EDF accuse me of adding unauthorised credit!

SwanJon

More as a warning for other readers

fuzexi wrote: »

The supplier have only checked our meter once, about 2 years ago

The settings on the meter are communicated back to the supplier every time you top up, and this is when they send communications back to the meter (e.g. price chanegs).
They do not need to visit the property to discover if a fradulent top up (fake credit) has been made.

Krojan wrote: »

Personally I wouldn't be worried unless you've done something wrong, they can send debt collectors til they're blue in the face but the fact is unless they can PROVE that you've used unauthorised credit on your meter they wouldn't have a leg to stand on, and the only way they can do that is by accessing the meter and checking your top-up key is a valid one.

The record from the meter (via the key) will be proof enough.
They won't need to get debt collectors involved as they can send the bill directly to the meter for recovery.

I think there is a big difference between someone who gets tricked into it once and repeat offenders and again to the guy who goes door to door. I'd like to think this difference is reflected in how they are treated.

spiro

fuzexi wrote: »

The key was already in the meter when we moved in, and I had to add £27 just to get it back to zero. The key is genuine, but it doesn't work properly, so when we top up, we have to keep pushing it in and out before it finally registers. We were about to contact them to ask for a new one when we got this letter. As far as I know the meter has never been reset.

The £27 may well have been for charges that you did not owe. Phone the existing supplier and tell them when you moved in and ideally provide a move in meter reading.

As has been posted several times - When moving into a house with a PPM NEVER use the existing payment device without phoning the incumbent supplier first. There could be £00s of debt of meter that you will end up paying if you dont tell them there has been a change of tenant.

markharding557

The supplier have only checked our meter once, about 2 years ago, when the whole scam erupted, and they didn't even know our names,

The key was already in the meter when we moved in, and I had to add £27 just to get it back to zero. The key is genuine, but it doesn't work properly, so when we top up, we have to keep pushing it in and out before it finally registers. We were about to contact them to ask for a new one when we got this letter. As far as I know the meter has never been reset.

Why have you waited so long to order your own key?
Never use anyone else s key or card! If necessary get a temporary blank one from the local paypoint.
Suppliers usually dispatch them quickly when a new customer account is opened.

sunflower_2

fuzexi wrote: »

The key was already in the meter when we moved in, and I had to add £27 just to get it back to zero.

why would anyone do this when moving into a new property? you did not owe this money - you have just moved in!

it is most likely a build up of daily standing charge which is payable by the landlord if the property was empty for a while i.e. not for you to pay

the other concern is the prev occupier my have been paying a debt back via the meter. as meters are not psychic it would still collect the weekly instalment from you, until the meter is reset.

chanz4

Op how do you know the keys genuine, after all the dip keys looks exactly the same.

[Deleted User]

Also OP, you dont really know if the last occupier has used "half price energy " .The scammers use a cloned engineers key to add credit, they dont leave the key in the meter. EdF seem concerned about your particular meter. They dont really get involved much on new occupiers except to post a new key out which will wipe any debt off ( which is viewable on screen " S " with key inserted )