EDF admitted to not charging me for GAS!!

Buzby

Your expectation is sadly wrong. There is NO responsibility attached to a direct debit, and even if they could have taken all the amounts due to them but did not - YOU remain fully liable for their incompetence.

The customer cannot use any defence that says a DD existed but the Pursuer didn't take the funds.

undaunted

Unfortunately whilst there are merits to what both Buzby and Jalexa say when push comes to shove on this one I'm afraid I think Regulators, Courts and anyone else who cares to get involved would ultimately come down with buzby and somethingcorporates view on this one - ie you used the gas and must now pay for it. More than 12 months haven't elapsed and you haven't suffered any detriment - in fact you have had the luxury of an interest free loan already. I can quite understand why you didn't want them grabbing an unbudgeted £380 immediately, particularly at xmas but they are now offering you an installment plan rather than demanding immediate payment & that is as much as you can hope for regardless of who you complain to I suspect.