EDF rejecting quarterly payments

sillyolddog

We have been with EDF for our electricity for well over thirty years and have always paid quarterly, either by cheque or over the phone. (Sorry, but we don't do direct debits....we've seen far too many problems with that method, including with mother-in-law many years back, who spent months trying to claw back huge overpayments)
Until a bill arrived on our doorstep in September. We had already paid a quarterly bill in August and therefore were not expecting another one yet. We rang EDF and they gave us a right run-around on the phone, patronising comments such as if you have problems paying, we can help, blah blah blah. They told us we were down on their lists as paying monthly, but we never have done so.
We said to them, if you've now pushed us to monthly payments, why did you not send a letter explaining the changes? We haven't seen any official document to say that our payments have been changed (against our will).
EDF admitted that there had never been any letter sent out announcing such a change; and condescendingly offered us £30 to basically shut up, clear off and pay the bill....which we refused.

Husband then returned the bill to EDF with a very stiff letter explaining what had happened, and no we weren't going to pay monthly because no-one had ever told us to.
This morning a further demand was received for that bill payment, along with notice of a £10 fine if we don't. There was no mention of the letter we wrote.
As said, we've paid quarterly for decades, with no problem. We don't have any particular problem with affording our bill, it is simply that quarterly is convenient for us and EDF has never ever complained in the past.
Just what exactly is going on with these people? I read an article on here or elsewhere that EDF still accepts quarterly payments, so I am extremely angry right now.

la531983

By choosing to pay this way, you are paying around 7% more for your energy, so nobody on here is going to suggest it as the way to go given its a money saving website.

Many providers do VARIABLE monthly direct debit where the meter is read every month (either by you, or a smart reading), a bill is produced, and then the amount on it is taken, you need to ask EDF if they offer that option. This will also reduce your unit rates.  Quarterly billing is an archaic relic which costs your more and the supplier more.

Kerreh

This article  (as an example) confirms the discontinuation of quarterly billing with EDF. It's somewhat the supplier's prerogative to change the payment terms and whilst they didn't send advance notice they have notified you by the issuing of a bill that payment is due. 

Mind, I'd still follow-up with them on the lack of response re: a letter if I were you as that's just customer service 101.

jlfrs01

How frustrating. I did a big of Googling and found this article published in June:

 https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-12239881/EDF-quietly-axes-quarterly-billing-option.html

If you still want to pay quarterly it looks like your only option now is British Gas.

EssexHebridean

EDF have recently changed their billing system, and so are seemingly migrating all customers to the industry standard of monthly billing. 

EDF do offer an option for variable DD - they call it "Pay whole amount monthly" however as the OP doesn't want to do DD payments they may not consider that is something they want to ask about - it may help someone else though. My personal experience of it was that it failed miserably for me, but that was going into it with an amount of credit on the account which EDF decided they were going to totally ignore. They also ignored my actual first use, and wanted to take an amount substantially higher instead. I cancelled my DD (due to the credit already accrued), complained and moved to Octopus.

As said - no DD means higher bills these days - again, this may not concern the OP but in these days of steep energy prices it will certainly be a major consideration for most I should imagine. The "whole amount" (or variable) DD system can work really well for those who don't want to end up with credit on their account - however unless you have the financial privilege to already have a "cushion" of savings behind you, this is not a good time of year to start with it as you will rapidly begin to get bills now which are far more than just a straight 1/12th of your annual spend. Even if starting with it from a zero balance in the spring, this is still only a method to choose for those who have a thorough handle on their household budgets, and can be confident that nothing will interfere with them being able to save the extra money during the warmer weather to ensure that it is there for the winter months.

OP - you could try escalating it to an official complaint with EDF, the quickest and most efficient way of doing this would be via email, however I suspect you may simply get told that from now onwards monthly payment is all they offer.

pseudodox

EDF definitely do monthly whole bill DDs and if you could budget for quarterly payments (high in winter, low in summer) then adapting to monthly variable amounts should not be a problem.  But unless you pay by DD you will not get the discount for paying this way.  Paying by cheque/cash/transfer/whatever is not charged extra but it simply does not get the discount.  DD is very safe these days with the bank guarantees and if you are proactive in watching over your bank account.  EDF always produce a monthly bill for my usage a couple of days after I submit readings, with the intended DD date being 10 working days later.  Then a few days before the DD date they send me a reminder that they are about to request payment.  So there is plenty of time to query the bill/payment amount.  The money goes out of my bank on the stated date, shows as pending on my EDF account for a couple of days then clears, so again there is time for a recall by the bank if you feel something is not correct.

But I agree they should have notified you in advance and not just dropped this on you.  AFAIK there is no supplier now offering quarterly whole bills. And at least if you opt for MVDD they don't take fixed DD amounts that you are not wholly in control of.  As you say you don't have a problem afffording your bills then you are in a fortunate position compared to many.

sillyolddog

We have given EDF meter readings when asked, so there has never been an issue there, and the payments have been accepted quarterly, so I don't know what has suddenly triggered them.
EDF failed to inform us of changes to billing frequency and just went ahead and did them; I don't find that very conducive to good "customer relations".
Husband wont do direct debit, so that's out, I'm afraid. But thanks for your reply.

Ayr_Rage

Wow, have you been on the SV tariff all that time or do you fix when available ?

Overpaying on every bill for years is really not a MSE way of doing things.

DD Whole Amount Monthly works fine and with they only take the bill amount, nothing more, nothing less.

Seriously, it is time to reassess what you are doing.

la531983

sillyolddog said:

Husband wont do direct debit

Why not?  All based on one bad experience of someone else years ago?

MultiFuelBurner

As others have said move to British gas for pay quarterly in receipt of bill.

I have a stubborn grand parent who will not change their ways so I won't try and change your mind but I do want to.

pseudodox

DDs seem to go wrong or create problems when people do not monitor their bank accounts on a regular basis.  Things like realising they have been paying a subscription to something for decades, maybe to a gym or a catalogue which they no longer use.  I know to the penny what is in my bank account and what should be going out of it at any given date.  It just amazes me people have no idea what they are paying or what for.  I (crossed fingers) never had an issue with a DD, but know that if I did the banking industry has it well covered.  On the other hand I have had cheques go AWOL and even a very large bank transfer between accounts totally vanished for quite some time.

We are now in the 21st century.  Cheques will soon be obsolete.  Cash will follow.  I am not so happy about the latter as what will happen to the impulse charity box donations, change for a child for that ice cream etc?