EDF Fixed Saver V2 to Blue+: Users Beware

cbrpaul

I just added the new EDF Iphone app , its actutally quite good

Including sending photo meter readings , no arguments there then !!!
:T:T

vm2pensioner

After a number of problems with edf previously, my online account still has details missing too. Switch due to have been made for August with reduced direct debit had not been done in September. Told in September that the switch would now take place in October. Still no changes to account details online. Phoned again today - someone at edf had incorrectly inputted Oct next year! They do seem hopeless at administration.

alanwsg

Just downloaded my new bills for Blue+ (Received 4 emails telling me to do so!). Everything looks in order.

Trivial point: I should have entered my meter readings on the evening of 30th Sep, not morning of 1st Oct. They've given me one "days" worth or usage at the new rate but it should have gone on the old tariff.

macman

My tariff has switched to Blue without a hitch, my DD has even gone down slightly. The only query I have is why the next billing date is showing as 15/7/2013? What's the billing cycle on this tariff supposed to be? Certainly not 9 and a half months?

frankie

looks looks edf are having IT problems again. Just tried to log on and get:

We are currently unable to process your request due to technical reasons. Please try again or you can contact us. Our residential customers can call us on 0800 096 9000 and business customers can call us on 0800 096 2255

arrowtan

Switched to EDF Blue+ on 6/9/2012. Asked to change to DD on 31/10/12 and was quoted £24/month (Fine). Asked for last bill £70 (due 09/12) to be spread over the DD payments for the next 10 months (Agreed with call centre agent at £24/month).

Next day, email arrived with bill details, opened it on MyAccount and found £124 to be collected on 15/11/2012 and then £24 to be collected on the agreed monthly date.

I switched to DD to spread the payments, but, despite giving them an actual reading close to thier estimated one, it has created a lump sum DD payment that I cannot afford. The whole idea of switching to DD was to spread ALL the payments including outstanding balance, over the next year, which was agreed over the phone..

After contacting them again (and waiting another 20mins) they said they had removed the £124 lump sum payment and that I would only pay £24 on the agreed date. My online bill now shows £0 outstanding balance and the message about the one off payment has disappeared.

Should I trust them, knowing how flaky EDF's DD system is and how can I ensure they wont take the £124 lump sum from my account ?

steve-L

The Blue Tariff T&C's say's you agree that EDF can charge you whatever they want and they do not need to take your meter readings into account.
Why is this surprising anyone.
It is listed as a condition if you pay by DD.
Did anyone read the T&C's before signing?
I would advise anyone who didn't to do so before the 14 day mandated cooling off period expires or they will charge you £35/utility to change to a tariff or another supplier that will use meter readings to bill you.

jalexa

steve-L wrote: »

The Blue Tariff T&C's say's you agree that EDF can charge you whatever they want and they do not need to take your meter readings into account.
Why is this surprising anyone.
It is listed as a condition if you pay by DD.

What you say is absolutely true - and shocking - however the Standard Licence Conditions 27.14,15&16 will have precedence over the T&Cs.

I think it is a clumsy wording to allow the amount to be changed, but any amount not compliant with the SLCs can be challenged via the complaints procedure, potentially a costly outcome for the supplier.

steve-L

jalexa wrote: »

What you say is absolutely true - and shocking - however the Standard Licence Conditions 27.14,15&16 will have precedence over the T&Cs.

I think it is a clumsy wording to allow the amount to be changed, but any amount not compliant with the SLCs can be challenged via the complaints procedure, potentially an expensive undertaking for the supplier.

Partly shocking ..... that is I was surprised people would fall for it!
I'm a sucker for over estimating people!

I received the tariff through the post (today) and read it and got to the DD clause and ... well that was enough.

The SLC's will have precedence but the question I asked myself is how long until they actually do apply them..... in the meantime they can make up any charge they want and then prevent you switching as your in debt.... supposing this pushes many customers into debt.

I agree you can fight this but I doubt its straightforwards (after all you agreed to the fine print) and they are billing you.....

The best way IMHO would be to merely pay for what you use by calculating this yourself but then you are in breach of conditions as you will need to stop the DD that is part of the conditions!

How would you go about claiming interest on the loan you are making to them? (This seems to be what it amounts to) or they bill you well over what they expect you to use and leave you to work out how to get it back..... and I doubt they will make that process simple.....they will have one to be sure to satisfy regulations but it will be like the insurance quotes you get for 20x the average price where the insurance companies must offer you a policy... they just make it stupidly high as a way of saying 'we are not offering you a policy'.

In the same way there will I expect be a process for getting back the money they owe you that requires all 8 great-grandparents to be present on a new moon in months with a Z in them!

Thus you are stitched up either way.....my own decision was I rejected it as its too much hassle to navigate the conditions before I even plugged the tariff prices into my spreadsheet!

JohalaReewi

steve-L wrote: »

The Blue Tariff T&C's say's you agree that EDF can charge you whatever they want and they do not need to take your meter readings into account.

While EDF can take any amount they want by DD, they have to give you advance notice (at least 10 days) of the amount they are going to take, and the date on (or after) which they will take the money.

This is part of the DD Guarantee scheme.
http://www.thesmartwaytopay.co.uk/DirectDebitExplained/Pages/DirectDebitGuarantee.aspx
http://www.bacs.co.uk/Bacs/Businesses/DirectDebit/Collecting/Pages/CustomersRights.aspx

So if EDF have said they won't take £124 and then they do, it is possible to use the DD guarantee scheme to get a full and immediate refund from the bank.