EDF - Complaint

elamay98

Hi All


I have an unusual complaint ongoing with EDF and expect to receive a deadlock letter in the next week or to but wanted to run in past some others for opinion


The property has 2 meters (total heating total control tariff, exotic but it is real). The meters are owned and supplied by SSE and always have been due to the exotic tariff.


EDF have been sending bills to my property for a meter that is not located in my property, completely different serial number. It is worth noting that these bills are addressed to the occupier, which I am obviously. I contacted them several times regarding this and was advised after they completed a review of the national grid database to either ignore or return any letters posted out. I was very confused by this so continued to contact them when the bills arrived as in my mind there shouldn't have even been an account. The property is supplied by SSE not EDF


In February I received a letter from a collections agency so phoned EDF and raised a formal complaint which I was told would stop any process. However, a collections agent appeared at my house the week after, only once he had enquired in my local shop for my name (very small rural community, only 7 houses and a shop in the postcode). Thankfully I wasn't in so he left a letter. But still suffered the embarrassment of having to explain to my friend what was going on with them thinking I was in financial trouble.


Now throughout this whole process I have sent photographs of my meters to EDF proving that the meter serial numbers were different but they wanted to send their own engineer round to check the property which I was happy to oblige. The engineer was supposed to come between 12-4 on Tuesday but did not actually arrive until 8am on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, he could not find the meter he was looking for because it has never been in my property.


So after a discussion with EDF today, they have asked me to think about what level of compensation it would take to resolve this issue. I have asked for a written apology first and foremost but will think about levels of compensation as well. Is there any guidance or advice available on this point?


I would also like to know how this has happened. How could my address be linked to a meter that is not in my property? The engineer was completely bemused and at a loss. I would say that this meter is still being supplied apparently so what could be happening?


In essence this is not my problem, this is EDFs problem (I know exactly where my 2 meters are, they have lost theirs) and I have been trying to assist in them resolving the issue. In return for this assistance I have been misinformed, harassed, embarrassed and intimidated.


P.S. just to give an example of the incompetence that I have encountered, at one point the EDF complaints team asked me to go into my neighbours houses and get their meter numbers! Or have asked if I knew where the meter is.


Any thoughts appreciated

Consumerist

In essence, you are being billed for consumption via a meter which does not supply your property so you have no choice but to complain about it.

One question arising in my mind is: where and when are they getting the meter readings on which the bill is (presumably) based.

Good luck with your complaint. Hopefully the ombudsman will (eventually) sort out EDF.

Lisi299

Hi

This does happen and could be a meter in an address that is like yours, it’s up to EDF to locate this meter. Is your house a new build could this edf meter have been in before it was rebuilt etc and never updated as removed was it previously flats?

You say you are going to be receiving a deadlock letter, this is sent if you can’t agree a resolution. Have they now stopped all letters coming to you and are looking at the goodwill side for the inconvenience? If so you need to think about what this has cost you to resolve and what you feel is fair.

Should you ask for too much you would be deadlocked allowing you to go to the EO and chances are they would ask EDF to stop contacting you and issue an apology, maybe a small amount of goodwill which is what they have offered anyway.

I hope this helps and you get this resolved

texter

elamay98 wrote: »

Hi All


I have an unusual complaint ongoing with EDF and expect to receive a deadlock letter in the next week or to but wanted to run in past some others for opinion


The property has 2 meters (total heating total control tariff, exotic but it is real). The meters are owned and supplied by SSE and always have been due to the exotic tariff.


EDF have been sending bills to my property for a meter that is not located in my property, completely different serial number. It is worth noting that these bills are addressed to the occupier, which I am obviously. I contacted them several times regarding this and was advised after they completed a review of the national grid database to either ignore or return any letters posted out. I was very confused by this so continued to contact them when the bills arrived as in my mind there shouldn't have even been an account. The property is supplied by SSE not EDF


In February I received a letter from a collections agency so phoned EDF and raised a formal complaint which I was told would stop any process. However, a collections agent appeared at my house the week after, only once he had enquired in my local shop for my name (very small rural community, only 7 houses and a shop in the postcode). Thankfully I wasn't in so he left a letter. But still suffered the embarrassment of having to explain to my friend what was going on with them thinking I was in financial trouble.


Now throughout this whole process I have sent photographs of my meters to EDF proving that the meter serial numbers were different but they wanted to send their own engineer round to check the property which I was happy to oblige. The engineer was supposed to come between 12-4 on Tuesday but did not actually arrive until 8am on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, he could not find the meter he was looking for because it has never been in my property.


So after a discussion with EDF today, they have asked me to think about what level of compensation it would take to resolve this issue. I have asked for a written apology first and foremost but will think about levels of compensation as well. Is there any guidance or advice available on this point?


I would also like to know how this has happened. How could my address be linked to a meter that is not in my property? The engineer was completely bemused and at a loss. I would say that this meter is still being supplied apparently so what could be happening?


In essence this is not my problem, this is EDFs problem (I know exactly where my 2 meters are, they have lost theirs) and I have been trying to assist in them resolving the issue. In return for this assistance I have been misinformed, harassed, embarrassed and intimidated.


P.S. just to give an example of the incompetence that I have encountered, at one point the EDF complaints team asked me to go into my neighbours houses and get their meter numbers! Or have asked if I knew where the meter is.


Any thoughts appreciated

You may be the occupier, but bills addressed to 'the occupier' are not enforcable in law.

Contact your supplier, and they will either decide you owe the money, in which case they should reissue the bill in your name, or ask them to refrain from sending you such correspondence as it obviously is not intended for you