Help...please

v4vendetta87

Hi,I'm hoping for some advice,I recently decided to switch energy suppliers from EDF to OVO.I don't usually switch or pay attention to tariffs,I haven't had any issues or had a need too. I've always paid around 90-100 p/m for my gas and electricity in the 9 years I've had my own home.Anyway I received an email from EDF the other day saying my bill was ready,I assumed it was my final bill,long story short they reckon I'm a £1062 in debit?!After retrieving my password for the online account it wouldn't let me look at my old bills,apart from the ones after a tariff had ran out?I wasn't aware I had to renew a tariff or change to different one,so EDF have placed me on a tariff that is somehow double the price of a one I'd be paying If I'd of been paying attention?!So they've allowed this to carry on for a year on a bogus ultra expensive tariff?I know I should of probably been more on the ball with this but I didn't think could even be legal?This is deception surely?If I'd of been on the "right" tariff I wouldn't of ran up the debit?I rang EDF they basically said it's not there problem if the customer doesn't choose a tariff,they put you on a "standard charge" that isn't a tariff...and that so happens to be double that of all the tariffs.Sorry for it bein long winded...Any help would be much appreciated...:(

CashStrapped

v4vendetta87 wrote: »

I don't usually switch or pay attention to tariffs,I haven't had any issues or had a need too. I've always paid around 90-100 p/m for my gas and electricity in the 9 years I've had my own home.

I appreciate your problem, but you seemed to have answered your own question in the first sentence.

You have had a need to check what tariff you are on, you just have not realised or have not seen it as a priority (a lot of people do this).

How often were you sending meter readings to ensure your account was up to date? This is your responsibility. Instead the energy company have relied on incorrect estimates.

If you have relied on the meter reader coming every two years then you may have accrued this debit over that period.

EDF cannot be blamed if you have not ensured the meter readings are up to date.

The Direct DEbit amount you are paying is nothing to do with how much the gas or electric costs. It is just a rough estimate. Using this as an indication as to the cost of your gas and electricity will not give you accurate information.

You need to look at the pence per KWH.

Once a fixed period/price tariff ends you will always end up on a standard tariff. Again, it is your responsibility to ensure you are on a competitive tariff.

It looks like, due to an uncompetitive tariff, estimated readings and a Direct Debit set too low you have slowly accrued this debit. It is unfortunately down to yourself to pay it off before switching.

Furthermore:

You should work out what your annual use in KWH is. To do this you need two confirmed meter readings taken one year apart.

Use this in a comparison site and you will get a result based on your actual use. Then you have a tariff suited to your particular annual use.

These days you should check for new tariffs and give meter readings every quarter.
I give a reading and check for new tariffs every month but I am probably in a minority.

JJ_Egan

It is a tariff and its not bogus and its legal .
I can sign up for a standard tariff its not hidden .

Robin9

Did you ignore the letters and emails that EDF sent you over the last 9 years?

It may be a hard lesson but if you keep your eyes on your account you will save money - when it don't it costs.

v4vendetta87

Thanks for the reply.The meter readings where up to date.They sent there G4S guys out.Using my annual usage OVO calculated my direct debits to be £85 a month.Along with of other suppliers.It's not what I've used it's the extortionate rate EDF have used.Surely this is not legal?Surely the "non tariff" charge shouldn't be double that of a normal tariff?Why is it they can put you on a extortionate standard rate tariff without my consent but they can't put me on one that isn't an extortionate rate?

CashStrapped

As I said, the G4s guys are the meter readers I was talking about. They only come once every two years.

Unless you have been giving updated meter readings yourself (either on the phone or online) then they will have been relying on estimated meter readings in between G4S meter readers. This can result in incorrect bills.

The standard tariff is a tariff. You have to check yourself what tariff you are on and when any fixed price tariff ends.


When you go to a petrol station do you assume the price is the same as it was 2 years ago? Or do you check the price every time you visit?

It is the same principle.

You send in a meter reading, generate your own bill and check the tariff.

The meter reader is really there for the energy company to cross check you are sending in correct readings and you are not fiddling with it. They are not there to keep your readings up to date or generate bills for you.

v4vendetta87

I don't think you can compare a petrol station to the way energy tariffs work,petrol stations charge a set rate and give or take a few pence its the same across the board for everyone.It may go up or down it's the same for everyone.Its the way gas and electricity should be.My tariff ran out and they have Changed what they were charging me,to a extremely high rate,even though there were alternative tariffs they knew about that were cheaper for me?EDF changed my direct debit to £100 a month from £90 a few months ago,BUT they couldn't inform me I should of been on a different tariff.The debit has only come about since my "tariff" expired sometime last year.It's daylight robbery,and apparently that's ok?It's worrying that alot of people are probably getting stung with this and unless you know about switching tariffs your going to get over charged....

CashStrapped

This is nothing new.

How do you think energy companies can provide cheap tariffs?

It is because there are people on the more expensive standard tariffs. They rely on people not caring, being ignorant, not checking, call it what you will.

Those people are subsidising those on the cheaper tariffs.

EDF and most other companies send out reminders that "your tariff is coming to an end". So they do make people aware. I was EDF and received such letters.

Again many people either don't realise what it means, forget, ignore, misplace these letters and end up doing nothing.

I appreciate you feel hard done by. I have been there myself. I have not realised the fixed tariff is over and have forgotten to switch.

The solution is to provide monthly, quarterly meter readings. Monitor your usage. Do a comparison every quarter, don't just wait till the end of your tariff.

I switched onto a cheaper tariff nearly every month last year with the same company! They kept on bringing out a cheaper tariff!

If I stayed on the original tariff, I would have paid £300 more over the year.

About to switch again now!

v4vendetta87

Ok,thanks for your input,I really appreciate it.It's a lesson learnt,It's completely immoral but I suppose that's the way big business is..Prey on the vulnerable and hope people stay ignorant. I'm still going to push for them lowering the debit,now that I'm aware,I'm struggling to accept that I wouldn't be in debit If they had put me on a reasonably priced tariff.Thank you though...

CashStrapped

I agree that it is an immoral mess.

That is privatisation for you. More choice, but so much choice you are overwhelmed and don't know what to choose.

As I said, these days you need to be checking monthly for new tariffs based on your KWH usage.

With OVO, you can switch to another company at any time, without penalty with most of their tariffs. They may charge for switching to another OVO tariff. Again all the companies have different policies in this regard, but do not be afraid to switch again.