Charged twice for the same Gas! EDF turning blind eye.

BerndBrot

I am about to make a complaint about EDF to Ofgem (I guess), or maybe to my MP because they are blanking me on my gas bill.  Here's the situation:

I was with Green Network Energy and had been since 2018, but they went bust and the account got transferred over to EDF around April 2021. GNE did not forward me a final bill at the time (they had sent me regular quarterly bills previously until November 2020).  My direct debits continued to be paid over throughout the period, although EDF increased the level from 173.00 to 394.00 back in August 2020.

At the end of Jan 2022, I submitted meter readings to EDF to get my bills readjusted, after which I submitted further readings over the next few weeks as they seem to have 'lost' them.  They only acknowledged the electricity reading and didn't acknowledge the gas reading.  Long story short, it took me until 23 February to get a bill reflecting the gas read and 1 March to get a bill reflecting the electricity read.

I calculated it and around 1000.00 of money paid over via direct debit was still unaccounted for so I questioned EDF about where it went.  Turns out, they paid it against the final GNE bill (estimated) when they took over the account and they forwarded it to me on Monday (4 April, 2022).  

This GNE bill shows my estimated gas meter at 22991 as of 6 April, 2021.  The meter reading I sent to EDF on 7 February 2022 (which EDF acknowledged and used to calculate the gas bill of 23 February, 2022) was 22025.  I complained to EDF about this via their Whatsapp chat (they only way I can maintain a record of my correspondence with them), but their attitude seems to be they paid GNE out of our direct debits to settle that bill and don't care about the consequences of that, and we owe them for what we used in the period between 6 April 2021 and 7 February 2022, despite the meter estimates and reads showing that this would result in me paying twice for the same units of gas.  The situation with the electricity is similar but less obvious as the overlap is probably around 2000 kwh rather than a full year's worth of consumption.

Yes, that's:
6 April, 2021 - 22991 (E)
7 February, 2022 - 22025 (Read, with photo)

I realise there has been about 9 months to figure out where the money is as far as I have been able to, and I could have been quicker off the mark on this, but energy seems to be largely averaged out over 12 months, so I hope I'm not too late to deal with this.  What do you advise I should do?

BerndBrot

*August 2021 for the monthly increase in direct debit.

rawy

Speak to EDF complaints resolution, they will email a copy of what you discuss on phone. UK based too - 0333 200 5101

Sorted out my botched move from Avro via Octopus. 

Rawy

MWT

You path to a resolution is via a formal complaint to EDF, followed by taking it to the Ombudsman at the end of their process or when they agree to send you a 'deadlock' letter if it cannot be resolved.

... but, something is still wrong with those figures.

If your meter readings have 5 digits your have a metric metre reading in cubic metres (m3).

The difference in those two readings doesn't amount to anything close to £1,000, so does the final GNE bill using that estimated reading show a total amount that is close to £1,000 ?

BerndBrot

Thank you for your advice.  Yes, I have made one complaint to EDF already, and got a reference number and a response from the Online Team Floor Supervisor, so they have closed this complaint.  This complaint came off the Whatsapp chat to EDF, so I don't know if that is the formal complaints procedure, but I will open a new one.

The point about the two readings was that I paid GNE for gas up to 22991 (E) back in 6 April, 2021  through my direct debits.  I have continued to pay EDF through direct debit until March 2022 (when frustration got the better of me and I cancelled it, but have always continued contacting EDF) for gas and electricity all the way through March 2022, and they have issued me a bill for usage to 22025 (R) on 23 February, 2022.  

If I have already paid GNE for gas usage up to 22991 (E), why am I paying EDF simultaneously for gas usage up to 22025 (R)?  Remember, the handover and billing was all handled by EDF, so I'm guessing they settled up with GNE with my money, but back estimated based on usage averages to roll back an estimated meter read for 6 April, 2021 to produce an EDF for the same energy to reflect the meter read of 22025.  That, and they (nor anyone else) didn't release the final GNE bill to me until I pressed them for the discrepancy between my direct debit amounts and the billed amount, on Monday 4 April.  

I accept I should have provided a meter read in Spring, 2021 to prevent dispute, but anecdotally from reading other EDF related threads here, it seems that they probably would have lost it anyway.  I still think I have a complaint and I'll follow the procedures recommended above.

By the way, the final GNE bill for gas back in April, 2021 was 974.xx.

MWT

Your case is clear, they need to use the closing reading from GNE as their opening reading, or assist you with getting the GNE reading adjusted.

As SoLR they can't just duck the issue.