EDF Mistake with Contract and MPR

konn1ch1ha

Hi all,

Myself and my housemates have an ongoing issue with EDF. We have been living here since the end of October '16 and had switched the address over from a previous address.

However, when starting the new contract, EDF had made a mistake in the process and did not have the correct MPR no. (meter point reference) on the contract, something which is not displayed on the gas meters. In affect, we had been paying EDF for our energy supply but the whole time had an erroneous MPR number on the contract.

Meanwhile, the company actually supplying our gas was British Gas, but paying EDF for the supposed supply. This has created a bill to 'the occupier' of the approximate amount of £970 from BG. We have, of course, notified EDF and they are trying to fob us off with the difference in rates amount of £275 + £100 of 'good will'.

This is clearly not enough to pay the amount of £900, and as it's a mistake of EDF's, where to we stand with this? We are also moving out in a few weeks, which creates pressure.

We have not a agreed to the solutions team that this is a solution.

Thank in advance.

trickytree1963

When you moved in your Gas was supplied by British Gas, did you give British Gas start reads and set up your account with them? You have a deemed contract with them when you move into the property so I am not sure why this is EDF's fault. You should pay BG until the date the switch occurs , when you give EDF opening reads and BG will issue you with a closing bill. EDF can only charge you for when they take over the supply if that has actually happened!

konn1ch1ha

trickytree1963 wrote: »

When you moved in your Gas was supplied by British Gas, did you give British Gas start reads and set up your account with them? You have a deemed contract with them when you move into the property so I am not sure why this is EDF's fault. You should pay BG until the date the switch occurs , when you give EDF opening reads and BG will issue you with a closing bill. EDF can only charge you for when they take over the supply if that has actually happened!

No, we didn't set up an account wth BG because our supplier was EDF, and so it was on contract.

The switch was supposedly in a matter of weeks, but because EDF had made the mistake with the MPR, this, unknowingly, did not happen until March (or there about) - where a bill with BG had mounted to £900+.

We were paying EDF for the gas supply, but with a different MPR number, but BG was actually supplying the property with gas.

Cardew

As said above, when you moved in you were automatically on a legally binding deemed contract with BG.

You cannot 'switch the address over' with EDF.

As you didn't contact BG and set up an account, giving them your opening meter readings, it may well be that they are using the meter readings last used for the previous occupant. If they(previous occupants) didn't notify BG they were leaving, and supply closing meter readings, you may well be paying for their consumption. This of course is not BG's fault.

konn1ch1ha

Cardew wrote: »

it may well be that they are using the meter readings last used for the previous occupant. If they(previous occupants) didn't notify BG they were leaving, and supply closing meter readings, you may well be paying for their consumption. This of course is not BG's fault.

Yes, that is correct, the dates were from before we moved in. We have calculated the dates from which we moved in to where EDF finally took over the address.

How were we supposed to know BG was the supplier of this address?

And we notified EDF of our address change because I've been with them for 2+ years in previous addresses (and stating on the contract of the change of address from the day we moved in). How is this our fault if they didn't get the MPR correct from the get-go?

Cardew

konn1ch1ha wrote: »

How were we supposed to know BG was the supplier of this address?

Put it another way, how were BG to know you had moved in unless you told them.

It is, I am afraid, the law of the land - the Gas and Electricity Acts - that place you(as the incoming occupant) on a 'Deemed Contract' with the existing supplier. Whilst it is understandable you may not have been aware of the Law, millions of changes of occupancy go through without problems.

In your case EDF cannot take over the account until BG agree. With the discrepancy in the start meter readings, it is unlikely BG would agree until that issue was sorted out.

Anyway what you* need to do is discuss the issue with BG showing them when you moved in by way of letting agreements, and the meter readings on that date. I suggest you don't take an aggressive stance, as you are at fault.

*If you use a letting agent(LA) I would also get him involved. The LA should have taken meter readings and ensured the outgoing tenants paid their outstanding bills.

Xbigman

I think the OP is saying that they have been paying EDF. If that is the case EDF should refund you all the money paid to them since moving because they have no legal right to it.



Darren

konn1ch1ha

Xbigman wrote: »

I think the OP is saying that they have been paying EDF. If that is the case EDF should refund you all the money paid to them since moving because they have no legal right to it.



Darren

That's exactly what I'm saying. And they had made a mistake on the MPR no. that was attached to a different address, even though the address on the contract was ours, but in turn, BG were supplying the gas because of the MPR mistake. It sounds complicated but it's not.

Cardew

Xbigman wrote: »

I think the OP is saying that they have been paying EDF. If that is the case EDF should refund you all the money paid to them since moving because they have no legal right to it.



Darren

As I understand it, we don't know when - or even if - EDF took over the account.

Clearly if they never took over the account, they must refund all the money they had been paid by the OP. I thought that was the £275 + £100 compensation stated by the OP in the initial post.

However the bigger problem is the £970 bill from BG. This appears to be because BG were not notified by the OP they were occupying the accommodation, and they are being billed for the previous occupant's consumption.

The issue with BG's bill needs sorting first.

OP. What action are you expecting from EDF?

konn1ch1ha

Cardew wrote: »

As I understand it, we don't know when - or even if - EDF took over the account.

Clearly if they never took over the account, they must refund all the money they had been paid by the OP. I thought that was the £275 + £100 compensation stated by the OP in the initial post.

However the bigger problem is the £970 bill from BG. This appears to be because BG were not notified by the OP they were occupying the accommodation, and they are being billed for the previous occupant's consumption.

The issue with BG's bill needs sorting first.

OP. What action are you expecting from EDF?

Do you know what the MPR is?

Until you know what it is exactly, this discussion's going to go round in circles.

konn1ch1ha

Cardew wrote: »

As I understand it, we don't know when - or even if - EDF took over the account.

EDF, supposedly, took over the account two weeks after we moved in, but the MPR was incorrect, which is the whole reason of this problem.