EDF/Green Network Chaos

moto50

We were completely unaware the Green Network Energy had gone bust. No idea. We pay our bills by direct debit in full, don't spare it a thought.

Two weeks ago we had a text. It Read   "EDF: Click this link" Which we considered a scam, or one of their sales ploys. I had been a victim of EDF'S call answered scam years ago, when by answering your phone, they changed your supplier to them, and the only way out was to buy your way out. So to me, it was just a scam, probably to get your bank details and was ignored.

Three days later, on 9th July we had a letter. Action required - pay £453.90 immediately. I was annoyed as it said they had written to us numerous times before, when they hadn't. They were fabricating facts. Had I known EDF were supplying I would have switched to a professional company overnight.

We contacted them, and they did explain that GNE had gone bankrupt, but refused to explain why we had not been told, not been contacted by EDF (as we would have ran for the hills) and to explain why they were demanding pretty much what we would have used in 8 months......for what was 3 months, as we were paid up until March, and our account was always in credit. All we wanted was an explanation - had we lost what we had paid? What period was this for? Why had nobody contacted us, sent a letter or something from either party. We were told nothing - pay up and shut up.

We sent an email on the 16th asking for answers and an explanation. It stated that we were not disputing payment, and we would settle but we were unaware of who EDF were, when they were charging from or anything - we have had no previous contact. No reply - totally ignored.

Dated on the same day and received yesterday 24th July we had a letter threatening legal action. It stated they will come to our house tomorrow 26th July and collect  their payment by whatever means.

To date, I have had No explanation, No bills, No contact with EDF, No emails they claim to have sent - we have gone right back and checked. Nothing! 

The last two weeks is the only notice we have had they exist and they will not talk to us at all - we are told to shut up and pay up or they will take out CCJ's

I have contacted Deloitte, Ofgem and EDF's Director Simone Rossi to find out who is responsible and get some answers. To Ms Rossi's credit, she did reply and apologise for our experience and said that a liason officer would be in touch in the future to explain. I have replied asking if their liason officer was a fast as their enforcement having only heard of the two weeks ago, and still waiting for a breakdown of the bill.

I have taken tomorrow off work to await these yobs that are to break into my house or whatever they are planning to do - I haven't asked to be in this position. Nobody has told us anything. Are anyone else getting this sort of response?? I am up for a group attack - I just hate liars and I have enough of incompetence this month. I've had enough from DVLA messing up, and now this! It's getting personal now.

Robin9

I had my first email from Edf on Feb 2nd, a few other general ones and then details of my account and tariff at the beginning of April.  

Were you in credit or debit when GNE went bust on Jan 27th ?   Has Edf taken any DD's at all ?  Have you had a final bill from GNE ?   Did you give monthly meter reads to GNE -  it's probable than Edf are chasing a bill based on Estimated readings.

What do you calculate you owe Edf ?

Getting the bailiffs in isn't a quick process and I'm surprised at Edf chasing so quickly.

rooster47

An interesting read but with flaws.

Bill first referred to on 9 July and 2 weeks later ' we are told to shut up and pay up or they will take out CCJ's'. So, a CCJ hasn't yet been issued, lets say by Friday 23 July, as I understand it, there can be no bailiff since they get instructions from a court (closed at weekends) and without a CCJ to rule upon, a court can make no order of enforcement action. Having utilized bailiff help in the past myself, they also take weeks to be involved following a court order.

The time scale is all wrong!

In any event, if and when a CCJ was issued and presented to a court, it would need to be supported by a bill, and if that bill had estimated meter readings the debt could be disputed by presenting evidence of actual meter readings and the case thrown out by the court. There would then be no bailiff action invoked.  

moto50

Thanks Robin,

Firstly, we have had NO CONTACT from EDF prior to two weeks ago - nothing! Didn't know anything about them dealing with GNE, Didn't know GNE had g

one down - nothing.

EDF have not taken any DD that I know of, but GNE/EDF/DELOITTE  took payment until March when we went back and checked, after that the payment was returned. We have never had any notification or final bill from GNE - again we have gone back and checked in case anything was missed. There is nothing!  

We have asked for what period they are talking about, to explain the bill, when they took over and asked what happened to the payments we made, and indeed WHO has the payment we made. That information has been denied to us - totally ignored. Just told to pay now or else. We have no problem paying what is owed - we don't have debts, bills are paid without delay and always are. We don't default on our bills hence the shock of being told you are in debt and you know nothing about it - we only asked for an explanation. We have ever agreed or would ever agree to using crooks like EDF. To date we have been given no bills, no idea of what timescale this is for, we don't know what contract they transferred us to, what is covered or not - we have only just been told 15 days ago to this day of an account number.

As to what we calculate we owe EDF - we have no idea as they won't tell us the point they took over supply. Our meters are remote smart meters, but we paid a set amount monthly. On our old rate we would have owed £234 to date from the returned payment. They are refusing to discuss or explain, and are ignoring us and pushing for a court order and they don't care how they get it by the sounds of it.

Thanks Rooster, 

Again I agree the timescale is all surreal. It makes no sense at all and we are baffled and confused by EDF's attitude and response. 16 days ago we didn't even know they supplied our energy - in that time we have received two threatening letters and had our requests to explain what we are paying for and for what period denied or ignored. They say they 'would of emailed' us to send bills and inform us of the change, but we have checked right back to December and there have been no emails from EDF - or GNE for that matter either!  'Would of' to me, means they really didn't but know they should of. 

I think the threat to come to your house on or after 26th July is to frighten people into paying up by pretending they will have someone come to their house and empty your pockets by force - it mentions about 'also'  taking out a CCJ, which suggests there are no bailiffs involved anyway, so makes it just an outright threat. I'll be on guard just in case, and it will give me time to shake this tree hard and find out what is happening and hold these people to account. there will be others out there terrified and paying whatever is demanded. I have no idea how accurate this bill amount is, in my experience with EDF, likely plucked from the air.

A lot of it is threats and lies - that is what EDF are reknown for. I had a run in with them years ago with their call answered scam (business energy). That was resolved, but the directors that authorised that little sale ploy should have been locked up for extortion.

I'll update more tomorrow with luck. Thanks for your input everyone.

Robin9

As you have an account number you should be able to see what tariff details are, the date the Edf account was set up, the dates and amounts of the DD's taken.  Details of the bills should also be there.



Keep leaning on the Edf contact you have.


Edf's general handling of the transfer has been very poor (and that's being kind). There are 100's of posts on this forum.

moto50

Robin9 said:

As you have an account number you should be able to see what tariff details are, the date the Edf account was set up, the dates and amounts of the DD's taken.  Details of the bills should also be there.



Keep leaning on the Edf contact you have.


Edf's general handling of the transfer has been very poor (and that's being kind). There are 100's of posts on this forum.

Thanks Robin,

Not had any access to the account, or details on it. I am speaking with another woman and trying to gain access to the records they have. They state final bills from GNE and a welcome from EDF were sent but don't know any more than that. No dates given, all vague. So as of yet, no idea what we are paying, what fuel is included, from when or anything. GNE were never good at contact, but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a recorded letter telling you of their demise and introducing EDF so you had some idea of what was happening and make sure everyone was aware.

I really don't trust the 'lost in the mail' BS, everyone knows that is an excuse. Nor do I believe emails vanish, but this is what they are suggesting. They are not in our email address, any folders of that address, spam or anything else. All been checked in case we missed it. Nothing there. Emails are emails, they don't get lost - they may end up in spam, but you can find them. They don't disappear enroute.

I've told her we just want an explanation, a bill and we will clear it and leave the circus tent. That is all we want to do.

QrizB

moto50 said:

They state final bills from GNE and a welcome from EDF were sent but don't know any more than that. No dates given, all vague. So as of yet, no idea what we are paying, what fuel is included, from when or anything. GNE were never good at contact, but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a recorded letter telling you of their demise and introducing EDF so you had some idea of what was happening and make sure everyone was aware.

I really don't trust the 'lost in the mail' BS, everyone knows that is an excuse. Nor do I believe emails vanish, but this is what they are suggesting. They are not in our email address, any folders of that address, spam or anything else. All been checked in case we missed it. Nothing there. Emails are emails, they don't get lost - they may end up in spam, but you can find them. They don't disappear enroute.

My experience of EDF's comms is that they were entirely by email (GNE were the same). I don't recall receiving anything by post. Have you changed your email address? Does your email provider automatically clear out your spam folder? Mine deletes things after 10 days, IIRC.

(In my case I received two "welcome to EDF" emails, one for each fuel, on 21st April. Each included a link to set up my account.)

Robin9

I didn't have any correspondence issues with GNE -  quarterly emails asking for meter reads followed quickly by the statement. Final bill also by email.   

I wonder if GNE (and hence Edf) had the wrong email - did you change ISP's and loose an old email address. ?

moto50

Yes, GNE comms were all by email, they just never really contacted you unless they really had to which we liked - you never got hit with constant promotion or spam. They had no reason to, we never defaulted, always paid always in credit. 

They never asked us for meter readings though - it was as smart meter, and a guy in a van came around every quarter and checked. Not sure if that is a city perk or not, who knows? Email address not changed, nor has anything else and it hasn't passed through the email spam system either, drilled the lot - nothing there.

In the meantime, I couldn't believe that you can only complain via text message with EDF.....so brush up on your  'txt spk'..or is it all emoji they want nowadays? lighting flash, money bag and angry face I assume? Is that how it works? Gone are the days of email and letter, I must be getting old now.

On a more serious note, I have found that Teneo have taken over from Deloitte - so I am still on the trail to finding out what the deals was meant to be, where has the money I have paid went and is that dead money now? Someone has to know. I'll find out!

Robin9

moto50 said:

Yes, GNE comms were all by email, they just never really contacted you unless they really had to which we liked - you never got hit with constant promotion or spam. They had no reason to, we never defaulted, always paid always in credit. 

In that case you will have the last bill that GNE sent you - mine was in January.  Were you in credit then or debit?

Edf's tariff is very similar - guaranteed not to be worse . So knowing the meter reads from the last GNE bill you had and todays reads, the DD's you've paid you can work out how much you reckon you owe.

I suspect that the meter is no longer Smart.

rooster47

'In the meantime, I couldn't believe that you can only complain via text message with EDF'

That's new. I made a complaint on 15 July calling 03332005100 and an EDF agent returned my call on 03330096998. My complaint was sorted in minutes and a new bill issued within 24 hours.

The only info I needed to connect with the right person was my account number......I guess you do have that Moto!!