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

snowcat53

victor2 wrote: »

I posted (snail mail rather than email) a letter of complaint to them on December 5, regarding my own experiences with them. No response as yet.
They will only owe me a small amount by the end of my current tariff in September 2012, according to my forecasts, so I'm not sure whether to take it any further or just complete my contract and leave.

I also copied my letter to Consumer Focus and Ofgem with covering letter to try to get some action at more than an individual level.

EDF will probably give you a small credit (last time i got £20).
I confess I decided to stay with them and signed up to Fix for 2012.

jalexa

snowcat53 wrote: »

I also copied my letter to Consumer Focus and Ofgem with covering letter to try to get some action at more than an individual level.

Have you had any more courtesy (i.e an acknowledgement) from Consumer Focus and/or Ofgem than you have had from Edf?

I was less than impressed with the comment "...the evidence Consumer Focus has been able to obtain to date is largely anecdotal..." the Consumer Focus rep posted recently.

Given two things, (1) that in their pre-regulation comments to Ofgem, Consumer Focus anticipated that the proposed relevent regulation was inadequately framed and (2) that the Eon (and Edf and others) billing system behaviour is a deterministic function of the billing system (i.e a matter of "specification" and therefore "fact") and something that must have been specified (and tested) months ago, IMO the Consumer Focus energy team have been asleep on the case to be so ill-informed.

bearcub

I've read the first two pages of this thread and, arguments apart, it all sounds very familiar - sorry, I really don't want to read all the rest. I've never used EDF myself, but my daughter and her partner do. They've only rented their flat for a year, but have twice received notice that their DD has been put up well beyond what they're ever likely to use, and at the same time, they've built up credit of £140. The first time, my daughter called them, told them the problem, and the DD was put back to what it was. She asked for payment for the credit they'd built up, but was told that EDF would not re-pay until they moved out of the property. She wasn't overly bothered, as she and bf see it as a 'sofa' fund for when they move house. Since then, they've used no more electricity than they'd been using before, but have just received yet another bill, when their DD has been put up AGAIN!

My husband and I built up a lot of credit with BG when we moved here, and they paid out with no problem. What I'd like to know is, can EDF legally hold onto customers' credit, AND increase their DD?

jalexa

bearcub wrote: »

What I'd like to know is, can EDF legally hold onto customers' credit, AND increase their DD?

In answer to your direct question here is my earlier response to a similar question...

The relevant regulation says this...

27.16 Where any Credit has accumulated under a Domestic Supply Contract and the relevant Domestic Customer requests that the licensee do so, the licensee must, save where it is fair and reasonable in all the circumstances for the licensee not to do so, refund, in a timely manner, any Credit which has accumulated under that Domestic Supply Contract to the relevant Domestic Customer. Where the licensee considers that it is fair and reasonable in all the circumstances for it not to refund any Credit which has accumulated under a Domestic Supply Contract in accordance with this provision, it must inform the relevant Domestic Customer of its view and of the reasons for holding that view.

So go ask and hold Edf to their answer against the Regulation, if necessary using their complaints procedure (in writing or by email). Given the "refusal" to refund that you report, you would need to take that action.

To summarise, they are IMO in breach of regulations if they provide no answer. However without an answer it is impossible to comment on the "legality" of the calculation.

If you phone up and protest nicely it is not difficult to get Edf to be "flexible" on monthly payments (unlike forum reports of Eon intransigence). This is because Edf recognise their billing system is currently "dysfunctional" on the Direct Debit recalculation issue.

bearcub

Thank you very much, jalexa. I'll pass on the info to my daughter next time I speak to her. In the meantime, I'll make a note, so I know exactly what to tell her!

snowcat53

jalexa wrote: »

Have you had any more courtesy (i.e an acknowledgement) from Consumer Focus and/or Ofgem than you have had from Edf?

Just a quick interim update.
- No response from edf or OFgem .
- Reply from CF ( EDITed not Ofgem ) (Jane Galaud) saying they have forwarded email to Consumer Direct 'which is the government body responsible for providing help and advice to consumers with energy queries', but has also passed to Colin Urqart as i requested.

snowcat53

Further to above had an email from Colin Urquhart (of Consumer Focus)

"Thank you for your email. I have been looking into issues relating to a specific element of E.On's direct debit scheme.

We are not, at this stage, investigating EDF's direct debit scheme. Therefore I am unable to take your issue forward at this time.

If this is something we look at in the near future then I will be back in touch."

Is not the issue the same ?




PS EDF are today processing messages sent to them on 3 December, but still no response to my formal complaint.

jalexa

snowcat53 wrote: »

Is not the issue the same ?

I believe the issue is the same though somewhat cryptically the CF response you quote "...issues relating to a specific element (my emphasis) of E.On's direct debit scheme..." implies there is only a "specific element" of concern. What that is I have no idea.

Given the very adverse forum posts about Eon (and some adverse EDF posts) and my own personal experience of Edf, it seems a common and absolutely a pre-requisite for determining the operation of both (and other) schemes is the alleged failure to comply with SLC27.14.

It disappointing that CF, on the face of it, are being somewhat complacent (or uninformed) on that specific element.

backfoot

Jalexa is of course correct.

There is the issue of non compliance with the SLC's.

I think in order of non compliance we have Eon, EDF, NP.

That failure is imho, one of deliberate policy, total incompetence and quiet manipulation, respectively.

Colin Urquhart is now on the Forum re the Eon policy (practice) but it appears that CF are only just getting up to speed with the issues. The background disappointingly and alarmingly is that until DD's referal they had no idea of the problem.

It is truly disappointing that you have received such a dismissive response which illustrates further how far away from real customer issues they are. Daily we see reference to the diabolical EDF Direct Debit concoctions.

Pont

Okay, got to confess, I haven't read through the whole thread (dinner party, wine, champagne etc), but read the title and the first few posts.

I received my EDF duel fuel bill today, not a happy bunny! Whilst my daughters would argue that I'm 'tightfisted' I argue that I'm 'careful'. I do read my metres, and record the readings, every week (It was once a day but I'm getting over it!).

At present I pay £54 a month online saver 7 (I know it's now been discontinued), EDF state I need to up my DDs by £56 to £110 a month.
EDF state that I will (anticipated!) use 24000kwh (gas & electric) next year - I say why? My records show that I used 21000 kwh last year - why the increase?
Also I've been told that I owe £227 (this is the total owed after 12 full months) - not a problem. However, if you divide £227 by 12 months the result is an increase of £19 per month NOT £56 per month.

I have sent an email in suggesting the above but I don't hold any hope for a sensible reply! I didn't dare (couldn't be bothered!) to mention that in August I replaced my 'G' energy rated boiler for a new 'A' rated one as I would suspect meltdown at EDF HQ. Have now given them 7 days to reply with a sensible resolution or I'll vote with my feet (laptop!).

As an aside, has anyone checked that they have received the £100 discount from going through Quidco (online saver 7)? I've received the £80 cashback from Quidco but as yet can't find the £100 discount from EDF - it doesn't seem to show on any statements. In my case if the £100 hasn't been applied, then I owe a grand sum of £127 which, according to EDF's T&Cs would not warrant any increase in DD payments (under £150).

These companies make me want to %^$£")*&!