EDF Bill for pre-payment meter - confused!

Bazshawkins

We recently bought our first home, and moved in on 25th January. The property had pre-pay electricity and gas meters with EDF Energy.

I contact EDF and asked them to replace the meters with standard ones as we wanted to pay by direct debit. This was arranged for the 20th February.

In the 4 weeks between, we bought £30 of top-up for the pre-payment metre which lasted us the duration (we were not fully living there until the 11th Feb).

Since EDF installed the normal meter, I have done some price comparisons and have begun moving our dual-fuel to Scottish Power.

Yesterday I received a bill from EDF for £160(ish) for electricity between 26th Jan and 20th Feb. There is also a statement enclosed showing the £30 of top-ups made.

What I don't understand, is how we can have a bill for usage during this period if we were on pre-pay at that time, and have clearly bought £30 worth of credit to cover this period.

Am I missing something obvious? I'm planning to call EDF tonight.

Wywth

Bazshawkins wrote: »

We recently bought our first home, and moved in on 25th January. The property had pre-pay electricity and gas meters with EDF Energy.

I contact EDF and asked them to replace the meters with standard ones as we wanted to pay by direct debit. This was arranged for the 20th February.

In the 4 weeks between, we bought £30 of top-up for the pre-payment metre which lasted us the duration (we were not fully living there until the 11th Feb).

Since EDF installed the normal meter, I have done some price comparisons and have begun moving our dual-fuel to Scottish Power.

Yesterday I received a bill from EDF for £160(ish) for electricity between 26th Jan and 20th Feb. There is also a statement enclosed showing the £30 of top-ups made.

What I don't understand, is how we can have a bill for usage during this period if we were on pre-pay at that time, and have clearly bought £30 worth of credit to cover this period.

Am I missing something obvious? I'm planning to call EDF tonight.

I'll await your post tonight after you have spoken to EDF.
Better than trying to second guess the answer.

macman

Did you register for an account and obtain your own card/key straight away when you took over the property? If not, you are probably paying for the previous tenant's debt.
Standing charges will still apply even if you didn't move in straight away.

Bazshawkins

macman wrote: »

Did you register for an account and obtain your own card/key straight away when you took over the property? If not, you are probably paying for the previous tenant's debt.
Standing charges will still apply even if you didn't move in straight away.

Registered an account within the first few days of taking over the property, yes.

Standing charges would just come off the pre-payment credit though wouldn't they?

chanz4

how often was it in emergency credit?

Bazshawkins

chanz4 wrote: »

how often was it in emergency credit?

Don't know the answer to that one, sorry.

I spoke to EDF on Friday - he checked my account and said there was nothing outstanding, and pointed out that this 'bill' doesn't actually say on it anywhere that the amount is due by 'x' date, so I could just ignore it. Just something strange tha their system has thrown out.

It did get me thinking though, how many people might not question it and would just send EDF a payment oblivious to the fact they don't owe anything.