EDF changed my tariff

renegadefm

Robin9, the name of the tarrif I am on now is Safeguard Assist Capped (E7)

But I was on the Blue+ fixed price tarrif before they changed it against my will and said it doesnt work with the smart meters.

Swipe

renegadefm wrote: »

Swipe, thanks for the info but what exactly is a credit meter? How do they work? Can we still top up like a pay as you go or prepayment meter?

A credit meter is the most common type where you submit your readings manually (or the smart meter does it for you).

renegadefm

Swipe wrote: »

A credit meter is the most common type where you submit your readings manually (or the smart meter does it for you).

Can we still top up or is it billed to me quarterly via direct debt?

Swipe

renegadefm wrote: »

Can we still top up or is it billed to me quarterly via direct debt?

Billing frequency depends on the supplier (some bill monthly, quarterly or six monthly). Some will also allow you to top up your balance on the account if you are in arrears too in conjunction with your direct debit. I know Bulb has this feature online.

Streaky_Bacon

renegadefm wrote: »

Can we still top up or is it billed to me quarterly via direct debt?

No you can't top up the meter directly.

If you did want to pay in advance to keep credit on the account as a budgeting exercise you can arrange to do that by making a payment direct to the supplier, but it is not something that most would advise.

With regards to billing and the DD, some suppliers/tariffs will take a fixed amount, some a variable amount, some will take it in advance, and some will take it when actual usage is billed.

renegadefm

Its just that we steered away from those type of meters long ago and got accustomed to paying as you go, it seemed to suite us better as you don't get scary bills which I used to get and found I didnt have sufficient funds left to pay them, so we switched to a prepay meter which was fine.
But definetly since the smart meter instillation and tarrif change the money we keep back for electric usage has gone for the month and that's never happened before ever! Its almost doubled which is quite scary. So I'm ringing EDF tomorrow in the hope to get our prepayment style meter back or switch to one that can.
Thanks for your help though.

MWT

renegadefm wrote: »

But definetly since the smart meter instillation and tarrif change the money we keep back for electric usage has gone for the month and that's never happened before ever! Its almost doubled which is quite scary. So I'm ringing EDF tomorrow in the hope to get our prepayment style meter back or switch to one that can.
Thanks for your help though.

I get the feeling we are still missing something here, is your smart meter on Pay As You Go... or are you currently paying via direct debit?


Trying to determine where it is that you are seeing the money 'going' exactly?


Are you reading it from the In Home Device that they probably left for you? (little screen plugged into a power socket)



Do you know how to read the amount of electricity being used on your meter?

renegadefm

Its a pay as you go smart meter. I wanted that to replicate what we had before which was a prepay meter.

And no I havent a clue how to operate it but yes we read the amount on the screen on the little meter next to my TV.

renegadefm

I also keep getting low balance alerts on my phobe via text messages.

I know you could think well it seems like we are spending more due to too much emphasis on it as we are always glancing at the anount left on the electric, but no its not that because they amount we keep back for a month has gone already this month. Thats never happened before on the old tarrif and prepayment meter.
Basically since the 12th of December we have spent £175 on electric. When £90 would last a month easily, even at this time of year. So its almost doubled since tarrif change and smart meter.

Robin9

12th Dec to now is not a "typical" month - how much of it were you on holiday ? perhaps 10 days ? long days, parties, family gathering, cooking ……………