EDF - problem with final bill

Pamash11

Hi guys,
Hope I am posting this in the right category.

So I am having a complete nightmare with EDF regarding a final bill from them after I switched supplier. A bit of a back story:
I was with EDF for a number of years,mother always sent me estimated bills that I would have to correct by sending them actual meter readings for them to produce a bill. We'll end of 2016, they sent me a letter saying they had been under charging me and promptly sent me a £2400 bill! After going back and forth trying to dispute this and involving the very unhelpful and biased Ombudsman, I had their charity pay the bill end of September. I switched supplier as soon I could and found a deal with M&S energy paying £35 a month. My switch over did not start until December 9th 2017 and I did the usual with my new supplier by sending them my meter reads. During this time, I did not get anyone from EDF to read the meter like they usually did when I attempted to leave. So come January, I get a bill from EDF for £619! This is a bill for 27th September - 9th December. The readings were heavily exaggerated by a few thousand KW, in fact my day read is 2000kw into the future. I called EDF about this and they argued with me saying my new supplier gave them these meter reads and so that is the bill. The meter reads I gave my new supplier are no where near what EDF are trying to bill me for. We have been going back and fourth on this issue, I have even given the meter reads in case they made a mistake but they are simply refusing to correct my bill and bill me to the correct readings. The man I spoke to yesterday even tried to get my present meter reads so they can work out my bill from that! He says the bill is fixed in some kind of permanent template they cannot change and if I want this changed, I need to get certified letters from M&S energy to say these meter reads are true because apparently am a liar who is trying to give them false meter reads.
While all this is in dispute, they have passed on my account to a company called LCS, a debt collector who is calling, texting, emailing and sending me letters every single day. I do not dispute I owe EDF money for energy used between 27th Sept - 9th Dec, I just want them to send me the correct bill from actual meter readings they have, not the meter readings they made up.

What do I do with this situation? I am disputing this issue and I feel like am been bullied to pay for something I do not owe and the company is not looking into my dispute or taking it serious since the account has been passed on to collection while it is actively in dispute.

molerat

Does the EDF closing meter read differ from the opening read on the first bill from your new supplier ? If they differ you simply raise a written complaint with EDF using your opening bill as evidence. If you are contacted by the debt collectors you tell them the debt is in dispute and return it to the originator, any further contact by them will be treated as harassment. If EDF do not come to a satisfactory resolution within 8 weeks you refer the case to the ombudsman.

Pamash11

Yes it does. I had issues with EDF sending estimated bills and then arguing with me that they are right and am wrong, so I have a habit of writing down my weekly meter reads. The meter reads I took on 9th December, the meter reads M&S energy have and what EDF claims to have received from M&S energy are 2 completely different readings. They are refusing to take my meter reads, the reads on my first bill and demanding I prove am right by getting certified letter from M&S energy stating my meter reads.

Pamash11

I asked LCS, the account was passed on to them early last month while I was still talking to EDF trying to resolve this. The debt collector is refusing to back off stating this account is active and EDF has told them the money is owed. This was today. So they are not taking my dispute or complaints seriously.

System

All meter readings on a transfer of supply are verified by an independent third party to avoid any disputes. The verified readings are used to open and close your accounts. If the verified meter readings differ from the ones that you provided, then an Agreed Readings Dispute can be initiated.

That said, disputes can only be raised if the difference between the readings is sufficiently high. If the difference is more than 1200 kWh for gas, or 250 kWh for electricity, then the dispute can be raised; if the difference is within these values, the readings are deemed to be accurate, and the dispute cannot be raised. These are the values set by OFGEM, to regulate disputes. In sum, you will not pay for the same energy twice.

I have to ask. What usage in kWhs/year is the £35 M&S deal based upon? Simple maths indicate that if you paid nothing, it would take you nearly 6 years to accrue £2400s worth of debt. My worry is that you may be underestimating how much energy Is being consumed. A £2400 debt does not happen overnight if you have been providing regular meter readings. What does the last statement from EDF give for estimated annual consumption?

System

Pamash11 wrote: »

Yes it does.

If the opening and closing readings are not the same then this is something for the GAINING supplier (M&S) to resolve as it has the Licence obligation to manage all aspects of a transfer of supply. This includes getting the meter readings that you have provided verified.

https://octopus.energy/blog/secret-life-opening-meter-reading/

Pamash11

I live in a small 2 bed flat with only electric and no gas supply. The difference in the meter readings is more than 250kwh, in fact my current day meter read does not even match the day read EDF claims to have got from M&S energy as I will probably get to that usage end of next year. All this evidence means nothing and EDF have turned it around to make it seem like I am lying. I was with EDF from 2014 paying £66 a month, they would usually send me an estimated bill into the £100s and it would come down to about £50-66 after I send them actual meter reads. I tried to leave twice and every single time I did they would send a meter man to read the meter and say actually we have been undercharging you, you owe us £700 and can't switch supplier with this debt. This was in 2015. I cleared the debt thinking these things happen I suppose. Tried to switch supplier again in 2016 and again they sent someone to read the meter and this time sent me a £2400 bill saying they had been under charging me. This is when I completely lost it because didn't we just sort this out for this same period regarding under charging?! It was a complete nightmare and no one was helpful with my case. Not OFGEM and not the ombudsman. It really took a toll on my mental health and just couldn't fight with this giant corporation anymore. I turned to their charity who cleared the bill and I switched supplier as soon as I could. And now this claim I owe them £619 as my final bill for 27th Sept 2017-9th Dec 2017.
I am on a 2 year fixed plan with M&S. They quoted me £35 based on my energy use but this plan will be reviewed every year just so I am not under or over paying. I use £5 or less of electricity a week in the summer and about £12 a week in the winter on a really cold week, I have economy 7 and had to learn how to work out my energy consumption after the EDF drama.

System

Pamash11 wrote: »

I live in a small 2 bed flat with only electric and no gas supply. The difference in the meter readings is more than 250kwh, in fact my current day meter read does not even match the day read EDF claims to have got from M&S energy as I will probably get to that usage end of next year. All this evidence means nothing and EDF have turned it around to make it seem like I am lying. I was with EDF from 2014 paying £66 a month, they would usually send me an estimated bill into the £100s and it would come down to about £50-66 after I send them actual meter reads. I tried to leave twice and every single time I did they would send a meter man to read the meter and say actually we have been undercharging you, you owe us £700 and can't switch supplier with this debt. This was in 2015. I cleared the debt thinking these things happen I suppose. Tried to switch supplier again in 2016 and again they sent someone to read the meter and this time sent me a £2400 bill saying they had been under charging me. This is when I completely lost it because didn't we just sort this out for this same period regarding under charging?! It was a complete nightmare and no one was helpful with my case. Not OFGEM and not the ombudsman. It really took a toll on my mental health and just couldn't fight with this giant corporation anymore. I turned to their charity who cleared the bill and I switched supplier as soon as I could. And now this claim I owe them £619 as my final bill for 27th Sept 2017-9th Dec 2017.
I am on a 2 year fixed plan with M&S. They quoted me £35 based on my energy use but this plan will be reviewed every year just so I am not under or over paying. I use £5 or less of electricity a week in the summer and about £12 a week in the winter on a really cold week, I have economy 7 and had to learn how to work out my energy consumption after the EDF drama.

There is something not right here. EDF will not accept any meter readings from you as they have been passed a verified meter reading by M&S to close your account. You need to check that the reading on your Final Bill from EDF and your M&S opening bill are the same. If they are not, then contact M&S and provide them with a photo of your meter to show the discrepancy. They will then initiate a formal Agreed Readings Dispute.

What I find concerning is that you were paying £66 a month in 2014 and now M&S wants only £35 a month. How was the £35 a month calculated? My worry here is that come the time when your account is reviewed, you could find that the £35 a month increases markedly.

For example, if your annual cost (based on tariff and kWhs/year) should be £75 a month/£900 a year and you are only paying £35 a month then then the calculation goes like this:

Amount paid in Year 1 = £420

Amount that should have been paid = £900

Amount due for Year 2 = £900 plus underpayment for Year 1 = £1380 or £115 per month.

Given the way that energy costs have risen since 2014, it is not possible to pay £66 a month then and accrue a debt and pay £35 a month now. The £35 a month must be based on small amount of usage.

If I were you, I would seek the advice of an energy advisor at Citizens Advice. They have an Extra Help Unit that has direct access to senior energy company executives.

Pamash11

The thing is, EDF did ask me to provide my meter readings if I was disputing the bill. I have this evidence in writing and email from them asking me to give them my readings. When I did, I was told they would look into this and get back to me but instead passed the account to a debt collector. I had called the debt collector when I was first made aware of their involvement, they put the account on hold to get back to EDF and got back to me to say they won't back off as the account is valid and money owed. I called EDF who told me they can't accept my meter readings, after asking me to provide them so they could rectify the bill, and that I need to get in touch with M&S energy to get a verified letter befor they can look into it. I just want to pay them what I actually owe them and be done with them for good.

For M&S, they came up with that quote after going over my usage and past meter reads. To be honest, the energy consumption in my flat is quite low. I have storage heaters that only come on during really cold weeks, all plugs are turned off, boiler is only on to run a hot bath and turned off again, 2 loads of washing over the weekends only. The only 'large' use of energy is when I am making a big meal that will require the hub and oven. The only thing constantly on is the fridge and I don't really have or need anymore appliances than the standard white goods in the kitchen. Could have been my tariff with EDF was really high and am on the cheapest with M&S. I don't mind paying for any under usage as long as it clearly explained and fair, unlike the under charging bills I was getting from EDF.

System

Pamash11 wrote: »

The thing is, EDF did ask me to provide my meter readings if I was disputing the bill. I have this evidence in writing and email from them asking me to give them my readings. When I did, I was told they would look into this and get back to me but instead passed the account to a debt collector. I had called the debt collector when I was first made aware of their involvement, they put the account on hold to get back to EDF and got back to me to say they won't back off as the account is valid and money owed. I called EDF who told me they can't accept my meter readings, after asking me to provide them so they could rectify the bill, and that I need to get in touch with M&S energy to get a verified letter befor they can look into it. I just want to pay them what I actually owe them and be done with them for good.

For M&S, they came up with that quote after going over my usage and past meter reads. To be honest, the energy consumption in my flat is quite low. I have storage heaters that only come on during really cold weeks, all plugs are turned off, boiler is only on to run a hot bath and turned off again, 2 loads of washing over the weekends only. The only 'large' use of energy is when I am making a big meal that will require the hub and oven. The only thing constantly on is the fridge and I don't really have or need anymore appliances than the standard white goods in the kitchen. Could have been my tariff with EDF was really high and am on the cheapest with M&S. I don't mind paying for any under usage as long as it clearly explained and fair, unlike the under charging bills I was getting from EDF.

Please go and get advice/help from Citizens Advice before this escalates into a full debt recovery situation. Take all your old EDF statements and a photograph of your present meter readings with you. They can and will help you sort this out and they will check that you are paying M&S an amount that will cover your usage. If EDF has received a verified closing meter reading from the Data Collectors to close your account, they cannot accept revised meter readings from you just because you believe them to be wrong. Your account with EDF is now effectively closed.

dogshome

Just a thought

The OP has taken meter readings, but then an EDF meter reader has soon after recorded something much higher.
If this 2 bed flat is in a block that has all the meters housed together in a service room, there is the possibilty that EDF or the OP are reading the wrong meter - This is a common problem in flats.

What is the meter serial No. on the bills v that on the meter the OP is reading ?