EDF huge bill system error

jalexa

Windy_Dave wrote: »

Goodbye to EDF end of March.:mad: sorry about the rant...

Welcome to the forum BTW, even if it was just to rant:D

You raise a perfectly reasonable point, but how can you be sure you are not just jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Check out the E.ON posts to see how much worse this issue can be handled.

Edf for all their faults generally recognise that commonly the computer DD recalculation is "rubbish" and reinstate the previous payment or refund a balance without protest. As you found out.

nigelb4873

Thanks Windy Dave, its nice to hear from some one kind on this forum, some people aren't very kind at times and as Backfoot says you musn't rise to the bait of these people.
I have some good news that we have fixed a direct debit payment plan to pay off what we owe thanks to the EDF mess up, we have managed to get the 25%discount as they promised due to their mistake by the computer not sending out the bills correctly, for over a year I might STRESS!!!! and surprise surprise the day after we agree to the payment plan, we had a letter from EDF to say that they are going back to a quarterly bill, so we will see whether we get one in May. We are going to be keeping a track of our meters and writing down what the meter says on a monthly basis and phoning this through to them as well.

backfoot

Glad it worked out well for you Nigel.:)

nigelb4873

Thanks Backfoot, I am just wondering now that we have fixed the deal with them, would we be able to change supplier or is it best to stay with them.

backfoot

If you leave them they will want the balance paid off in full.

You said you were on standard tariff, so I would suggest you look into moving to EDF's best online tariff for your consumption.

Check the costs on a comparison website such as Uswitch or one of the other accredited providers.

Then speak to EDF and get them to move you

jalexa

nigelb4873 wrote: »

... surprise surprise the day after we agree to the payment plan, we had a letter from EDF to say that they are going back to a quarterly bill,

That is quite surprising that they should impose? quarterly billing on a monthly direct debit customer. Keep a very close eye on what Edf are up to. Quarterly billing, AFAIUI, means you will need to settle the whole bill each time, either extracted by direct debit, in which case you should retain the direct debit discount, or if not by direct debit you stand to lose the discount. The next two quarters should be below annual average but you need to be prepared and especially make provision for for the winter quarter.

Regarding being able to switch, with the payment plan you are in no worse position than you would be without it, you would have to have settled in full either before or immediately after the switch.

Be very careful asking for Edf's "best online tariff", or rather giving them the opportunity to sell you a (cheaper) tariff but with Early Termination Charges. That said, in general Edf tariffs do not feature "gotchas" such as "deferred discount":eek:. Personally I strongly advocate looking favourably at fixed rate tariffs, particularly over the next winter period.

Elvisia

Can't add anything to help but just wanted to say I went through similar thing, EDF sent me a whopping bill for over a grand, which took a year to sort out. They had mega over-estimated the amount of electricity I was using but they were very clear their estimations were right, even though I asked for the meter to be read 3 times in all. It is stressful and frankly paying hard earned money on electricity you've already used is not fun.

nigelb4873

Thanks Elvisia, Glad it all worked out for you in the end, I have never had this before so it was a shock at first, never had this issue when it was British Gas for Gas and Eastern Electricity for the electric. Hopefully we will get it corrected as soon as possible and be in a better position this time next year.

backfoot

jalexa wrote: »

That is quite surprising that they should impose? quarterly billing on a monthly direct debit customer. Keep a very close eye on what Edf are up to. Quarterly billing, AFAIUI, means you will need to settle the whole bill each time, either extracted by direct debit, in which case you should retain the direct debit discount, or if not by direct debit you stand to lose the discount. The next two quarters should be below annual average but you need to be prepared and especially make provision for for the winter quarter.

Aren't they just increasing the billing frequency?

The poster said that they had set up a DD arrangement and that is something different. Bills and payment method being two separate things.

jalexa

backfoot wrote: »

Aren't they just increasing the billing frequency?

Don't think it is as simple as that. Alternatively, I have a different understanding of the effect of the term "quarterly billing" than both you and the poster. Which is not to say who is right and who is wrong. I meant the advice as a caution.

The point I was trying to make was that with fixed monthly direct debit, OK I know we both know that "fixed" may not be the reality, the "fixed" amount according to the online information is supposed to offer a measure of seasonal balancing, but with quarterly billing the quarterly bill requires to be settled in full (possibly by whole bill direct debit):(.

I fully understand that the poster had a seperate direct debit payment arrangement in respect of the "arrears" resulting from the "system error".