EDF Blue Warning underestimating DD using comparison sites

lucmand

I transferred to EDF from NPower in 2011. I had no problems with Npower who I had been with for 6 years previously. Like many people I used a comparison site to identify the best price (I paid £77 per mnth to NPower excluding annual discount usually £80-100 a year) and package for gas/elec. The comparison site identified EDF Blue as such I changed providers. EDF set my DD at £49.00 as such I was very happy thinking I had made a real saving (remember this was based on my DD and consumption with NPower) and no annual discount with EDF.

I am now in the position that I owe EDF £370.00 please note that I have never been in the position that I owe an energy company. I raised a complaint with EDF in May 2013 who have basically handled the complaint totally unprofessionally and referred the matter to the CS Director. I have received a response that they based the £49 DD they set for me based on the DD on the comparison site so how is it possible that I paid £77 per month and they arrived at £49.00.

EDF has provided no documentation and stated that it was unusual for a complaint to look at how the DD was calculated from data from a comparison site. They expect me to take their word and not provide any documentation. I suspect they have used incorrect data from the comparison site and are not telling the truth. Also EDF took an actual gas reading and did not notify me that there would be an underpayment or that my DD was not set to meet usage this is not acceptable .

Be warned when using a comparison sites when transferring to a new energy provider and ensure you have all the relevant data from the energy company to see how they calculate usage and the DD. I have given EDF 7 days to provide the info before I refer the matter to the Ombudsman. One thing I know is that EDF are the worst energy supplier :mad:

It would be interesting to know if others have been effected.

Wywth

lucmand wrote: »

I transferred to EDF from NPower in 2011. I had no problems with Npower who I had been with for 6 years previously. Like many people I used a comparison site to identify the best price (I paid £77 per mnth to NPower excluding annual discount usually £80-100 a year) and package for gas/elec. The comparison site identified EDF Blue as such I changed providers. EDF set my DD at £49.00 as such I was very happy thinking I had made a real saving (remember this was based on my DD and consumption with NPower) and no annual discount with EDF.

I am now in the position that I owe EDF £370.00 please note that I have never been in the position that I owe an energy company. I raised a complaint with EDF in May 2013 who have basically handled the complaint totally unprofessionally and referred the matter to the CS Director. I have received a response that they based the £49 DD they set for me based on the DD on the comparison site so how is it possible that I paid £77 per month and they arrived at £49.00.

EDF has provided no documentation and stated that it was unusual for a complaint to look at how the DD was calculated from data from a comparison site. They expect me to take their word and not provide any documentation. I suspect they have used incorrect data from the comparison site and are not telling the truth. Also EDF took an actual gas reading and did not notify me that there would be an underpayment or that my DD was not set to meet usage this is not acceptable .

Be warned when using a comparison sites when transferring to a new energy provider and ensure you have all the relevant data from the energy company to see how they calculate usage and the DD. I have given EDF 7 days to provide the info before I refer the matter to the Ombudsman. One thing I know is that EDF are the worst energy supplier :mad:

It would be interesting to know if others have been effected.

You only get accurate results from any comparison site if you input your anticipated annual consumption in kWh.

These figures will be used by EDF to calculate your anticipated annual cost, and you will initially be charged 1/12th of this per month.

This will then be reciewed about every 6 months. I can't fathom out how they calculate the reviewed figures, when when they tried to change mine after 6 months, a quick call soon had them agreeing to revert them to the original amounts. (but my reviewed total figure was not that different from the original as I gave accurate anticipated annual usage figures in the first place, but I think it went a bit wrong as this year we all used a bit more energy than we probably anticipated, but I paid this extra consumption via a one off exta payment before the review - I think part of the confusion stemmed from how they allocated this extra payment)

dogshome

Something went awry right at the start- EDF Blue is a 'Fixed' tariff and as such would have been more expensive per Kwh than any non-fixed tariff

As posted by Wywth, if you entered £'s spent as a measure of your useage, and not Annual Kwh when useing a Switch site, the answers you got would not have been accurate

Wywth

dogshome wrote: »

Something went awry right at the start- EDF Blue is a 'Fixed' tariff and as such would have been more expensive per Kwh than any non-fixed tariff ...

Actually, that is quite a good point.

When I switched to EDF Blue+ in July/Aug 2012, it was fixed but was very competitively priced to any other tariff including the variable ones. I think that was partly why Martin started banging the drum so loudly and frequently.

But that got me thinking, when was Blue+ first launched? (I think I got their second version)

A quick google indicates EDF Blue + was first launched March 2012 (ending September 2013)
http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy-suppliers/edf/tariff-history

So either the OP did not switch initially to the Blue+ back in 2011 (in which case there could already have been a build up of debt) or someone has been getting themselves well & truly into the realms of fantasy. :cool:

Nada666

It is up to you to double-check any quote and make sure the kWhs they are quoting for are what you expect.

(Wywth and Dogshome are incorrect - it is not necessary to input kWhs for an accurate quote - it is just a hell of a lot easier and can be more useful when comparing from one quarter to the next.)

It is also acceptable for an instalment not to be adjusted for each and every read - the last thing most customers want is a variable direct debit.