Edf dd

sacha28

I haven't spoken to EDF as yet as I am just trying to get over the shock and I would like advice on how to approach this or even if I just need to suck it up!

First things first....we are on Economy 7. We have one NSH in the whole house as we have huge multi-fuel burners downstairs x2 (I think they are 12Kw each). We had to use a convector heater in my son's bedroom (where the only NSH is) until January as, very embarrassingly, it wasn't until then (and by accident), that we worked out how to use the NSH. The heater was 1250kw and was put on when he went to bed at 7pm and switched off when he got up (anywhere between 5am and 6.30am). I'm just trying to give a bit of background regarding our electric usage over the winter months.

April, they emailed and asked me to provide meter readings. I did this and received an email stating that my DD would remain at £79.

Today, I have received an email, totally out of the blue, informing me that the DD has doubled :eek: I don't get it. No heaters have been used in the house since I gave the last meter reading. Nobody has been round to take another meter reading. I have not been asked for, nor given, another meter reading. So where on earth has this new amount come from?? There is no explanation at all.

I cannot afford for my electricity to double and I'm starting to panic about how on earth I'm going to pay this. Any idea's how to approach this please??

footyguy

sacha28 wrote: »

I haven't spoken to EDF as yet as I am just trying to get over the shock and I would like advice on how to approach this or even if I just need to suck it up!

First things first....we are on Economy 7. We have one NSH in the whole house as we have huge multi-fuel burners downstairs x2 (I think they are 12Kw each). We had to use a convector heater in my son's bedroom (where the only NSH is) until January as, very embarrassingly, it wasn't until then (and by accident), that we worked out how to use the NSH. The heater was 1250kw and was put on when he went to bed at 7pm and switched off when he got up (anywhere between 5am and 6.30am). I'm just trying to give a bit of background regarding our electric usage over the winter months.

April, they emailed and asked me to provide meter readings. I did this and received an email stating that my DD would remain at £79.

Today, I have received an email, totally out of the blue, informing me that the DD has doubled :eek: I don't get it. No heaters have been used in the house since I gave the last meter reading. Nobody has been round to take another meter reading. I have not been asked for, nor given, another meter reading. So where on earth has this new amount come from?? There is no explanation at all.

I cannot afford for my electricity to double and I'm starting to panic about how on earth I'm going to pay this. Any idea's how to approach this please??

Give them a call and explain. How else do you think they will know of your past problems.

Perhaps a one off payment to cover the extra consumption you incurred will be necessary to maintain your existing montly payment (or just let them spead the additional expenditure over several months)

System

Give them a call and ask them for the projected annual consumption figures (in kWhs) that they are using to calculate your new monthly DD. Check that these agree with your actual usage patterns. I am having a similar debate with E.oN; fortunately, I have a raft of evidence with which to fight my corner. The fact that the customer should ultimately not lose out financially - as cost is based on usage and tariff - does not sweeten the pill.

Nada666

£79 does seem very low for an E7 home without (mainly) night storage heating and your description of useage. So a real average of £120 (plus £40 arrears clawback) sounds not unlikely.

You'll have to decide whether to keep on an E7 tariff or switch to a flat rate. And you'll have to monitor your meters closely with experiments on usage to see which would be the best medium term solution for you.

SoletraderSteve

When you say you provided readings in April, and your Direct Debit was remaining the same, what has triggered the latest bill? Your readings/meter readings or estimates? Also, when is your 'Annual Direct Debit Review'?

SoletraderSteve

Apologies for my reply above I missed in your post that nobody has read your meter since April and you have not provided another since either. Check if estimated, and also as you are on E7 check the actual bill on your MyAccount to ensure that the meter readings have not been transposed (day and night flipped), and then call them to discuss or use their Live Chat online which can be useful especially at busy call times or out of ours.

spiro

You mention putting the NHS on at 7pm, they are designed to charge up overnight (cheap rate) and give off heat during the day. If you are actually charging it during the day for 5hrs when you're on peak rate this could account for a surge in cost. Suggest you need to speak to an expert on the use of NSH (I'm not one).

footyguy

spiro wrote: »

You mention putting the NHS on at 7pm, they are designed to charge up overnight (cheap rate) and give off heat during the day. If you are actually charging it during the day for 5hrs when you're on peak rate this could account for a surge in cost. Suggest you need to speak to an expert on the use of NSH (I'm not one).

I might be wrong, but the way I read it I thought the OP used the convector heater from 7pm, before they worked out how to use the NSH.

The convector heater would have been using the same expensive daytime electricity you refer to, but I think that is now over because the OP has now realised how to use the NSH correctly.

It's this change in use that EDF won't know about unless the OP tells them.

LewisHamilton

sacha28 wrote: »

I haven't spoken to EDF as yet as I am just trying to get over the shock and I would like advice on how to approach this or even if I just need to suck it up!

First things first....we are on Economy 7. We have one NSH in the whole house as we have huge multi-fuel burners downstairs x2 (I think they are 12Kw each). We had to use a convector heater in my son's bedroom (where the only NSH is) until January as, very embarrassingly, it wasn't until then (and by accident), that we worked out how to use the NSH. The heater was 1250kw and was put on when he went to bed at 7pm and switched off when he got up (anywhere between 5am and 6.30am). I'm just trying to give a bit of background regarding our electric usage over the winter months.

April, they emailed and asked me to provide meter readings. I did this and received an email stating that my DD would remain at £79.

Today, I have received an email, totally out of the blue, informing me that the DD has doubled :eek: I don't get it. No heaters have been used in the house since I gave the last meter reading. Nobody has been round to take another meter reading. I have not been asked for, nor given, another meter reading. So where on earth has this new amount come from?? There is no explanation at all.

I cannot afford for my electricity to double and I'm starting to panic about how on earth I'm going to pay this. Any idea's how to approach this please??

What is the outstanding balance on your bill? The direct debit would have gone up because of this and to cover your ongoing usage.

If you do have an outstanding balance then EDF will spread this over a certain amount of months, taking into account your ability to pay.

[Deleted User]

The night rate could easily start at 7pm or any other time for that matter.Old analogue timers and meters still abound with their 7 hours anywhere in the 24 hr period. Digital meters like the Ampys have built in clocks but i have noticed some of these clocks also drifting up to two hours from correct time ( not BST )
I would nt be surprised if EDF have reversed your day/night.True night storage users notice pretty quick when they ve been "twisted " as their bills double.All it takes is some idiot meter reader messing it up and they believe him, or at least the auto billing system does. We have meter readers who have been around for 25 years and have nt any idea about Eco 7 meters and their timers

sacha28

Thanks for all of your replies, sorry it's taken so long to get back.

To answer a few questions.....I used the convector heater in my son's bedroom until we figured out how to use the heaters. We didn't realise that they don't come on until midnight so, when we put the wall switch on and it didn't light up (the wall switch that is, not the heater) we thought it was broken. Nobody had actually explained this to us and we are totally new to NSH.

I have found out the annual review is done in May. They had given me a new bill from estimated readings, despite requesting (and receiving) accurate readings in April. I couldn't get an answer as to why they would request readings the month before a review is called for, seems a bit of an odd way of doing things tbh.

I did the live chat thing and have been left pleasantly surprised at how helpful they were. Gave another accurate reading and they have put my DD back to £80 on the info given - PHEW!

Would it be worth going over to a standard meter? I don't seem to use much electricity overnight at all, even when using the NSH (but there is only 1 in the house) through Jan-March.