Smart Meter Confusion

Reed_Richards

Grumpy_chap said:

ArbitraryRandom said:

Just reposting this advice and asking if you managed to register/what you can see. 

Sorry - yes, the websites show my data.
It is just EDF being incompetent.
Though, I am not sure they are really incompetent, more that they are devious.  They don't get the readings (allegedly) so the bill is in error, so the DD is too low, so I am in debit balance, so they can (within the rules) block a customer leaving.

But if you can afford it you could make a one-off payment to clear your debit balance, switch to another provider that actually can/will read your smart meter then switch to a better tariff that depends on Time of Use.

Grumpy_chap

Reed_Richards said:

But if you can afford it you could make a one-off payment to clear your debit balance, switch to another provider that actually can/will read your smart meter then switch to a better tariff that depends on Time of Use.

You would think so.

I have twice made payments to clear the balance.
As soon as the balance is showing in credit on the account (by a few £ only), I started the transfer request.
Within a couple of days, EDF refunded the "credit balance".
Then calculated a new bill base on the extra usage since the previously generated bill.
Then blocked the transfer because of owing debit.

The third time, I cleared the balance to zero (thinking maybe having a credit balance showing was what triggered the EDF computer to refund the "credit balance".
Then started the transfer request.
Then EDF calculate the bill based on usage since latest bill.
Then blocked the transfer because of debit balance.

QrizB

Grumpy_chap said:

Reed_Richards said:

But if you can afford it you could make a one-off payment to clear your debit balance, switch to another provider that actually can/will read your smart meter then switch to a better tariff that depends on Time of Use.

You would think so.

Sounds like it might be time for another complaint!

Reed_Richards

So it seems this is your fundamental problem; actually barely related to whether you have a smart meter or not.  Time to raise a complaint?  Or perhaps you are doing things the wrong way round, make the transfer request first then bring the account into credit a few days later.  You must have a fairly good idea of response times by now.

Grumpy_chap

QrizB said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Reed_Richards said:

But if you can afford it you could make a one-off payment to clear your debit balance, switch to another provider that actually can/will read your smart meter then switch to a better tariff that depends on Time of Use.

You would think so.

Sounds like it might be time for another complaint!

You would think so.

I have complained so many times I have a named individual who responds to all my cases within EDF Consumer Focus and at Ofgem Extra Help Unit.
They must like me, though, given their great efforts to keep my custom.
Either that, or they are so bad that my complaints are minor compared to others.

I think the EDF strategy is to just wear the customer down through a war of attrition.

ArbitraryRandom

You mention the suppler and ofgem... but have you escalated anything to the ombudsman? 

They're the ones that can order EDF to stop blocking the transfer and just give you a final bill. 

Qyburn

Grumpy_chap said:

Within a couple of days, EDF refunded the "credit balance".
Then calculated a new bill base on the extra usage since the previously generated bill.
Then blocked the transfer because of owing debit.

If I recall correctly they are only supposed to block if the debt's been outstanding for 28 days.

Grumpy_chap

Qyburn said:

If I recall correctly they are only supposed to block if the debt's been outstanding for 28 days.

ooo - thankyou.
I did not know that.  
Something in the EDF algorithm blocks instantly, which makes transfer away impossible.
I now have new information to challenge them with