EDF Bill Advice

brittdad

My son and his wife pay a duel fuel bill on a 1 bedroom flat.They have been paying edf for the last year and were £340 approx in credit.The problem is edf have sent them a bill for £1200 approx via their online account.Then procceded to draw the amount from his bank account.Obviosly he did not have enough funds to cover it and the bank refused the transaction (hence no overdraft bank charges to follow)
I have been over there yesterday to look through it all.Much to my dismay I have found edf have taken their DD and just put the money on the electric bill,they have ignored his gas bill.I also noted they have estimated every bill for the last year on the gas and still not taken a penny against it.Until the last reading which was actual.
We questioned them a few months back why does the gas bill never show up on his bill's and was told it is being paid but just the way the system shows it up ?
I also looked at his last paper bill and matched it up to the same bill period on his internet account.Although both set on the same dates showed completey different readings.
I have explained to my son if he owes it fine we can sort out a repayment plan.
What annoys me is:
1.If on Direct Debit to pay bills I always understood they adjusted it for the next year not take all the money in one go.
2.Does this 12 month rule thing apply to this case,I read it here somwhere.
I thank you in any responce and help you may be able to give me.

BullfrogXP

I'm with EDF, but electric only (not dual fuel).
However, I suspect their direct debit policy will be the same.

If, at the end of each "year" you owe them less than £150 (or they owe you less than £150), they will adjust your DD payments to reflect this... so you pay more/less over following 12 months.

If, however, you owe them over £150 they will take it at next opportunity. Similar if they owe you over £150.
I appreciate it can (and in this case is) a huge inconvenience, but it is set out in their Termis & Conditions.

One thing I have kept doing is submitting my own regular meter readings, to ensure i'm getting billed for what i'm actually using and not at the whim of EDFs estimates. I can only assume your Son & his Wife haven't been doing this, else they would have seen this coming on the bills and/or EDF would have adjusted their monthly payments to compensate.

Sorry its not much help.

Matt.

brittdad

I appreciate your feedback on my post.I am fully aware of the repercussions of my son and his wife not giving actual readings.
But the main problem is they have given money to pay both bills and edf have taken nothing from the gas for over a year.

Terrylw1

The back billing code applies where you have been informing them of not getting a bill and you have not hindered this.

Has he been billed for gas? If not, the back billing codes can apply for over 12 months.

jalexa

brittdad wrote: »

What annoys me is:
1.If on Direct Debit to pay bills I always understood they adjusted it for the next year not take all the money in one go.

As Bullfrog points out there are circumstances that any debit balance in excess of £150 can just be collected.

£1200 is a huge balance to be collected. Personally I think it is "ignorant behaviour" on the part of suppliers to think they can just willy nilly attempt to extract such sums.

I am certain that Edf are in breach of their own Direct Debit policy and procedures to have allowed such a huge balance to develop.

To get meaningful help here however you need to post some more information. In particular the amount of each monthly payment made over the last year. Also as much meter reading information as you can obtain for the most recent and at least the previous bill or statement.

brittdad

Thankyou for your replies.I am not at my son's place till later this week.I will do the get permission to talk to them to clarify his account and post the outcome to help others in a similar position.Good or bad I have always felt get a list of any problems you have with anyone.Never say what is not needed, keep to what is fact and work from a list of of what is known then ask questions on why he was never notified etc.That his gas bill was never paid after over a year.When he thought it was after countless phone calls to the supplier stating they were being paid.No proof just phone calls.

jalexa

brittdad wrote: »

2.Does this 12 month rule thing apply to this case,I read it here somwhere.

The 12 month backbilling rule doesn't really apply here because the immediately preceeding 12 months is always liable. However in a case where there is supplier fault it is "normal practice" to expect terms over the same duration of the failure. Regardless of whether or not your son could or should have been more aware I expect there has been significant Edf ineptness. The key event is the failure of the 6 monthly interim review to control the balance. Had there been a significant debit balance then the monthly direct debit would have been increased (without the necessity of any input from your son). I conclude that Edf is 100% to blame for the "£1200". Your son should make a formal complaint. Read this if you haven't already...

http://www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for-your-home/direct-debit/direct-debit-existing-direct-debit-customers.shtml

brittdad

I have today been to my son's and spoken to their customer services.I explained one of main queries which was the start meter reading of 600 dated March 2011 (one year on meter reads 3811)which I felt was wrong even tho we submitted a reading when he moved in.The system has no record of any reading we gave them.
I also asked for the date the meter was put in to clarify such a low reading on a meter that was obviously a few years old.
Fortunately the adviser agreed with me when I also explained he lives in a 1 bed flat with a bathroom and kitchen lounge,his whole place has just 3 radiators.
I have just received an e-mail off the same adviser with this :

[FONT=&quot]Based on the history of the account I have submitted an estimate of 3131 for the Move In read for your son. This would fall in line with Mr X's usage.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I have put a hold on the account until 21 June 2012 when the issue should be resolved.[/FONT]

So hopefully the matter is now resolved.I would like to thank you all for the input you have given me.Plus as I said to my son I will get the facts right before I call.Then only point out the obvious to them and all stuff written down in front of you plus be polite at all times (it is not their fault they only work for the company) and they will always help.