Problems with EDF to Octopus switch

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: EDF billing error - anyone else?.

ChrisFlint

I tried to switch to Octopus today but EDF have raised an objection which has effectively blocked my switch. Only Octopus notified me of this, EDF have made no contact whatsoever. I have tried contacting EDF but their site is so farcical it's proving very difficult, unless I want automated non-answers.
I am currently waiting for one of their agents to respond to me via WhatsApp. What is the world coming to?
I suspect they have blocked the switch because the account is in debit but if that's the case why not just contact me with a settlement amount. As I understand it, switching providers involves them making the necessary arrangements and then sending a settlement amount when they have the final meter readings.
I will update this post when I have finally extracted myself from this utterly ridiculous company. Électricite´de farce!

Robin9

@ChrisFlint   I have asked MSE to split this away from  the original thread.

I think you have answered your own question "I suspect they have blocked the switch because the account is in debit but if that's the case why not just contact me with a settlement amount"  What is the bottom line on your EDF account ? Can you get yourself back into credit

Mobtr

ChrisFlint said:

I tried to switch to Octopus today but EDF have raised an objection which has effectively blocked my switch. Only Octopus notified me of this, EDF have made no contact whatsoever. I have tried contacting EDF but their site is so farcical it's proving very difficult, unless I want automated non-answers.
I am currently waiting for one of their agents to respond to me via WhatsApp. What is the world coming to?
I suspect they have blocked the switch because the account is in debit but if that's the case why not just contact me with a settlement amount. As I understand it, switching providers involves them making the necessary arrangements and then sending a settlement amount when they have the final meter readings.
I will update this post when I have finally extracted myself from this utterly ridiculous company. Électricite´de farce!

If you are paperless there will be a letter on your My Account advising you of the objection. The settlement figure will be the balance on your account, just pay it & you’ll be free to leave 

ChrisFlint

The Agent on WhatsApp quoted a figure of £216.74 to clear the debt which I paid immediately. 
The following two messages then appeared on the account messages page. 

We've put your switch to your chosen supplier on hold for now, as you have an outstanding balance* of £216.74 on your EDF Energy account.

You'll need to pay this balance off in full so that your switch can go ahead. If you don’t clear your balance, your gas supply will stay with us.

We've put your switch to your chosen supplier on hold for now, as you have an outstanding balance* of £. on your EDF Energy account.

You'll need to pay this balance off in full so that your switch can go ahead. If you don’t clear your balance, your electricity supply will stay with us.

They appear to be telling me that the £216.74 the agent quoted me to clear the account has only cleared the electricity account but it really is as clear as mud. Should I make another payment of £216:74, should I wait a few days to see what happens or should I go for another trip down the customer chat service? Answers on a carte postal please. 

Maybe it's just there way of having fun, or getting us back for Azincourt. 

I suppose I'm lucky to have this page to vent and trivialise my extreme frustration at EDF. 

Don't miss the next enthralling episode....

Mstty

@ChrisFlint

This is where ideally you need to know your usage and do the calculations yourself to know for sure what you owe.

However if it's the exact same amount showing as owing that you have just paid it's probably just not been accounted for as yet.

Might be worth chasing them up and going through your bills and meter readings so you can work out exactly what you may owe to allow the switch to happen.

It's becoming clear it is best for everyone to get to know their usage and costs and what they owe and when, unlike the good old days when energy was so cheap it didn't need forensic accountancy.

Robin9

@ChrisFlint You are talking about EDF and their accountancy systems.   My Elec balance rose overnight by £70 - that's the March DD which actually won't leave my bank till March 2nd.

[Deleted User]

ChrisFlint said:

The Agent on WhatsApp quoted a figure of £216.74 to clear the debt which I paid immediately. 
The following two messages then appeared on the account messages page. 

We've put your switch to your chosen supplier on hold for now, as you have an outstanding balance* of £216.74 on your EDF Energy account.

You'll need to pay this balance off in full so that your switch can go ahead. If you don’t clear your balance, your gas supply will stay with us.

We've put your switch to your chosen supplier on hold for now, as you have an outstanding balance* of £. on your EDF Energy account.

You'll need to pay this balance off in full so that your switch can go ahead. If you don’t clear your balance, your electricity supply will stay with us.

They appear to be telling me that the £216.74 the agent quoted me to clear the account has only cleared the electricity account but it really is as clear as mud. Should I make another payment of £216:74, should I wait a few days to see what happens or should I go for another trip down the customer chat service? Answers on a carte postal please. 

Maybe it's just there way of having fun, or getting us back for Azincourt. 

I suppose I'm lucky to have this page to vent and trivialise my extreme frustration at EDF. 

Don't miss the next enthralling episode....

They should not be doing that for consumers on a credit meter. A debit balance only becomes a debt when the consumer has been notified of the debt in writing. A switch should only be stopped if the debt has not been repaid in 28 days.

When the switch goes through then any debit balance is immediately repayable.

Grangewood

Problems with EDF to Octopus switch

My wife's tried 3 times to switch on-line from EDF to Octopus and each time we get this error message,

Looks like there was something wrong with your submission. Please check the following errors and try again.

property - This property is already registered with us (MPAN=110000xxxxxxx).

Octopus have been emailed with this information, but they have not answered. We need to switch before 31Aug23 when our fixed tariff with EDF ends. Suggestions are welcome.

CSI_Yorkshire

Grangewood said:

This property is already registered with us (MPAN=1100008059611).

That means the electricity is already supplied by Octopus.

Grangewood

Grangewood said:

Problems with EDF to Octopus switch

My wife's tried 3 times to switch on-line from EDF to Octopus and each time we get this error message,

Looks like there was something wrong with your submission. Please check the following errors and try again.

property - This property is already registered with us (MPAN=110000xxxxxxx).

Octopus have been emailed with this information, but they have not answered. We need to switch before 31Aug23 when our fixed tariff with EDF ends. Suggestions are welcome.

We have a MyAccount with EDF that shows we have a Direct Debit with them for E & G. Our relationship with them is not a friendly one, because they ask for meter readings and when we submit them they don't believe them and want photos. They don't seem to be able to get readings via the smart meters. I've not been in debt to them, but they keep changing the DD. It's almost impossible to communicate with them, so I want to try another supplier.

Our failed attempts to switch to Octopus suggest to me that the advertised claims that Octopus is easy to Switch to and is a good communicator are false. I've just learnt from the internet that there is a working relationship between EDF and Octopus via Kraken, which I don't understand, but it makes me suspicious. 

I think my best option after all this is to switch to yet a different supplier and hope that I can get a better relationship. At 82 years old I can do without all this hassle!