EDF failed to increase direct debt, told us to do nothing, we're now £2,230 in debt

Robin9

Also in October when you went from a credit of £761 to a debit of £988 in 11 days - even worse if there was a DD at this time.

dunstonh

Robin9 said:

Also in October when you went from a credit of £761 to a debit of £988 in 11 days - even worse if there was a DD at this time.

The OP did a withdrawal at that point and I suspect the credit balance was the usual EDF method of adding monthly payments on to the interim balances but not deducting actual use until a bill is generated.

So, that credit wasn't really a credit as it lacked the previous x (upto 6 months) worth of use but included the monthly payments.  By taking that lump out in October and then having the energy use deducted (either actual use or estimated - we don't know yet), it swung it into a negative position.

Robin9

Life isn't easy when EDF 6 monthly billing is involved. 

A lot of unknowns - estimated/actual reads, annual consumption

wild666

Personally if debt was getting bigger on the account I would have paid a one off payment and increased the DD. To pay the debt off in 12 months that would be £186 per month then whatever the DD would be for 12 months usage £158 is obviously too low for the monthly DD, just adding one twelfth of the £2300 plus the £158 would mean a monthly DD of £344. 
I would look at turning off everything in standby mode except the fridge and freezer, if you have gas look at reducing the temperature of the water flowing through the radiator as well as from the hot water taps and lower the thermostat to as low as you feel comfortable with. In my case it's 40 degrees for the water through the radiators and 16 degrees for the thermostat last winter and the hot water taps also at 40 degrees. 

Robin9

@wild666 Your suggestions are fine but OP has already moved out. 

Mobtr

dunstonh said:

Robin9 said:

Also in October when you went from a credit of £761 to a debit of £988 in 11 days - even worse if there was a DD at this time.

The OP did a withdrawal at that point and I suspect the credit balance was the usual EDF method of adding monthly payments on to the interim balances but not deducting actual use until a bill is generated.

So, that credit wasn't really a credit as it lacked the previous x (upto 6 months) worth of use but included the monthly payments.  By taking that lump out in October and then having the energy use deducted (either actual use or estimated - we don't know yet), it swung it into a negative position.

EDF systems can’t issue a refund unless a bill has been produced in the previous 28 days, so either the account had been estimated or an incorrect read given which created an incorrect credit 

Helen1234567

Thanks all. We’ve escalated within EDF and spoken to the Ombudsman. 

victor2

Helen1234567 said:

Thanks all. We’ve escalated within EDF and spoken to the Ombudsman. 

Thanks for the update. Please do let us know the outcome.