Confused about my standing charges - higher than the price cap, but EDF says they're right?

SDL2023

Hi folks, 

I own my flat. I am on a Deemed Economy 7 tariff for electricity and I have PAYG for gas. 

My standing charges are 58.37p/day for electricity and 37p/day for gas. I phoned up EDF Energy to query this, as these are higher than the energy price caps as shown on Ofgem's website. As far as I can tell, I should be eligible for these. 

The person I spoke to at EDF was pretty useless and didn't make a whole lot of sense, and kept insisting that it was right and determined by EDF themselves. I'm just bewildered by the different tariffs and I've come away confused. I tried to get advice on what the most cost effective solution was for me and I was literally ignored (as in, I explained my position then there was a long pause on the line before the guy eventually said, 'Is there anything else I can help you with?'. 

I am temporarily moving out as I'll be a student and moving elsewhere. There will be no tenant in my flat until Christmas. I'll be using virtually no gas and electricity for the next few months and so I was obviously keen to find out what the best deal was for me, and paying high standing charges when I'm not using any utilities is a waste of money. 

Bottom line is, are EDF right to be charging me these standing charges? I just don't understand this.

Thanks everyone,
SDL

la531983

What region are you in please?

dunstonh

My standing charges are 58.37p/day for electricity and 37p/day for gas. I phoned up EDF Energy to query this, as these are higher than the energy price caps as shown on Ofgem's website.

Ofcom shows the national average on its main front page.  It doesn't show the regional price caps. 

I suspect you are not looking at the right price cap.  i.e. you are looking national average rather than the one for your region as EDF are not breaching any price cap.

Spoonie_Turtle

As you have gas, are you able to make good use of the Economy 7 night rate, or might you be better off on single rate?  (Not that there's much difference in standing charges between single rare and E7, but just thinking in a wider sense whether your electricity is costing you more than it needs to.)

la531983

I suspect the OP is in the South West region. 

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9714/CBP-9714.pdf

Page 30.

dealyboy

@dunstonh said:

My standing charges are 58.37p/day for electricity and 37p/day for gas. I phoned up EDF Energy to query this, as these are higher than the energy price caps as shown on Ofgem's website.

Ofcom shows the national average on its main front page.  It doesn't show the regional price caps. 

I suspect you are not looking at the right price cap.  i.e. you are looking national average rather than the one for your region as EDF are not breaching any price cap.

Or you ... 

Gerry1

Beware of the gas prepayment meter cutting off the supply if the standing charge means you've used all your credit.

If there's a long cold snap you probably wouldn't get burst pipes because it's a flat, but you might get mould which wouldn't make it attractive to a tenant.

dunstonh

dealyboy said:

@dunstonh said:

My standing charges are 58.37p/day for electricity and 37p/day for gas. I phoned up EDF Energy to query this, as these are higher than the energy price caps as shown on Ofgem's website.

Ofcom shows the national average on its main front page.  It doesn't show the regional price caps. 

I suspect you are not looking at the right price cap.  i.e. you are looking national average rather than the one for your region as EDF are not breaching any price cap.

Or you ... 

Ofgem, Ofcom...   all pretty useless when it comes down to it

mmmmikey

Hi - the EDF rates can be found here:

https://www.edfenergy.com/for-home/energy-price-guarantee

As @la531983 points out 58.37p/day is the standing charge for customers with standard and smart prepayment meters on an E7 tarriff in the SW region.