EDF direct debit raising from £165 to £304 even though I'm in credit - seems excessive

paul19011973

Hi,

I've just received my latest 6 month bill from EDF for September 2022 - February 2023 which shows my charges and payments and shows at the end of the period that I'm £95 in credit.  However, EDF want to raise my direct debit from £160 to £304 per-month.  I was expecting an increase, but this is an almost 100% increase which I consider to be excessive.

So I called customer services and asked them to justify the figure of £304.  Their explanation which included future price increases, my previous energy usage (which I do not consider to be excessive) and their cost estimate of my future energy use of £1,984 for the next six months did not satisfy me, especially their explanation of how they had calculated my future energy use.  

I asked customer services if there was something wrong with my account as they had earlier attempted to raise my direct debit in October 2022 to £557 per-month (this is not a misprint) as they had somehow worked out that I would pay £6,684.00 over 12 months.  However, they were adamant that this was just an error and had no bearing.

I'm wondering what people's opinions are about this level of increase and am I right to consider it excessive or am I missing something?

GingerTim

What is your usage in kwh over the last twelve months?

dunstonh

I've just received my latest 6 month bill from EDF for September 2022 - February 2023 which shows my charges and payments and shows at the end of the period that I'm £95 in credit. 

£95 credit at this time of the year after a very mild Autumn and Winter suggests your payments are too low.

However, EDF want to raise my direct debit from £160 to £304 per-month.  I was expecting an increase, but this is an almost 100% increase which I consider to be excessive.

Why do you think it is excessive?
You have a very low credit balance for the weather we have had.  This indicates your monthly payment is too low.  Plus, costs have gone multiple times over the year.

I'm wondering what people's opinions are about this level of increase and am I right to consider it excessive or am I missing something?

You haven't told us what your annual use is.   So, we cannot say whether the payment is excessive or not.  All we have to go on is how much you have been paying towards your bill and that you have virtually no credit despite the very mild weather.   So, it does appear you are not paying enough.  Without actual readings over a year, we cannot answer your question.

When you contacted the supplier, did you given them a rant or a reasoned discussion?  ie. did you give your annual use, (Add around 20% if using 2022 figures) and then multiple that by April prices and then divide by 12 to show what your monthly cost should be?  

paul19011973

I've checked my usage in kwh on the edf energy hub and I've got the following figures for the period March 2022 - February 2023:

Electricity - 3201 kwh / £1,095
Gas - 2,900 kwh / £352
Overall Cost - £1447

From the above I find EDF's estimate of my energy usage for the six month period of March 2023 - September 2023 of £1,984 to be excessive as it is £500 more than the 12 month period of March 2022 - February 2023.

As I say I am expecting to pay more - maybe 20% or 30% more but not almost 100% more.

I haven't went through the individual invoices for the March 2022 - February 2023 period as I'm assuming they'll match what is shown on the edf energy hub.

victor2

What is EDF's estimate for March to September in kWh for each fuel?
If that is reasonable, then you can look into the rates they are using to arrive at the cost estimate.

pochase

Are you sure that your ga susage is correct? Seems very low for me.

Also if the £1447 is correct, and you have paid a DD of £160pm = £ 1920 annually, why do you only have a credit of £95?  The credit should be much higher,

Robin9

Have you the actual readings March 22 and Feb 23 please ?

Elec sounds right but gas is very low - more typically 12,000

paul19011973

victor2 said:

What is EDF's estimate for March to September in kWh for each fuel?
If that is reasonable, then you can look into the rates they are using to arrive at the cost estimate.

EDF didn't give me an estimate in kwh for each fuel - only a monetary value.

PeterGr

There will only be 3 bills which apply as EDF bills are 6 monthly.  I imagine there is a discrepancy between the energy consumption on the bills and your figures of 3201 kWh (E) and 2900 kWh (G), because at current EPG rates this would be approx. £140 pcm.  That is less than half of what you say EDF want the DD rates to be.

What annual energy consumption totals in kWh do EDF show on this bill and on the August 2022 bill?

2900 kWh for annual gas consumption is low.

victor2

paul19011973 said:

victor2 said:

What is EDF's estimate for March to September in kWh for each fuel?
If that is reasonable, then you can look into the rates they are using to arrive at the cost estimate.

EDF didn't give me an estimate in kwh for each fuel - only a monetary value.

What was the kWh usage in the September 2022 billing, and was it based on actual readings, not estimates?
Use those and your current rates to see what cost that works out at. You presumably had the £400 credit in your last 6 month billing, so ending with just a small credit probably means you weren't paying enough had it not been for the government credit.
The EPG will also have kept your cost down, so maybe EDF didn't consider that when forecasting, or assumed it would increase your cost.

paul19011973

pochase said:

Are you sure that your ga susage is correct? Seems very low for me.

Also if the £1447 is correct, and you have paid a DD of £160pm = £ 1920 annually, why do you only have a credit of £95?  The credit should be much higher,

I've just double-checked the gas usage on the edf energy hub and 2,900 kwh / £352 is correct.

I've attached two screenshots from the edf energy hub to show this.

We instigated energy saving measures such as using very cheap electric panel heaters so the central heating has not been used very much so that could partially explain the low gas usage.

With regard to the credit discrepency, I agree 100%, I'm going off the last invoice I received from EDF