EDF customer service - shocked

twopenny

Been with them for decades and stayed because of their very good customer service and it was simple and easy. Was thinking of going dual fuel for that very reason.

I got two letters arrive - one for meter reading.

Will take 2mins I thought. "We;ve been making changes to make it easier for you" the message says. "What's your new account number"

Seems they've changed my account number and the phone number that were on the letter. So phone call - wrong number. Phone new number - wrong account number.

Look for a phone number so I can sort this but none apparant.

Went online but there's no online chat.

Tried to get into my account but the password was rejected.

New password request didn't come through.

Searched my email for info and both were in my Junk Folder along with a bill.........the bill gave an estimated figure with no detail as to usage or standing charge - how they arrived at that figure.

Tried to make a complaint.....seems they use an Outlook programme that I'm not signed into or paying for.

So instead of 2 mins it's been nearly 2hrs and my payg couple of phone calls.

Seems the company has changed, want you to use a smart meter/direct debit/app none of which suit me.

So you can imagine my mood especially as it was to be my special relaxing afternoon today.

Anyhow, that is appauling service. Complete turn about.

Now I need somewhere to go. Looked up fuel companies with good customer service.......the nearest seems to be Octopus that they too are getting less praise this year and becoming more completed it seems.

My pension gets paid monthly and paying quarterly was good, even at a little more expensive but suited my situation.

Question is where now?

BG is uncontactable when there's a problem, EDF is a mess and similar contactwise if not worse. I want something straightforward.

My experience when working and dealing with the company DD and friends was that they put up your payment till they are holding your money in large quantities. You change the amount and they up it again without authority. It kept me in employment dealing with it.

Variable direct debits seem to be random and not based on how much you use.

Seems from my searches that the payment methods are becoming squeezed to less choice.

How do I find a variable quaterly direct debit that is payment for what I've used ie a meter reading? Is there such a thing?

dealyboy

Sorry to hear about these problems twopenny.

I'm with EDF and would suggest trying to sort these things out with them.

I have copied these from the website ...

............................................................................................................................................................

Contact us - For home

We hope you'll find all the answers you need in our online Help Centre – but you can also get in touch.

Find help and contact information for your SME business – or large business.

Help and Support centreAvailable 24/7

MyAccountAvailable 24/7

EDF AppAvailable 24/7

WhatsAppMonday to Friday 7am-11pm; weekends 8am-8pm.

TextMonday to Friday 7am-11pm; weekends 8am-8pm.

CallOpen Monday to Friday 8am-6pm

CallOpen Monday to Friday 8am-6pm

     General Enquiries       Make a payment       Give a meter reading       Check your balance       Get a new tariff       Get help with debt       Ask about Smart Pay As You Go       Ask about prepayment (not smart)       Save energy       Ask about your smart meter       Get a smart meter installed       Ask about Priority Services       Ask about the Warm Home Discount       Get independent debt advice  

General Enquiries

General Enquiry

Call: 0333 200 5100(3)
Monday to Friday 8am-6pm

Want to miss our busy times? Avoid calling on a Monday morning and at lunchtimes (11am-2pm).

Do you have hearing difficulties? Call our text telephone service on 0800 096 2929(3) – open Monday to Friday 8am-6pm

......................................................................................................................................................

You can e-mail them at customer_correspondence@edfenergy.com, their telephone number is above and is the one I have used before (unfortunately no freephone no.).

They should be able to identify you by your name, house number and postcode, if you give them those either on the phone or by e-mail.

... As you will know energy companies can be very hit and miss for customer service, especially when things go wrong, I have had my fair share. It may be worth giving EDF another go at sorting out the problem, they do have a 'whole of bill' monthly payment method by DD (I know), which I have. It may not be the best time to switch when outstanding issues might complicate things.

Good luck 

Gerry1

Octopus are good and offer Variable Direct Debit.  Sending a meter reading triggers a bill.

If you send quarterly meter readings that might just do the trick; they will send an estimated bill after three months if you haven't sent a reading.

Not guaranteed because you'd be playing the system, but could be worth a try.

pseudodox

I have been with EDF for 8 months on monthly whole bill paid by DD.  Everything hunky dory until a glitch 2 weeks ago.  I sent a WhatsApp message & got a polite reply within 5 hours & it was all sorted out.  Perhaps you could try that?  My monthly bills have been accurate to my submitted readings, to within a few pence also of my spreadsheet calculations (+/- depending on rounding)

Don't think anyone is now offering quarterly whole bills & sadly the world is becoming more orientated around apps which I have now (somewhat reluctantly) accepted.

Mobtr

twopenny said:

Been with them for decades and stayed because of their very good customer service and it was simple and easy. Was thinking of going dual fuel for that very reason.

I got two letters arrive - one for meter reading.

Will take 2mins I thought. "We;ve been making changes to make it easier for you" the message says. "What's your new account number"

Seems they've changed my account number and the phone number that were on the letter. So phone call - wrong number. Phone new number - wrong account number.

Look for a phone number so I can sort this but none apparant.

Went online but there's no online chat.

Tried to get into my account but the password was rejected.

New password request didn't come through.

Searched my email for info and both were in my Junk Folder along with a bill.........the bill gave an estimated figure with no detail as to usage or standing charge - how they arrived at that figure.

Tried to make a complaint.....seems they use an Outlook programme that I'm not signed into or paying for.

So instead of 2 mins it's been nearly 2hrs and my payg couple of phone calls.

Seems the company has changed, want you to use a smart meter/direct debit/app none of which suit me.

So you can imagine my mood especially as it was to be my special relaxing afternoon today.

Anyhow, that is appauling service. Complete turn about.

Now I need somewhere to go. Looked up fuel companies with good customer service.......the nearest seems to be Octopus that they too are getting less praise this year and becoming more completed it seems.

My pension gets paid monthly and paying quarterly was good, even at a little more expensive but suited my situation.

Question is where now?

BG is uncontactable when there's a problem, EDF is a mess and similar contactwise if not worse. I want something straightforward.

My experience when working and dealing with the company DD and friends was that they put up your payment till they are holding your money in large quantities. You change the amount and they up it again without authority. It kept me in employment dealing with it.

Variable direct debits seem to be random and not based on how much you use.

Seems from my searches that the payment methods are becoming squeezed to less choice.

How do I find a variable quaterly direct debit that is payment for what I've used ie a meter reading? Is there such a thing?

Sounds like you have been transferred onto their new system. 

Unfortunately EDF no longer offer quarterly billing it’s all monthly now. 

You can set up a monthly variable direct debit with them & as long as you give reads you’ll only pay for what you use. 

Don’t think any company do quarterly anymore 

bob2302

twopenny said:

My pension gets paid monthly and paying quarterly was good, even at a little more expensive but suited my situation.

...

My experience when working and dealing with the company DD and friends was that they put up your payment till they are holding your money in large quantities. You change the amount and they up it again without authority. It kept me in employment dealing with it.

Variable direct debits seem to be random and not based on how much you use.

That first sentence doesn't make much sense.

Most people like to pay regular amounts throughout the year and inevitably this involves building up credit in the summer.  If you don't like that you can pay for what you use, and this will seem more random because usage is more erratic on that scale; however, in terms of the flow of money out of your account it's much smoother than paying nothing for two months and catching up on the third.

MattMattMattUK

I cannot really establish what your complaint is, is it largely them stopping quarterly billing? In which case all suppliers are doing that. Other than that is largely appears to be an incoherent rant based on some things you have read on different parts of the internet.

[Deleted User]

EDF has started the migration of customers from its existing antediluvian billing system to a platform leased from Octopus Technologies. The new system is known as Kraken and it is currently used to bill Octopus customers around the World, and by Good Energy; E.on Next and now EDF in the UK. The platform, if used properly, offers monthly billing; account access via API and it is configured to allow suppliers to offer time-of-use tariffs. I am currently on an Octopus tariff based on 3 daily periods and prices for both import and export. All billing is done on 30 minute usage not meter index readings.

twopenny

Thank you for the information, that's useful.
So I can submit a reading every month - which is really intrusive on my time and I'd have to fire up my old laptop to do it or go direct debit where they seem to raise the amount even if you are in credit.
Is that so?

My rant, yes I was furious,  that they changed the contact number, changed my account number and changed my password without informing me. 
Took my time and money to find out how the heck to pay before they made it my fault for not paying.
My biggest grievance with fuel companies is that it has become impossible to communicate with them if there is a problem all of which to date come from their errors some of which were serious.

I don't need an updated smart phone and only basic internet. Paying for that to communicate with them is nuts.
I don't have this problem with any other aspect of my life.

Thanks again for giving me the slim options 

Paying quarterly suits me, would take 7mins in all to give a reading and pay the corrected bill.

CSI_Yorkshire

twopenny said:

Thank you for the information, that's useful.
So I can submit a reading every month - which is really intrusive on my time and I'd have to fire up my old laptop to do it or go direct debit where they seem to raise the amount even if you are in credit.
Is that so?

My rant, yes I was furious,  that they changed the contact number, changed my account number and changed my password without informing me. 
Took my time and money to find out how the heck to pay before they made it my fault for not paying.
My biggest grievance with fuel companies is that it has become impossible to communicate with them if there is a problem all of which to date come from their errors some of which were serious.

I don't need an updated smart phone and only basic internet. Paying for that to communicate with them is nuts.
I don't have this problem with any other aspect of my life.

Thanks again for giving me the slim options 

Paying quarterly suits me, would take 7mins in all to give a reading and pay the corrected bill.

I'm not sure the difference between 7 minutes a quarter and 7 minutes a month is going to wreck your life.

Spoonie_Turtle

twopenny said:

So I can submit a reading every month - which is really intrusive on my time and I'd have to fire up my old laptop to do it or go direct debit where they seem to raise the amount even if you are in credit.

…

Paying quarterly suits me, would take 7mins in all to give a reading and pay the corrected bill.

How are you accessing this website?  You can do exactly the same and just navigate to their site to give a reading.  Or you should be able to - we're with Octopus who are probably the most forward-thinking and tech-minded supplier right now and even they don't make it necessary to use an app to manage one's account, I do it all via internet browser.