EDF - Direct debit too low = huge final bill HELP PLEASE

SwanJon

Did I miss the answer to this?

rogerblack wrote: »

Check that the figures are in fact correct.
For it to have 'recently' gone 800 quid up, you've got to have been using a fair amount.
Is this plausible?

How accurate is the final reading? Have they used the readings you supplied?
If you can it's even worth checking the meter reading when you moved in, and for the paranoid, the meter serial number.

victor2

Murphymoo wrote: »

I have submitted at least a couple of meter readings over the past year and EDF have taken 1 reading. I have been keeping an eye on my online account, which recently said that I was £280 in credit - so I honestly believed that my payments were more than covering our usage!

If you've only been checking your balance online, but haven't been entering readings, then it obviously won't know what you've been using. It could be that the £800 is the result of a few month's usage, but even that sounds very high as it only started to turn cold in October.
EDF's system is notorious for increasing payments above what they need to be once it gets a reading!

good_advice

Murphy_Moo wrote: »

Thanks good advice,

Am I barking up the wrong tree here in thinking that this is unfair?

In hindsight I can see that the DD was low, however, I did draw their attention to this once, and don't they have a responsibility to reduce/increase direct debits according to the meter readings?

I'm really hoping there is a way to reduce this, I don't even have the spare money to pay in a repayment plan...

Hiya, yes, you will def. have to pay the bill.
As for having no spare money, you are going to have to find it.
Not what you want to hear... Talk to them, and keep talking. you need to be careful as this could go on your credit rating.

Cut down on Christmas! I know, hard to do...
We cut Christmas right down about 2 years ago, people may be disappointed but will understand.

I don't really know you but if you go out or have things like gym memberships, I suggest you give them up to pay the dept.

Perhaps you should consider an online account? I have one and take readings most weeks. Know how much I am paying per week, each week. For example the last 7 days we used £20.19 in duel fuel. This is with the CH on for the last 5 days @ 3 hours per day.
I will know, fast if my monthly DD is not covering the bill and top up account by card.
Then, that's just me! other people read their meters every 90 days.

Take care....
ps, sp checker has altered your name slightly.

Murphymoo_2

I thought I would give an update on where I got to with my unexpected EDF bill.

After a fair bit of complaining and threatening to go to the Ombudsmen, as well as their customer service being shocking, they agreed to reduce our bill by £250. :j They also agreed to let us pay the remaining balance over 2 years, which makes it manageable.

Thanks for all your advice
Murphy

chris1973

A good result, but use it as a wake up call to monitor your usage!.

Direct Debit is a great tool for the energy companies but its also a wonderful means of running up energy debt for the consumer.

With the changing climate we have these days, its hard for the weather forecasters to predict the coming weather let alone an energy company.

One winter may bring spring like temperatures, the next may bring a two month long -12c cold snap as in 2010

If you are expecting the energy companies to predict this 12 months earlier when setting up your DD plan then very good luck with that.

There is no substitute for reading your own meter and tracking your own usage.