EDF - 'My Account' Billing

Troff

Having had a number of issues with my EDF 'My Account' over the past few months, I had hoped that my woes were over! Sadly, this is not the case. This morning, I rang Customer Services and asked when my next dual fuel bill was due as I hadn't been asked for any meter readings since June. A very polite lady responded with ' October 2012' when we will re-assess your monthly DD payment. I pointed out that 16 months between bills could not be correct and I asked to speak to a manager. He confirmed what I had been told was correct as far as my account details were concerned but couldn't explain why the billing period was wrong. He is now looking into the matter. With the papers full of comments like 'EDF - the UK's worst energy supplier', is it not time that the EDF Energy's Board did the sensible thing and admit that they got it wrong by reverting back to a billing software package that actually works.

backfoot

What do your terms and conditions say about billing frequency?

It seems a totally incredible response that you have received.Which tariff are you on?

Perhaps the EDF Rep could advise on the Forum.

What happens if customer meter readings are input to the system. So far, I haven't input any readings nor have any been requested. Most people have reported random DD's being generated.

We are four months into our contract.

victor2

It does sound like there's an error in their system, several million errors actually, but you've highlighted one.
If you're happy with the DD amount you're on, then only give readings when asked or a meter reader turns up, but track your usage and costs yourself. If you can create a simple spreadsheet, you can do it that way. If you want your DD increased by an unfathomable amount, just enter readings into My Account. Be prepared for a lengthy phone call to the always polite CS staff afterwards though.
"My Account" is totally unfit for purpose IMO. I don't use it at all now I have my DD amounts at a level which will cover my usage as I predict based on previous history.

backfoot

victor2 wrote: »

It does sound like there's an error in their system, several million errors actually, but you've highlighted one.
If you're happy with the DD amount you're on, then only give readings when asked or a meter reader turns up, but track your usage and costs yourself. If you can create a simple spreadsheet, you can do it that way. If you want your DD increased by an unfathomable amount, just enter readings into My Account. Be prepared for a lengthy phone call to the always polite CS staff afterwards though.
"My Account" is totally unfit for purpose IMO. I don't use it at all now I have my DD amounts at a level which will cover my usage as I predict based on previous history.

I agree with your advice and it is exactly what I am doing.

What do EDF advise? It really is a shameful situation that ordinary customers are having to give such advice?

Time for some specific advice and solutions from the EDF Rep.

Troff

I am on Fixed@Saver2 until 30 September 2012 - this probably accounts for the October date given to me by customer services. I was on 3-monthly billing prior to the introduction of 'My Account' and there is no reference to the billing period in the relevant Ts and Cs. I have had to 'search' for these as the e-mails relating to the 2 products do not have Ts and Cs attached! having looked through the Ts an Cs, I am thinking about paying the £50 exit fee just to get out of the clutches of EDF. As an aside, their Green Energy Team is in a similar state of dis-array: a senior manager described their procedures to me as 'clunking'!!

backfoot

Troff wrote: »

! having looked through the Ts an Cs, I am thinking about paying the £50 exit fee just to get out of the clutches of EDF.

I would be arguing in cases of very poor service that a customer should have the right to switch supplier without penalty.

Basically, they may have broken the Terms and Conditions of the Contract depending on what has occurred.

Action by a customer to avoid ongoing problems,should not result in the failing party levying penalty charges. It should actually be the other way round.

zax47

I thought most, if not all, EDF accounts had gone to a single annual bill since the recent changes to EDFs computer system and the re-allocation of account numbers on the new, revised version, of the "My Account" system.

E.g. I used to have separate EDF account numbers for Gas & Electricity on OnlineSaver8, dual fuel. Since the changes back in November I now have 1, 12-digit, dual fuel account number and have had to re-register on My Account with this. The old login details don't work anymore, and My Account only shows the new dual account number, not the old separate ones. My old bills and usage data don't seem accessible anymore.

Have you not had an email or letter about the changes? I did, but only after the changes had already happened!

SimbaSimon

EDF's billing has been very poor recently, I haven't had a bill since March. I asked for a manual bill as I hadn't received one and that was over a month ago.

I'm currently in the process of switching to British Gas who bill monthly so I can monitor and hopefully reduce my usage.

Troff

zax47 wrote: »

I thought most, if not all, EDF accounts had gone to a single annual bill since the recent changes to EDFs computer system and the re-allocation of account numbers on the new, revised version, of the "My Account" system.

E.g. I used to have separate EDF account numbers for Gas & Electricity on OnlineSaver8, dual fuel. Since the changes back in November I now have 1, 12-digit, dual fuel account number and have had to re-register on My Account with this. The old login details don't work anymore, and My Account only shows the new dual account number, not the old separate ones. My old bills and usage data don't seem accessible anymore.

Have you not had an email or letter about the changes? I did, but only after the changes had already happened!

Having now spoken to EDF again, they have confirmed that my account has been moved to annual billing but there is nothing to this effect in the ts and cs (which I never received). Also, I haven't received any letters detailing the change as it took EDF over 4 months to update my 'My Account'. The only letter that I have received from them in the past 3 months is one stating that I am on standard tariffs for both gas and electricity and that my prices were going up in November. EDF has admitted that this was sent out in error. They are at least trying to sort out the problem - my only worry is that I have been here many times before!! What is sad is that up until the introduction of its new software system, EDF was 'primes inter pares' in my view.