Sneaky email from EDF

sue_len_2000

Yesterday My parents received an email from EDF saying “you next tariff is 1 click away, fix total service oct23v3 and fix until October 23 and get £100 credit” They thought oh I’ll take a look, you click the link and it’s done! No checking terms and conditions! Is this even legal? I’ve never heard of locking yourself into a 2 year contact, without  a check box at the very least! Now I’m in a Hugh queue trying to get them out of it, I feel these underhanded tactics need reporting as they’ve targeted a 77 year old man, if he’d have forgotten he’d done it, he would be paying the more, any advice 

Brie

are you sure it was from EDF?  how good is the computer security in case they have just introduced a trojan?

sue_len_2000

I’m pretty sure it’s EDF! It goes straight to their website and says great your switched! doesn’t ask for any details, security info nothing 

Swipe

sue_len_2000 said:

I’m pretty sure it’s EDF! It goes straight to their website and says great your switched! doesn’t ask for any details, security info nothing 

That is very sneaky. Definitely worthy of an official complaint.

MWT

sue_len_2000 said:

Yesterday My parents received an email from EDF saying “you next tariff is 1 click away, fix total service oct23v3 and fix until October 23 and get £100 credit” They thought oh I’ll take a look, you click the link and it’s done! No checking terms and conditions! Is this even legal? I’ve never heard of locking yourself into a 2 year contact, without  a check box at the very least! Now I’m in a Hugh queue trying to get them out of it, I feel these underhanded tactics need reporting as they’ve targeted a 77 year old man, if he’d have forgotten he’d done it, he would be paying the more, any advice 

I get your concern and yes I'd be annoyed as well, but you can't say they were not accurate in their description of what would happen if you click on the link...

“your next tariff is 1 click away, fix total service oct23v3 and fix until October 23 and get £100 credit”

It didn't say 'click here for details'...

Are they on the 'Priority Services Register' ? .. if not I'd add them at the same time as your call just to make it clear to EDF that they need some extra consideration.

These emails don't 'target' older people, nor should we assume that merely being 77 implies an inability to manage ones affairs, but I'd hope they will be understanding and willing to reverse the change in the circumstances.

Sea_Shell

Is there not a cooling off period?

sue_len_2000

they are priority services registered as I signed them up myself, I deal with most stuff as he doesn’t make a decision without my advice, but he likes to think he has some control, 
but I’d have thought you would need to tick a box at least as you pick you phone up and change by accident! 

Swipe

Sea_Shell said:

Is there not a cooling off period?

Yes, 14 days on all sign ups

sue_len_2000

Yeah 14 day I’m in a text queue and a phone queue waiting to see who answers first, but every time I’ve agreed to a contact I have to say I’ve read the T&S’s nothing click the email your done! 

MSE_Chris

sue_len_2000 said:

Yesterday My parents received an email from EDF saying “you next tariff is 1 click away, fix total service oct23v3 and fix until October 23 and get £100 credit” They thought oh I’ll take a look, you click the link and it’s done! No checking terms and conditions! Is this even legal? I’ve never heard of locking yourself into a 2 year contact, without  a check box at the very least! Now I’m in a Hugh queue trying to get them out of it, I feel these underhanded tactics need reporting as they’ve targeted a 77 year old man, if he’d have forgotten he’d done it, he would be paying the more, any advice 

Hi sue_len_2000,

Thanks for making us aware of this. We've asked EDF about this to get some more info.

Are you able to post a screenshot of the email that was sent to you parents? If you didn't want to post it here, could you send it to furtherhelp@moneysavingexpert.com with the subject 'FAO Chris/Forum'.

Alternatively, are you able to confirm if the email contains any info about exit fees or tariff rates you'd be be paying before you click the link in the email?

Mindo321

Hi . I made the same mistake by just holding my finger on the link before even seeing how much I was going to pay.Fully agree this is a very unscrupulous tactic by EDF and needs stopped.I inadvertently clicked on the link in the 25/05/22 , no problems you have a 14 day cooling off period so I went to my online account and reverted back to Standard rate 2days later. I have now been hit with £300 exit fees for being on the fix for 2 days.What all the e mails fail to tell you is you need to fill in a form or contact EDF to cancel. Strange how you can’t cancel in one click and how to use the 14 day cooling off period is not clearly stated.I have just found a message in my online account with the terms and conditions , again I didn’t even know this was there. Would have been good off them to send a copy by e mail at least I would have seen them. Currently in dispute to try and gat a refund feel it was very unclear and misleading the way EDF are doing this.