EDF took about 1 year to finally have contact with their "complaints team"

OpolE

Hi
EDF has repeatedly tried to email me back to solve issue(s) when I specifically asked for a complaints email/number/phone call with complaints > PLUS I had a phone call from a manager verbally saying they "don't have a complaints department" the buck stops with him sort of speak then what can I do?

1. Their complaints department emailed me 1 year after asking for complaints contact.
2. I have an ombudsman complaint in the making but they don't seem interested in my SAR request or phone call and are pushing me to provide counter evidence for EDF
3. Can I use part of my SAR to sue EDF for lying repeatedly or not doing the UK LAW's complaint procedure?

*I don't have my SAR yet, they are taking the maximum time I believe*

MattMattMattUK

OpolE said:

Hi
EDF has repeatedly tried to email me back to solve issue(s) when I specifically asked for a complaints email/number/phone call with complaints > PLUS I had a phone call from a manager verbally saying they "don't have a complaints department" the buck stops with him sort of speak then what can I do?

1. Their complaints department emailed me 1 year after asking for complaints contact.

OK... after eight weeks you can go to the ombudsman regardless of where you are with EDF, provided you submitted the original complaint correctly.

OpolE said:

2. I have an ombudsman complaint in the making but they don't seem interested in my SAR request or phone call and are pushing me to provide counter evidence for EDF

Are "they" EDF or the ombudsman? If you mean EDF did you submit your SAR to dpo@edfenergy.com, the nominated postal address or somewhere else? How is your complaint "in the making", you either have one or you do not? Who is "pushing me to provide counter evidence", that makes no sense at all.

OpolE said:

3. Can I use part of my SAR to sue EDF for lying repeatedly or not doing the UK LAW's complaint procedure?

You need legal grounds to sue and from what you have posted and from knowledge of the energy sector in general it is highly unlikely you have grounds to sue. There is also no "UK LAW'S complaint procedure", so it is unclear what you mean by that either. You could use evidence from the SAR in and legal proceedings, but it is highly unlikely you have grounds for legal proceedings. 

OpolE

MattMattMattUK said:

OpolE said:

Hi
EDF has repeatedly tried to email me back to solve issue(s) when I specifically asked for a complaints email/number/phone call with complaints > PLUS I had a phone call from a manager verbally saying they "don't have a complaints department" the buck stops with him sort of speak then what can I do?

1. Their complaints department emailed me 1 year after asking for complaints contact.

OK... after eight weeks you can go to the ombudsman regardless of where you are with EDF, provided you submitted the original complaint correctly.

My intital complaint was in Jan 2023 and the first time I asked to speak to complaints. They made mistakes throughout the year. I really emphasised multiple times to talk to complaints in July. It took until December 2023 to finally speak to complaints but they were only reaching out at that point to "deadlock letter" me at that point.... So rude

OpolE said:

2. I have an ombudsman complaint in the making but they don't seem interested in my SAR request or phone call and are pushing me to provide counter evidence for EDF

Are "they" EDF or the ombudsman? If you mean EDF did you submit your SAR to dpo@edfenergy.com, the nominated postal address or somewhere else? How is your complaint "in the making", you either have one or you do not? Who is "pushing me to provide counter evidence", that makes no sense at all.

EDF have accepted processing a SAR for me. I asked for it on the 29th Dec and still have nothing. My energy ombudsman complaint was created 22nd January. I've done an inital phone call with them. Today is my final day to reply to it otherwise they will process whatever is on the case from EDF. That's far too quick.

OpolE said:

3. Can I use part of my SAR to sue EDF for lying repeatedly or not doing the UK LAW's complaint procedure?

You need legal grounds to sue and from what you have posted and from knowledge of the energy sector in general it is highly unlikely you have grounds to sue. There is also no "UK LAW'S complaint procedure", so it is unclear what you mean by that either. You could use evidence from the SAR in and legal proceedings, but it is highly unlikely you have grounds for legal proceedings. 

I wanted to wait for my SAR phone calls to add weight of me asking for complaints and being told "there is no complaint department"

(So should I open another ticket regarding waiting for the SAR or seek independant advice one I have my SAR recording?)

Thanks Matt

ArbitraryRandom

If you submitted a SAR and they have failed to respond you can go to the ICO. 

If you have not done so and your initial filing did not include everything, you should respond to the ombudsman case asap - once it closes you will not be able to open a new case for the same issue... you can note in your response that EDF failed to respond to your SAR within the statutory timescales and that may add to the compensation you receive (it may not as the ombudsman may view it as outside of their scope given it should sit with the ICO) 

FreeBear

OpolE said: 2. I have an ombudsman complaint in the making but they don't seem interested in my SAR request or phone call and are pushing me to provide counter evidence for EDF

Failures under the GDPR to respond to a Subject Access Request should be reported to the ICO - The Energy Ombudsman will only be interested in matters directly related to gas/electricity supply & billing.

Boris_Blank

I had similar issues with EoN and reported them to the Ombudsmen and my case was upheld.

The more cases that are reported, the more the Ombudsmen will put pressure on these companies who attempt to be a law unto themselves and ignore/bully customers for asking questions.

born_again

OpolE said:

MattMattMattUK said:

OpolE said:

Hi
EDF has repeatedly tried to email me back to solve issue(s) when I specifically asked for a complaints email/number/phone call with complaints > PLUS I had a phone call from a manager verbally saying they "don't have a complaints department" the buck stops with him sort of speak then what can I do?

1. Their complaints department emailed me 1 year after asking for complaints contact.

OK... after eight weeks you can go to the ombudsman regardless of where you are with EDF, provided you submitted the original complaint correctly.

My intital complaint was in Jan 2023 and the first time I asked to speak to complaints. They made mistakes throughout the year. I really emphasised multiple times to talk to complaints in July. It took until December 2023 to finally speak to complaints but they were only reaching out at that point to "deadlock letter" me at that point.... So rude

OpolE said:

2. I have an ombudsman complaint in the making but they don't seem interested in my SAR request or phone call and are pushing me to provide counter evidence for EDF

Are "they" EDF or the ombudsman? If you mean EDF did you submit your SAR to dpo@edfenergy.com, the nominated postal address or somewhere else? How is your complaint "in the making", you either have one or you do not? Who is "pushing me to provide counter evidence", that makes no sense at all.

EDF have accepted processing a SAR for me. I asked for it on the 29th Dec and still have nothing. My energy ombudsman complaint was created 22nd January. I've done an inital phone call with them. Today is my final day to reply to it otherwise they will process whatever is on the case from EDF. That's far too quick.

OpolE said:

3. Can I use part of my SAR to sue EDF for lying repeatedly or not doing the UK LAW's complaint procedure?

You need legal grounds to sue and from what you have posted and from knowledge of the energy sector in general it is highly unlikely you have grounds to sue. There is also no "UK LAW'S complaint procedure", so it is unclear what you mean by that either. You could use evidence from the SAR in and legal proceedings, but it is highly unlikely you have grounds for legal proceedings. 

I wanted to wait for my SAR phone calls to add weight of me asking for complaints and being told "there is no complaint department"

(So should I open another ticket regarding waiting for the SAR or seek independant advice one I have my SAR recording?)

Thanks Matt

https://www.edfenergy.com/help-support/making-complaint

Don't bank on getting recordings. You may just get a transcript of the calls. That is if they still have them. Calls are not kept forever.
As data storage is expensive & old calls are overwritten.