Big gas bill, anything I can do?

Worried1976

Hello everyone. I would appreciate some advice on a changing suppliers saga. I was with edf for gas and electric but realised in early January that they were due to significantly increase their prices. I dutifully followed Marin's guide and used Uswitch to identify that Cooperative energy was considerably cheaper and tried to change suppliers. I provided meter readings for the gas and electric meters in the same email to cooperative on 9th January and received an email from EDF saying sorry you are leaving us. However, the following month, both companies took direct debits out of my account and after several emails and phone calls it transpired that my electric had changed over but not my gas. Each supplier was blaming the other. I supplied new mter readings but for some unknown reason, the issue was not resolved until 30th March when the gas finally transfrerred over to cooperative. I have now recived a final bill of £187 from edf - this is on top of my direct debits which continued to be paid. I appreciate it has been cold and the heating has been on more than usual BUT the whole reason I wanted to switch at the begining of January was to avoid paying their new extortionate prices. In addition to this, I have heard nothing from Uswitch regarding my free crate of wine for switching dual fuel supplier and doubt they will consider this applicable because transfer of electric and gas were nearly three months apart! Is there anything I can do to try and hold either edf or co-operative accountable for their delays and my subsequent huge bill?
Any suggestions gratefully received.

Fire_Fox

You cuold try a letter of complaint to both companies to see if they can sort out who was at fault, but you will probably have to pay that bill at least in the short term or you may risk them involving debt collectors.

Worried1976

Thanks Firefox - I'll give it a try

chanz4

either way you would be paying one or the other

timmmers

If EDF were aware you were leaving, why did they carry on billing you?
Looks like they made an error there?

Worried1976

Timmers......When I queried the continued direct debits from edf they said it was because my electric had transferred (hence the 'sorry you are leaving' letter) but they had not had a request for the transfer of my gas so continued to supply it. When I queried this with co-operative, they assurred me they had tried to take over both but the request to transfer gas was refused by EDF! Thus emails/phone calls ensued and here we are 3 months later.

Chanz4 - I agree that I would need to be paying one or the other but my issue is that my gas rate from co-operative is considerably lower per unit and daily standing charge than the gas prices from EDF. This is why I looked to transfer. Because of their (or co-operative's) errors, transfer was delayed and I'm left with a huge bill. No fair!!!:mad: