Legal action against energy supplier

drewness

Hi

I had a terrible experience several years ago with EDF Energy.
Very long story but the basics of it are that they did not bill me for electric for 3 years. I'd been getting a bill from them for gas (which I'd presumed was for my gas and electricity).

It wasn't until one day I wanted to see how much electric I'd been using that I noticed my bills had no mention of electric, so it was me that bought it to the attention of EDF.

For months I had to fight with them as they were demanding 3 years of back payment. I had to make many many phone calls and write letters (including writing to the CEO of EDF) and finally having to go through the financial ombudsman.

After all that time and effort, EDF agreed that I would only need to pay back 1 years back billing, however they completely fudged the figures and to my amazement the financial ombudsman said I had to pay for 'one years' back billing, failing to see that EDF had fabricated the numbers. The outstanding amount was in excess £2,500. How is that equivalent to one years electric bill!?

I came to an arrangement with EDF to pay back the amount in (tiny) instalments. I got them to agree to a small amount £2.50 a month.

Now here lies my question.

Question one: I didn't have the time or energy at the time to do anything more about it. I'd already spent many wasted days dealing with it. I still owe a substantial amount in back payment and I feel I want to do something about it. Is it too late?

Question two: I have noticed that EDF raised my instalment plan to £20 a month without my consent, or even notifying me. What can I do about that? Surely thats not legal?

Thanks in advance.

Robin9

Who is your supplier now and what is your actual annual consumption?

drewness

Still with EDF. I want to change supplier but I'm aware I have this back will still owing.

I don't have usage to hand at the moment, not sure if this is helpful but my direct debit for dual fuel is £149 per month.

sevenhills

drewness wrote: »

Still with EDF. I want to change supplier but I'm aware I have this back will still owing.

I don't have usage to hand at the moment, not sure if this is helpful but my direct debit for dual fuel is £149 per month.

I suggest you get back in contact with the ombudsman.


£149 per month, so x12 and dual fuel would be around £1,788 so would your electricy would be around half of that?



How long ago did the ombudsman come to a ruling?

drewness

It was a long time ago. End of 2014.

Robin9

Just wanted to check that the back payment was on top of normal bills (which sound high)


I assume you are doing the usual regular exercise to check that you are in the best Edf and not just rolling on with the standard tariff ?

drewness

Yes, back payment on top of normal bills.

I actually want to swap provider but I'd like to get this mess cleared up before I move. I also want to understand my legal rights to why EDF have increased my back payment instalment plan from £2.50 a month to £20 a month without my consent.

[Deleted User]

Paying off £2500 at only £2.50 a month is nt a good idea.It would take over 8 years to pay it off. That was a mistake by EDF in agreeing to such a low figure.
Prepayment meter debts are paid off at a minimum of £3.50 a week up to a maximum of £16 a month for larger debts such as over £2000.
Take it to the small claims court. In the past on here I ve seen a few of these, usually against Npower ! and in all the cases I ve read about , the supplier fails to turn up to defend so loses.
The danger is that if EDF do turn up , any judge may find that failing to pay electricity for 3 years is a strange situation and confusing a gas bill as a total bill is nt acceptable.
It is not that uncommon here on the Energy board not to be billed for years by negligent suppliers. I remember someone going as long as 6 years !
Suppliers automatically block switches if in debt except for prepayment meter customers who can arrange a switch owing , I think , its a max of £500 debt on the meter

thorganby

drewness wrote: »

Hi

I had a terrible experience several years ago with EDF Energy.
Very long story but the basics of it are that they did not bill me for electric for 3 years. I'd been getting a bill from them for gas (which I'd presumed was for my gas and electricity).

It wasn't until one day I wanted to see how much electric I'd been using that I noticed my bills had no mention of electric, so it was me that bought it to the attention of EDF.

For months I had to fight with them as they were demanding 3 years of back payment. I had to make many many phone calls and write letters (including writing to the CEO of EDF) and finally having to go through the financial ombudsman.

After all that time and effort, EDF agreed that I would only need to pay back 1 years back billing, however they completely fudged the figures and to my amazement the financial ombudsman said I had to pay for 'one years' back billing, failing to see that EDF had fabricated the numbers. The outstanding amount was in excess £2,500. How is that equivalent to one years electric bill!?

I came to an arrangement with EDF to pay back the amount in (tiny) instalments. I got them to agree to a small amount £2.50 a month.

Now here lies my question.

Question one: I didn't have the time or energy at the time to do anything more about it. I'd already spent many wasted days dealing with it. I still owe a substantial amount in back payment and I feel I want to do something about it. Is it too late?

But it was your responsibility to ensure that you were paying enough to cover your actual usage and you have had this energy that you have not yet paid for!

You have had an interest free loan for 3 years so why not simply pay for what you have consumed and move on to a better tariff elsewhere!

Yes it's too late to start whingeing now.

Question two: I have noticed that EDF raised my instalment plan to £20 a month without my consent, or even notifying me. What can I do about that? Surely thats not legal?

Paying off a large debt at a rate of £30 per years is ridiculous! Most suppliers would want the outstanding debt paid off in 6-12 months.

OK they did not bill you for electricity but you are also to blame for not bothering to read your bills and correct this 3 years ago!

Thanks in advance.

............

ToxicWomble

At £2.50 a month, paying off £2500 would t take 8 years, more like 80 !!! I very much doubt they agreed to that

molerat

If you provided accurate meter readings to cover the one year back billing you could have challenged their estimate, why did you not do that ? If I got into a fight with my supplier I could provide meter readings going back to 2002 all from one simple spreadsheet, it ain't difficult.