Elderly relative charged £3000 by EDF for utilities for first month in sheltered accommodation

bagand96

wild666 said:

Another option is that the person moving out gave the supplier false readings from the meter when they moved out and the person moving in has been hit with a large bill  that is mainly from the other person saying their final bill is less than the reading on the meter to try and pay less and the new tenant is lumped with paying a chunk of their usage.

When moving into a new property always take meter readings ASAP on the completion date and take a photo of the readings that includes the meter number.  

This occurred to me too, an incorrect reading from the previous occupant whether deliberately in error. Or no reading was provided and the "handover" reading was estimated, and wildly out. 

plumpplop

First of all many apologies to you all for not replying sooner.  I hate it when the OP doesn't come back with an update and lo and behold I have done the same. Sorry.
Thank you for all the comments and suggestions - here is an update.
Suffice it to say than when I went to my relatives living address and started looking at the paperwork it was all very different what what she had told me.
First off she didn't take any readings when she completed on the property.  It had been empty for 7 years prior as the previous occupants were in a nursing home so she didn't see any need.  Lesson for everyone here - take a reading/photo of your meter on the first day.
Second the bills referred to the period May 2021 to June 2022 not the one month originally told.
She changed suppliers and got a smart meter installed in June 2022.
The bills she showed me were all based on estimated readings from initial supplier EDF and a final reading when the meter was removed. Showing a balance outstanding of over £3,500.
As the meter had been removed there was no option to test the meter for accuracy or investigate if it was wrong.
However in conversation with the complaints lady at EDF it transpires they have access to the readings from the Smart meter for the property even though it is another supplier and she could use this to calculate a daily usage and was prepared to back calculate the EDF bill on this usage. This seemed such an excellent suggestion it didn't occur to me until now how surprising it was that she could access that information. 
The upshot of it all is that rather than a bill for £3500 my relative will be getting a credit of £370.  again my relative didn't tell me she had already paid EDF something.
I am waiting for the cheque and all the written confirmation to arrive before I check it all.  I think she should be due some compensation payment for the distress this has caused.
Thank all once again

Robin9

.................  I think she should be due some compensation payment for the distress this has caused.
Thank all once again

Thank you for the update -  just shows how important those initial move-in readings are.

I suggest the boot is on the other foot re compensation - she should be compensating you and EDF , after all it was her error.

[Deleted User]

Great that it's all been sorted - but I'm not with you on the compensation.

Sounds like they've gone out of their way to fix the problem as soon as it was sensibly discussed resulting in a bill credit that they didn't have to give.

And you're still wanting compo for "distress"?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

thanks for update, some folks just forget.

Good result.

Mobtr

What level of compensation are you looking for considering EDF didn’t really do anything wrong & fixed the issue as soon at it was brought to their attention? 

The_Fat_Controller

Compo ?

I don't think so in this case, EDF have gone above and beyond in getting things sorted.

Just be happy and make sure your relative now keeps on top of the bills.

plumpplop

Thanks for the further comments. It showed me that no matter  how apparently competent they may appear on the outside some older people just try to hide the mess they are in.
She was in such a state of worry about it and ashamed of the the "debt". She told me that she'd barely been sleeping for weeks for worrying about it but that she'd not told anyone.
I felt so sorry for her which I was looking for ways to compensate her for her distress.  But I guess you are right, she bought it all on herself.  I hope she has learnt her lesson and in future will ask for help when she needs it rather than let it fester.

[Deleted User]

plumpplop said:

Thanks for the further comments. It showed me that no matter  how apparently competent they may appear on the outside some older people just try to hide the mess they are in.
She was in such a state of worry about it and ashamed of the the "debt". She told me that she'd barely been sleeping for weeks for worrying about it but that she'd not told anyone.
I felt so sorry for her which I was looking for ways to compensate her for her distress.  But I guess you are right, she bought it all on herself.  I hope she has learnt her lesson and in future will ask for help when she needs it rather than let it fester.

Hi,

thanks for that, old folks are very independent, but now that you've helped will maybe be more forthcoming if any other problems.

Just keep checking in. 

Miser1964

Sounds like relatives should be thinking about a Power of Attorney order, at least for financial affairs if not wellbeing too.