Utility companies not talking. Help request - How to get them play fair?

Stucoupe

Whilst I'm not interested in utility bills, it grabs my attention when I get hikes in bills and so natural for me wanting to talk with my provider. And I find they're not easy to talk to and failing to give answers; it feels like they're playing a system. Is this common and is there anything being done about it?  Details...

1) EDF - took over my cheap green (something) provider. Told I was £10 in credit when they took over in October; I've paid £84/m. The bill, showing unit usage (yes I checked and did the maths), seems to indicate my total usage (gas & elec) of roughly £94/m over last 4 winter months, ok that's fair (and inline with the 50% increase I'm expecting from the last company) and in summary I believe I owe them £40 (or it'll average out over summer). But in addition to paying my monthly rolling bill, they're hitting me with £380 extra - and zero explanation. I'm already frustrated that the bill was slightly off using 'estimated' readings until last month - demonstrating to me the automated phone system is broken and that in October when I gave readings for the new take-over it was ignored. The problem:  tried calling and on hold a long time, first guy cannot explain why there is an outstanding charge, then after he put me on hold, 10 minutes later hung up on me. I called again, on hold half an hour, then next guy kept telling me that I must have used £380 extra over the 4 months - which has to be rubbish, as it would mean I had used twice as many units which the bill does not show, and my meters match the bills last entry of unit-usage. I got nowhere.

2) Severn Trent water - all paperless. Throws a bill my way of £590 (meter-less; normal? It's up 18% on last year). I want to query it, and call them. After being on hold, get through to cheerful person, we barely get into giving my details (DOB annoyingly), and their line goes bad - I know my reception is good, I live next to a mast and do work calls daily. I hear her cut in, saying she's got my number. Sure enough, calls back 5 minutes later, I answer within 5 seconds and I hear her breathing - and she hangs up. I hope & somewhat trust that the genuine ST number is 0345 7 500 500.

Note: 1980's house, 1.5 people reside - if anyone is questioning/advising on bills.

These companies are not making it easy to query matters or have transparency of charges. Charges should have clear links from your bills to an explanation or standard issue if it applies.

Is the only way forward, to use snail mail... does that work?

Stucoupe

NB: tried to edit post. Basically clarifying the EDF bill and the maths. Was paying circa £63/m with the green provider, then jumped up to £84/m when EDF took over in October, which I fully understood and was comfortable with, having researched the market at that time. £84 is what I paid monthly over the last 4 months to EDF.

QrizB

Stucoupe said:

These companies are not making it easy to query matters or have transparency of charges. Charges should have clear links from your bills to an explanation or standard issue if it applies.
Is the only way forward, to use snail mail... does that work?

EDF's web chat works well, in my experience. (Works well for connecting you to EDF's CS - no guarantees that it will get you your desired outcome!)

https://my.edfenergy.com/user/login

I'n not a Severn Trent customer so can't help with them.

Astria

Are you saying they've increased your DD by £380, say that you owe them £380 without evidence, or just added £380 to your annual estimated usage?

MWT

Stucoupe said:

But in addition to paying my monthly rolling bill, they're hitting me with £380 extra - and zero explanation.

The explanation will be in your bill.

Take a look at the meter readings, are they actual or estimates?

Are you giving them monthly readings yourself?

Stucoupe

I'll try live chat if that is the top tip, opposed to snail mail. Presumably it is recorded & saved against your account.

Ultimately I think the calls this week and 4 months ago are wrong, the account cannot have been in credit. I just need to find a 'handler' that can evidence this such that I can comfortably choose to deal with it as a one-off payment.