EDF Fail Ofgem Direct Debit Rules

jalexa

littlemoney wrote: »

electricity readings to EDF when requested and have received final bills from my old suppliers.
My Direct Debit was set up based on the previous 12 months consumption specified in the switching quote

Stand your payment ground for at least 6months, possibly 12 months. Find out the date of your "annual review". You may be surprised at the short-year answer.

Toxteth_OGrady

littlemoney wrote: »

Is anyone else having problems with using EDF Myaccount and can anyone advise who I should contact at EDF about access. I am using firefox and my computer seems to work OK on other web sites.

It doesn't like Opera and is one of the very few websites where I have to revert to Internet Explorer.

:cool:

TOG

jalexa

An annual statement and/or certain elements of midata are IMO no more than the regulations require and are essential for the accurate calculation of the monthly Direct Debit.

I cannot say whether first year customers are still experiencing problems (some recent posts suggest so) but my second year experience is broadly compliant with regulations.

Something "interesting" I noticed is that midata annual usage figures appeared (good ball-park) exactly at the 12 month point without a reading being entered. Then on a daily or weekly basis (without readings) the annual projected usage has changed very slightly (down:)). Not sure what the algorithm is for that, but I'm watching for any slip-ups, as I am watchful for the 6% discount not being applied in any DD calculation.

beefturnmail

Just wanted to add my experience as a 'new' customer (from June 2012). I supplied initial meter reads and direct debit was set at the correct amount based on actual usage from last supplier.

Just received my first bill which has a new set of actual reads (I didn't supply these, so I assume EDF sent someone to my property). Since this covers 6 weeks in June and July these obviously show my usage as being much lower than my direct debit (despite the poor weather!), but the bill has no fun and games with dd amounts being recalcuated or anything like that

snowcat53

My complaint re EDF failure to explain DD recalculation is with the Ombudsman. Meanwhile I submitted new meter reading last week and they again have put up my DD. This despite it being only 2 months ago that we went through all this and they agreed to back down . They have given an estimate of july 2012 -july 2013 usage but this is 11% higher on gas than the actual july2011 -12 figures, Electricity is accurate

Any ideas? Are they predicting a worse winter than last?

I will add this to the EO's package

jalexa

snowcat53 wrote: »

Any ideas?

Well that is disappointing. My experience is that the problems were being resolved.

No matter, you should now have access to sufficient data i.e. the projected consumption and the account balance after meter reading to determine whether the calculation is "correct". There is no hiding place now. I'm assuming you are on a fixed rate tariff?

Whether the projected consumption is right or not is a different matter. I cannot see any excuse why it should be much different from the 12 months prior to your annual review reading. In my case the projected figure was manually set prior to review as part of a complaint settlement. Maybe the automated process remains "dysfunctional". Getting the projected consumption "right" is I believe key to sorting the DD nonsense. It's possible if you push.

Note that in my case the projected consumption is accurate for both electricity and gas but the projected costs are both +6%, I assume neglecting the deduction of the DD discount.

Two "30 day" meter reading submissions since annual review have generated bills but not generated DD recalculations.

backfoot

snowcat53 wrote: »

My complaint re EDF failure to explain DD recalculation is with the Ombudsman. Meanwhile I submitted new meter reading last week and they again have put up my DD. This despite it being only 2 months ago that we went through all this and they agreed to back down . They have given an estimate of july 2012 -july 2013 usage but this is 11% higher on gas than the actual july2011 -12 figures, Electricity is accurate

Any ideas? Are they predicting a worse winter than last?

I will add this to the EO's package

Hi snowcat,

At least you have the basis of the calculation. First base :T

The idea of the data and the regulations is to allow you to understand the derivation of your DD. They must be doing something different on gas which has inflated the consumption estimate going forward. You are entitled to seek a further explanation and they are obliged to provide it.

I would make a request in writing to EDF.

I don't think that forms part of the original complaint to the EO. It may in due course, develop into a valid complaint if they don't provide a coherent answer.

Did they factor in any brought forward balances?

In doing so, we may well discover the mysteries of the EDF system, not only for your benefit but to give advice to others....including EDF :rotfl:

Keep up the good work.

jalexa

I thought it was worth posting the OVO explanation which relatively speaking must be a gold standard. Remember exactly the same regulatory regime applies.

http://www.ovoenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Understanding_the_link_between_your_Direct_Debit_and_energy_consumption.pdf

The same 'short-year" spring-alignment as our French friends but at least the process is transparent on that point. Another point of interest I noted is reference to industry provided previous consumption, EAC for electricity and AQ for gas being the previous 2 years consumption.

And while I am "off supplier", anybody recall the E.ON direct debit "reset procedure" being posted?

backfoot

jalexa wrote: »

I thought it was worth posting the OVO explanation which relatively speaking must be a gold standard. Remember exactly the same regulatory regime applies.

http://www.ovoenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Understanding_the_link_between_your_Direct_Debit_and_energy_consumption.pdf

The same 'short-year" spring-alignment as our French friends but at least the process is transparent on that point. Another point of interest I noted is reference to industry provided previous consumption, EAC for electricity and AQ for gas being the previous 2 years consumption.

And while I am "off supplier", anybody recall the E.ON direct debit "reset procedure" being posted?

Gold standard for transparency and in offering interest on debit balances. Not having an anniversary zero balance fails my gold standard test.

Terrylw1

Where does it quote EAC & AQ in the OVO doc?

The chart in that doc won't be theirs, it will be the profile studies performed by Elexon which Ofgem see.

Anyway, if they were OVO's, I wouldn't trust them over the official industry studies which have been going on since the 1950's.