Grounds for a refund

cjms85

So I've been living in rented housing for the last 2.5 years and happily paying EDF (as happy as once can be paying energy bills) for our gas and electric, with the electric on the day night tariff.

Recently I went over some of the older bills and noticed that all our electricity was being charged at the day rate and there was no usage at night, which seemed odd considering we have a day/night meter to go with the day/night tariff. So I called EDF and they sent an engineer out and it turns out that we never had a night circuit in out meter. So they have switched us to a single rate meter, which is slightly cheaper versus the day rate, but obviously more expensive than the night rate per KWh.

My question is, would I have any grounds for a rebate on the electricity usage for the last 2.5 years, as we've been charged more for a service that we've not been able to use? Do I have any legal grounds here? I had no knowledge of the fact we didn't have a night circuit in the day/night meter and EDF failed to notify me or flag up the fact that we "weren't" using any electricity at night.

What do people think?

Cheers,
Chris

KTF

Have you phoned them up and asked?

dogshome

Hmmm - EDF are only responsible for the wiring to the meter, and the meter itself.

The property owner is responsible for all the wiring and equipment on the 'Delivery' side of the meter - You can negotiate with EDF to either change the meter to a Standard one, but this will probably cost the Landlord, or charge this 2 rate meter's useage at Standard rates by adding the 2 readings together.

However this will only give you 'Standard' prices from that point forward - EDF are hardly likely to adjust past bills as it's not their fault

Wywth

cjms85 wrote: »

So I've been living in rented housing for the last 2.5 years and happily paying EDF (as happy as once can be paying energy bills) for our gas and electric, with the electric on the day night tariff.

Recently I went over some of the older bills and noticed that all our electricity was being charged at the day rate and there was no usage at night, which seemed odd considering we have a day/night meter to go with the day/night tariff. So I called EDF and they sent an engineer out and it turns out that we never had a night circuit in out meter. So they have switched us to a single rate meter, which is slightly cheaper versus the day rate, but obviously more expensive than the night rate per KWh.

My question is, would I have any grounds for a rebate on the electricity usage for the last 2.5 years, as we've been charged more for a service that we've not been able to use? Do I have any legal grounds here? I had no knowledge of the fact we didn't have a night circuit in the day/night meter and EDF failed to notify me or flag up the fact that we "weren't" using any electricity at night.

What do people think?

Cheers,
Chris

This doesn't sound right at all.

If you have a dual rate meter installed (e.g. for E7) then all electricity used during the night should be recorded and charged at the low rate; you don't need any separate circuits.

If only the day rate registry has recorded any consumption (and assuming you have used something during the off peak period, e.g. a fridge) then it sounds like the meter is faulty.
It would be quite unusual for a property not to record any usage on a low rate, and this would normally be picked up by a supplier.

Finally EDF do not allow a single rate tariff if you have a dual rate meter (some suppliers do, but EDF is one that doesn't)

chanz4

Wywth wrote: »

This doesn't sound right at all.

If you have a dual rate meter installed (e.g. for E7) then all electricity used during the night should be recorded and charged at the low rate; you don't need any separate circuits.

If only the day rate registry has recorded any consumption (and assuming you have used something during the off peak period, e.g. a fridge) then it sounds like the meter is faulty.
It would be quite unusual for a property not to record any usage on a low rate, and this would normally be picked up by a supplier.

Finally EDF do not allow a single rate tariff if you have a dual rate meter (some suppliers do, but EDF is one that doesn't)

some people do wire to the day meter only as dont forget their are e7 meters and op meters, best op can ask for is billing on the d1 meter rate

undaunted

I wouldn't like to bet on whether or not you get anything but it can do you no harm & will cost you nothing to ask EDF and, if not satisfied with their reply, the Energy Ombudsman.