted them on line (can't be arsed to wait 45 mins plus in a phone queue) telling them to leave dd as it is as otherwise I will be in debt at the end of my contract at January 1st and they will no doubt try to prevent me switching.

I have already set in motion change to Sc Power, it will be interesting and no doubt very frustrating when the time comes to resolve final readings and under/over payments some time in the New Year.

snowcat53

At the risk of becoming embroiled in a private feud, (and I havent time to start reading old threads to see who started it and who said what) it looks to me that all of you should be focusing on fghting the enemy (ie taking on these companies who are screwing the public) not each other.

(Now please dont attack me!)

DirectDebacle

Appropriate measures taken.

jalexa

snowcat53 wrote: »

A it looks to me that all of you should be focusing on fghting the enemy

There are two issues that I find particularly inexplicable, firstly with regard to Edf how (why) have they been unable to implement what must be a simple systems adjustment to stop generating a full bill (and recalculation) outside the annual billing window (a date which is already present in their system).

The other issue is, given the very plausible closely argued arguments (from more than one viewpoint) presented here, how (why) can both Ofgem and Consumer Focus be so "deafeningly silent" on the issue?

What is the point we are missing?

backfoot

jalexa wrote: »

There are two issues that I find particularly inexpilcable, firstly with regard to Edf how (why) have they been unable to implement what must be a simple systems adjustment to stop generating a full bill (and recalculation) outside the annual billing window (a date which is already present in their system).

The other issue is, given the very plausible closely argued arguments (from more than one viewpoint) presented here, how (why) can both Ofgem and Consumer Focus be so "deafeningly silent" on the issue?

What is the point we are missing?

I'll try and answer.

The platform EDF are using is a well known suite where change requests go notoriously slowly and are incredibly expensive. The involvement of outside Consultants who won't understand the Business issue to the extent of someone like yourself,only adds to the pain of change. They are probably trying to bluff it out as being an original requirement.

I understand CF have asked Eon for various details of the operation of their DD scheme. Upon receipt of that response they will be deciding the next step.

I have personally chased Ofgem for a response to my own representation earlier this week. It is hoped that CF and Ofgem would come together at some stage to determine any appropriate action,if any.

As you know,I have also encouraged any interested or affected parties to submit their own views or cases to either party to give further examples of the customer impact.

Neither of my answers excuse the horrendously long process.:(

DirectDebacle

jalexa wrote: »

The other issue is, given the very plausible closely argued arguments (from more than one viewpoint) presented here, how (why) can both Ofgem and Consumer Focus be so "deafeningly silent" on the issue?

What is the point we are missing?

I can tell you that as far as C.F. goes they have now received a response from Eon and are considering it in terms of where to go next. That was only this week so not very likely a decision will be reached before the new year.

I have been posting on this issue since Feb 2010 and on the occasions it came up since then. This autumn there has been a glut of posts on the matter which promprted me to contact C.F. This was in mid October and as previously mentioned was apparently the first time it had been brought to their attention. In the scheme of things IMO progress by C.F. is going ok.

Unlike Ofgem they have no powers to demand information. Eon could have just ignored their request had they so wished. However they did have to wait for Eon to respond in their own sweet time.

Hopefully, as backfoot suggests, sometime soon C.F. will submit a complaint to Ofgem who will then open an investigation. We could be looking at months before any decision is made.

I think one of the reasons this has not come to their attention sooner is that there is no obvious case of overcharging involved. I suspect Eon have kept it largely under wraps by either adjusting a DD more in line with the customers expectations or the customer has just upped sticks and switched. Many customers will have believed Eons line that it is part of their agreement (conning them into believing it is a T&C) or it had to go up because "winter is coming" and "their isn't enough credit to cover the winter bill."

Unfortunately the regulatory system is not geared for speed but from the C.F. end it is probably going as quickly as it can.

In the meantime suppliers will continue to get away with it for as long as they can.

jalexa

DirectDebacle wrote: »

This was in mid October and as previously mentioned was apparently the first time it had been brought to their attention.

Why am I so completetly underwhelmed with that as an explanation why the principal consumer organisation didn't know.

I think one of the reasons this has not come to their attention sooner is that there is no obvious case of overcharging involved.

Did you see "That's Britain" this week?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b018md9g/Thats_Britain!_Episode_4/

Heating bills (and fuel-poverty featured). An appearance from Chris Huhne who appeared completely non-plussed at the fuel poverty featured. Switch (and direct debit) was his solution. Julia Bradbury should stick to walking methinks.

Yes, your argument about "overcharging" may be right, fuel poverty needs to be aggregated over a period (say a year), but the "sudden excessive hikes" resulting from "interim reviews" ahead of a 12 month "annual review" have an even more serious "immediate effect" on household budgets than an overcharge.

One of the sub-questions to my "what are we missing" might be whose (professional) advice are, for example, Eon and Edf relying on in implementing a "sudden excessive hike" policy and why (post reset) does Eon seem so unconcerned?