Don't let EDF push you around!

Pinkteddy

This is information for all EDF customers. EDF have recently arbitrarily without asking their customers' permission, put all their gas customers and electricity customers onto one combined 'gas and electric' account.

Each customer has been given one new account number.

This change means that the customer no longer has control of how much they pay off their electric account, or off their gas account. It also means that if the customer wants to change either gas or electric supplier, it is not possible unless the one combined account for both utilities has been totally paid off.

Many customers pay monthly. Some customers can be in arrears, but will now be unable to pay arrears off just one utility account, because it's a combined account.

What EDF are not telling their customers is that if you telephone EDF and tell them that you do not want just one combined account, and that you still want separate gas and electric accounts, then they will pass you straight away to another department, where you will be put back onto two separate accounts, given a new gas account number and a new electricity account number, without any changes to your tariff terms and conditions.

So to retain control of your accounts, I suggest everybody do this. EDF will try to give you the hard sell, telling you that you will get a discount for the one dual account, but when I spoke to EDF, the EDF representative eventually had to admit that customers were losing control of what and when they pay off their gas and electric balances by being changed over to the one account.

Con job or what?????

itzmee

I really don't see the problem with one account. For me it means that just one payment is being taken each month instead of two, and credit that was on my my electricity account has offset the debit on my gas account. Personally I like it but then I'm not in arrears.

snowcat53

If you have seen my posts you will know I am no friend or defender of edf, BUT I think quite a few of us actually prefer the single bill!

While i can see there may be a downside for some there are also clear advantages - it seems simpler and more logical. For example only having to worry about one DD, balancing off a credit on gas with a debit on electricity.

victor2

EDF also drive me crazy, but I too prefer the single bill.
I only have to manage the combined use of my utilities, without worrying about being in debt or credit on one, but not on the other.
You can get your utilities individually from different suppliers should you wish to. Have never tried to get them individually from the same supplier, as dual fuel options tend to have a better overall cost.

soothyerboots

It's not being pushed around to be given a single bill. What utter nonsense.

Pinkteddy

In my opinion, if a customer is asked if they wish to change over to one account, then yes it's not being pushed around, because the customer can say yes or no. If the customer is told that they are being changed over to one account, and not being advised that they have a choice, either to go onto the one account or stay with two separate accounts, then yes, that is being pushed around. Control is being taken away from the customer who goes onto one account. I totally agree that this isn't a problem where the customer has no arrears, but many people do have financial problems at the moment. I can imagine that EDF, in a few months' time, will raise their tariff. Some customers will go further into arrears. And for some of those customers, if they had two separate accounts, it could be possible to pay off their electric (usually the smaller bill?) or let's say, pay off one bill, and go to a different supplier. That control or choice will not be possible with the one account, as whatever amount the customer pays just goes into the one pot, and it won't be possible to say that either the electric balance or the gas balance has been paid off, as it will simply be registered off the one balance.

I agree with previous comments that one account is completely fine for people who are not in arrears. But for those customers who are, one combined balance locks them into and prevents them leaving EDF for another supplier.
Regards
Pinkteddy

jalexa

Pinkteddy wrote: »

That control or choice will not be possible with the one account, as whatever amount the customer pays just goes into the one pot, and it won't be possible to say that either the electric balance or the gas balance has been paid off, as it will simply be registered off the one balance.

In one sense (actually two and I'll come to that) I have some sympathy with you, although there is (now) a single account the two components are known to Edf and appear on the customer payment scheme notifications. However as you hint at, I'm not aware where the individual running balances (or running debits) appear. That would be a good question to ask of Edf (0800 calls and recently little wait on a weekday morning:)). A perfectly reasonable customer objective to have the single payment comprised of accurate components. If Edf customer service can't advise on that, that would be grounds for complaint, indeed if you were misadvised you would have good grounds for generous payment terms if the misadvice caused you problems.

I am reminded of a spell with Scottish Power. Single bill was a tariff requirement and all went well for 2 or 3 years until I switched. Suddenly at the point of switching there were seperate accounts and I had a debit on one fuel and a surplus on another.

ex SP people will know that at this stage online access is blocked:rotfl:

This was necessary (they argued unconvincingly) because the fuels switch seperately (though actually only a few days apart).

I have little confidence that the new Edf billing system will be any different and since I will not be switching until 2014, not bothered.