EDF how is this right?

liddyloo

Has anyone had a similar issue and got any where with it please?

My mum is 65, on benefits and gets £400 a month. (Old ESA, not entitled to pension credit)

On 1st June she called EDF to reset her direct debit. An agreement was made for £150 a month which was £134 to cover on going costs (gas and elec for a 2 bed bungalow) and £16 towards paying off debt which would take 13 months. It was confirmed by email on 2nd June.

The first amount was due to come out yesterday and she got a shock when they took £229 - which also took her overdrawn and somehow the bank have allowed it. 

We called 3 tines to try and sort it out and were cut off every time at some point in the conversation. We've used Whatsapp and tried the online app. It would seem "the system" generated another bill of the extra amount on 3rd June. Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged. 

We keep going around in circles with them asking how this is right. She now has £5.64 to last her another two weeks until her next benefits payment. They say yes the direct debit is set for £150 then we query the extra and suddenly "oh yes, that has to be paid" but we made an agreement, "yes but The System..." 

How can you make an agreement and then have money added on?? How is this right? I'm quite frankly at my wits end with it today as I am also on benefits but now have to somehow find the extra money to cover our outgoings for the next two weeks. It just all feels so wrong 

Mstty

If EDF did not give notice of the direct debit increase of £229 they are in the wrong and you need to raise a complaint with them.

Advise them of all bank fees and make sure you get a complaint reference.

Check all emails/snail mail just incase before doing the above.

MattMattMattUK

liddyloo said:

Has anyone had a similar issue and got any where with it please?

My mum is 65, on benefits and gets £400 a month. (Old ESA, not entitled to pension credit)

On 1st June she called EDF to reset her direct debit. An agreement was made for £150 a month which was £134 to cover on going costs (gas and elec for a 2 bed bungalow) and £16 towards paying off debt which would take 13 months. It was confirmed by email on 2nd June.

The first amount was due to come out yesterday and she got a shock when they took £229 - which also took her overdrawn and somehow the bank have allowed it. 

We called 3 tines to try and sort it out and were cut off every time at some point in the conversation. We've used Whatsapp and tried the online app. It would seem "the system" generated another bill of the extra amount on 3rd June. Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged. 

We keep going around in circles with them asking how this is right. She now has £5.64 to last her another two weeks until her next benefits payment. They say yes the direct debit is set for £150 then we query the extra and suddenly "oh yes, that has to be paid" but we made an agreement, "yes but The System..." 

How can you make an agreement and then have money added on?? How is this right? I'm quite frankly at my wits end with it today as I am also on benefits but now have to somehow find the extra money to cover our outgoings for the next two weeks. It just all feels so wrong 

It does depend exactly how/what was agreed, it does not help that your mother ignored the email as they could have probably prevented the issue if she read the email before it occurred, but not after. I cannot see this being covered by the Direct Debit guarantee unfortunately. 

Are you sure your mum is only getting £400 pcm? Based on UC she would be entitled to more than that if she has no other income or savings. She would not be entitled to Pension Credit as she is not old enough to claim the State Pension, however it may well be worth running her through a benefits calculator to see what she should be receiving. 

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Going forward make sure she/you submit regular meter readings and also take account of the future energy price rises to make sure there is not additional debt as the £134 will likely not be enough to cover usage over the winter with increased usage and unit rates. 

MattMattMattUK

Mstty said:

If EDF did not give notice of the direct debit increase of £229 they are in the wrong and you need to raise a complaint with them.

Advise them of all bank fees and make sure you get a complaint reference.

Check all emails/snail mail just incase before doing the above.

Unfortunately it appears that they did but the OP's mother did not read it.

liddyloo said:

Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged.

Mstty

MattMattMattUK said:

Mstty said:

If EDF did not give notice of the direct debit increase of £229 they are in the wrong and you need to raise a complaint with them.

Advise them of all bank fees and make sure you get a complaint reference.

Check all emails/snail mail just incase before doing the above.

Unfortunately it appears that they did but the OP's mother did not read it.

liddyloo said:

Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged.

Such a shame, thanks for clarifying 👍

pochase

Mstty said:

If EDF did not give notice of the direct debit increase of £229 they are in the wrong and you need to raise a complaint with them.

Advise them of all bank fees and make sure you get a complaint reference.

Check all emails/snail mail just incase before doing the above.

It seems they have send a new invoice with the changed amount on 3rd of June into her account. 

 It would seem "the system" generated another bill of the extra amount on 3rd June. Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged. 

and this would be valid notification. Another question is if they can just go back on payment agreement they made.

@liddyloo have you checked if the direct debit is correct? I assume it is SVT? What was her usage over the last 12 months? Does she submit regular meter readings or have a smart meter? Are the billed amounts estimates or real readings?

There will the £400 grant everybody gets, but you say she is on benefits. What type of benefits? Will she also get the £650?

Also the amount taken seems to be wrong. You are saying with £16 payments it will take 13 months, that means she still owed £208. If they have taken £229 and the normal DD amount is £134, only £95 of this debt is paid of and she still owes £113. What does the bill say in this regard.

Usually EDF will take outstanding debt over the next 6 month after the direct debit review, so an agreement for 13 months seems strange on its own. Might be that the agent tried to do something that their system does not allow.

Ozzig

EDF "systems" are really poor, the email address I signed up with does not have a dot in the prefix and I have never received an automated email from them. 

I selected to receive meter reading reminders via SMS (I have an old BG SMETS1) as they confirmed they could not use my smart meter - never received one SMS.

Months later whilst regularly logging in I see a message I don't need to submit a reading as the smart meters work. (I immediately submitted two readings )

Ever since both meters show "status good" in "my account" but the gas always shows as not available in "Energy hub" - it then explains it can take a few weeks to sort itself out - it's been like that for 9 months !

As soon as things stabilise a bit I'll be moving on.

Been logging in every few weeks and checking nothing untoward has happened.

liddyloo

MattMattMattUK said:

liddyloo said:

Has anyone had a similar issue and got any where with it please?

My mum is 65, on benefits and gets £400 a month. (Old ESA, not entitled to pension credit)

On 1st June she called EDF to reset her direct debit. An agreement was made for £150 a month which was £134 to cover on going costs (gas and elec for a 2 bed bungalow) and £16 towards paying off debt which would take 13 months. It was confirmed by email on 2nd June.

The first amount was due to come out yesterday and she got a shock when they took £229 - which also took her overdrawn and somehow the bank have allowed it. 

We called 3 tines to try and sort it out and were cut off every time at some point in the conversation. We've used Whatsapp and tried the online app. It would seem "the system" generated another bill of the extra amount on 3rd June. Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged. 

We keep going around in circles with them asking how this is right. She now has £5.64 to last her another two weeks until her next benefits payment. They say yes the direct debit is set for £150 then we query the extra and suddenly "oh yes, that has to be paid" but we made an agreement, "yes but The System..." 

How can you make an agreement and then have money added on?? How is this right? I'm quite frankly at my wits end with it today as I am also on benefits but now have to somehow find the extra money to cover our outgoings for the next two weeks. It just all feels so wrong 

It does depend exactly how/what was agreed, it does not help that your mother ignored the email as they could have probably prevented the issue if she read the email before it occurred, but not after. I cannot see this being covered by the Direct Debit guarantee unfortunately. 

Are you sure your mum is only getting £400 pcm? Based on UC she would be entitled to more than that if she has no other income or savings. She would not be entitled to Pension Credit as she is not old enough to claim the State Pension, however it may well be worth running her through a benefits calculator to see what she should be receiving. 

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Going forward make sure she/you submit regular meter readings and also take account of the future energy price rises to make sure there is not additional debt as the £134 will likely not be enough to cover usage over the winter with increased usage and unit rates. 

Yes, she is on the old ESA in the not fit to work category. We've looked before (as I'm on UC and get more than her) but she's always been on the maximum she is entitled to. She's waiting on a PIP decision currently which would be a huge help. 

She didn't ignore an email as such. The letter was added to her account and as she had the agreement email wasn't aware/didn't think she would need to check her account for anything. I've suggested she opt out of paperless to stop this kind of thing happening in the future. 

liddyloo

Mstty said:

If EDF did not give notice of the direct debit increase of £229 they are in the wrong and you need to raise a complaint with them.

Advise them of all bank fees and make sure you get a complaint reference.

Check all emails/snail mail just incase before doing the above.

The added a letter to her account the day after she had the confirmation email. She had no reason to sign into her account so didn't see it. It seems to be a one off charge rather than a change of direct debit and I just can't understand how that's allowed.  

MattMattMattUK

liddyloo said:

MattMattMattUK said:

liddyloo said:

Has anyone had a similar issue and got any where with it please?

My mum is 65, on benefits and gets £400 a month. (Old ESA, not entitled to pension credit)

On 1st June she called EDF to reset her direct debit. An agreement was made for £150 a month which was £134 to cover on going costs (gas and elec for a 2 bed bungalow) and £16 towards paying off debt which would take 13 months. It was confirmed by email on 2nd June.

The first amount was due to come out yesterday and she got a shock when they took £229 - which also took her overdrawn and somehow the bank have allowed it. 

We called 3 tines to try and sort it out and were cut off every time at some point in the conversation. We've used Whatsapp and tried the online app. It would seem "the system" generated another bill of the extra amount on 3rd June. Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged. 

We keep going around in circles with them asking how this is right. She now has £5.64 to last her another two weeks until her next benefits payment. They say yes the direct debit is set for £150 then we query the extra and suddenly "oh yes, that has to be paid" but we made an agreement, "yes but The System..." 

How can you make an agreement and then have money added on?? How is this right? I'm quite frankly at my wits end with it today as I am also on benefits but now have to somehow find the extra money to cover our outgoings for the next two weeks. It just all feels so wrong 

It does depend exactly how/what was agreed, it does not help that your mother ignored the email as they could have probably prevented the issue if she read the email before it occurred, but not after. I cannot see this being covered by the Direct Debit guarantee unfortunately. 

Are you sure your mum is only getting £400 pcm? Based on UC she would be entitled to more than that if she has no other income or savings. She would not be entitled to Pension Credit as she is not old enough to claim the State Pension, however it may well be worth running her through a benefits calculator to see what she should be receiving. 

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Going forward make sure she/you submit regular meter readings and also take account of the future energy price rises to make sure there is not additional debt as the £134 will likely not be enough to cover usage over the winter with increased usage and unit rates. 

Yes, she is on the old ESA in the not fit to work category. We've looked before (as I'm on UC and get more than her) but she's always been on the maximum she is entitled to. She's waiting on a PIP decision currently which would be a huge help. 

I really would advise you to check again and perhaps get your mother to speak to Citizens Advice. As far as I understand it someone who is unfit for work and with no assets would get more than £400 pcm. The only reason she would not is if she has assets/savings she refuses to use, she is classed as now able to work but is not seeking, or she is not claiming everything she should be. 

liddyloo said:

She didn't ignore an email as such. The letter was added to her account and as she had the agreement email wasn't aware/didn't think she would need to check her account for anything. I've suggested she opt out of paperless to stop this kind of thing happening in the future. 

liddyloo said:

Mstty said:

If EDF did not give notice of the direct debit increase of £229 they are in the wrong and you need to raise a complaint with them.

Advise them of all bank fees and make sure you get a complaint reference.

Check all emails/snail mail just incase before doing the above.

The added a letter to her account the day after she had the confirmation email. She had no reason to sign into her account so didn't see it. It seems to be a one off charge rather than a change of direct debit and I just can't understand how that's allowed.  

I am with EDF and when you get one of those messages in your account they also email you to tell you that you have a message/letter waiting for you. Paper or paperless makes little difference if one does not read the correspondence and snail mail is far more likely to go missing. 

liddyloo

pochase said:

Mstty said:

If EDF did not give notice of the direct debit increase of £229 they are in the wrong and you need to raise a complaint with them.

Advise them of all bank fees and make sure you get a complaint reference.

Check all emails/snail mail just incase before doing the above.

It seems they have send a new invoice with the changed amount on 3rd of June into her account. 

 It would seem "the system" generated another bill of the extra amount on 3rd June. Mum (unwisely) is paperless so they put the letter on her account but she didn't know to look as thought it was all arranged. 

and this would be valid notification. Another question is if they can just go back on payment agreement they made.

@liddyloo have you checked if the direct debit is correct? I assume it is SVT? What was her usage over the last 12 months? Does she submit regular meter readings or have a smart meter? Are the billed amounts estimates or real readings?

There will the £400 grant everybody gets, but you say she is on benefits. What type of benefits? Will she also get the £650?

Also the amount taken seems to be wrong. You are saying with £16 payments it will take 13 months, that means she still owed £208. If they have taken £229 and the normal DD amount is £134, only £95 of this debt is paid of and she still owes £113. What does the bill say in this regard.

Usually EDF will take outstanding debt over the next 6 month after the direct debit review, so an agreement for 13 months seems strange on its own. Might be that the agent tried to do something that their system does not allow.

I'm sorry I don't know what SVT is. 

The direct debit amount was agreed for £150 (it's actually been agreed twice now but that's another story!) £134 for future usage and £16 towards the outstanding debt. It's been confirmed that the direct debit is set for £150 so the extra 70 odd was a one off charge but that never came up in conversation when making the DD. She asked multiple times if it included everything and was told yes so I can understand why she didn't sign into her account. We were told when we called that the system generated the new bill triggered by the DD set up. I fail to understand why and how the amount wasn't flagged when the advisor went through all the figures. Mum had the phone on speaker so I heard the conversation and the advisor was really clear that £150 covered everything. I've suggested she opt out of paperless to avoid this happening in the future. I'm surprised there aren't email notifications to let people know there's a letter on their account like with other systems but I guess that's asking a bit much. Mums on benefits due to her mental health and because of her mental health I can also understand why she didn't think to check her account for a letter too. 

She will get the £400, I believe she will get the £650 too but it's unclear as they keep saying "per household" and both of us in the house are on benefits. She's on old style ESA (income based) She's applied for PIP but is still waiting for a result. 

We have smart meters. It all seems to be correct but our usage is very high. We downsized from a 3 bedroom house where I ran a food business from (so high electric usage) to a two bedroom bungalow in 2020 (so before the price hikes) the energy costs have been more for the bungalow than the house was by quite a bit. We've just had the insulation checked and found there's some in the roof but it's under regulations and theres hardly anything left in the walls so that's being redone in July. (We're housing association) Personally I don't think the gas/boiler is right. I can't explain why, it's just a gut feeling but we've been told it's fine by the crappy HA contractors. 

Energy bills have been a nightmare since we moved here! The previous tenant was with SSE and when the utilities where uncapped someone at SSE cocked up and tied mum into a contract she hadn't signed up for. It took months to get it sorted.