EDF muddle, can you help please?

Bark01

You could try this route, it will mark your account out for a higher level of service.

http://www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for-your-home/customer-services/customers-with-special-requirements.shtml

LouiseTopp

Hi thanks for your replay. I might just ask to pay £47 a month until the debt is clear, then hopefully they will go back to the £31 I usually pay again.

I checked to see if the money for the electrick they owed me had gone in at the bank, but it hasn't yet. Do you know how long they take to do this please?

JimmyTheWig

LouiseTopp wrote: »

Hi thanks for your replay. I might just ask to pay £47 a month until the debt is clear, then hopefully they will go back to the £31 I usually pay again.

If your usage and/or prices have gone up (which they must have done to get you into debt with them) then you won't ever go back to paying £31 unless your usage and/or prices come down again.
But once the debt has been cleared you will come back to paying what you use, which is £39 a month.

I checked to see if the money for the electrick they owed me had gone in at the bank, but it hasn't yet. Do you know how long they take to do this please?

I don't know, I'm afraid. I'd give it at least a week before chasing them.

LouiseTopp

Update:

I got my advocate to ring them up and we have agreed that i shall be paying £45 for the next year each month until the debt clears. I now turn the heating down to 16 from 20 when I am out, and only turn it back up when i am in again.

It goes off during the day so I shall have to wrap up warm.

societys_child

But in your first post you said the bills were estimated:

I pay my energy bills gas and electric through EDF by direct debit, and recently they have sent me estimated bills

Is this still the case or have the meters now been read?

I've managed without a key for years, just use a pair of small long nosed pliers, the type found in a small tool kit.
If you've nothing like that, try cutting a strip from an aluminium food tray, and fold it into a triangular shaped tube (it's like blue peter, this) and wrap a bit of sticky backed tape around it to strengthen it. If the lock is not too tight, this works . ..

JimmyTheWig

Whether estimated or not, if the OP can spare the cash in the short term then there's nothing wrong with paying more than they need to if that's how it turns out.

societys_child

Oh I agree, it's just me, I'd want to know what the actual readings were:)

victor2

OP...
If your advocate doesn't really understand your utility bills then he/she should be able to find someone who can.
As others have said, get your current meter readings by getting a key. It doesn't make the slightest bit of sense that a meter reader wouldn't have a key, but that's by-the-by.
Once EDF have your actual meter readings, they will be able to produce an accurate bill.
They have had a reputation in the past for increasing direct debit amounts unnecessarily, but that situation does seem to have improved now. From your bills, or from EDF themselves, you should be able to find out what your annual usage of each fuel is in kWh. This is key to establishing what your DD amount should be. They will incorporate any debt owed into the DD calculation. Usually they aim for you to have a zero balance on your account by a particular "anniversary" date too, which should be indicated on your bill as well.
Armed with that information, and details of the tariff you are on, the monthly DD amount can be calculated. If EDF can't explain that to you, just get the numbers and ask someone to help you figure out the monthly cost for you. I'm sure people will gladly do it on here, if you don't mind your finances being worked out on a public forum.