Is EDFs customer service rating a worry

Giraffe76

Hi all,

With the best fixed tariff at the moment being with EDF until 4pm tomorrow I looked at their customer service rating and found reviews were very mixed.
Has anyone got views or experiences of EDF and is it worth going with them just for the cheap fix despite their customer service rating?

Kind regards Mark 

Netexporter

They've always been renowned for their incompetence. They've probably got a lot more flak, recently, as a result of migrating customers to a new billing system. However, that billing system is Octopus's Kraken software, so it should be possible to do most everyday things, like changing your D/D amount, online, so you probably won't need to ring up.

Giraffe76

Netexporter said:

They've always been renowned for their incompetence. They've probably got a lot more flak, recently, as a result of migrating customers to a new billing system. However, that billing system is Octopus's Kraken software, so it should be possible to do most everyday things, like changing your D/D amount, online, so you probably won't need to ring up.

Are the bad reviews based on when having to phone them?

MattMattMattUK

The bad reviews are based on sometimes poor first line customer service, on weird billing cycles, eg. they are supposed to be every six months, but will randomly fluctuate between two and eight months, the fact that their system, disconnected a lot of IHDs and they could not connect new ones. 

They also faced the issue that many energy suppliers have, people left bad reviews because they refused to understand energy costs, because they refused to understand standing charge, because they refused to understand in general. 

EDF are not the worst, but not the best either, however most people never have to deal with their energy supplier's customer service department so it does not make a huge difference.

Largs

This was their reply to my 2 page complaint letter they sent to me by email in response....

"Hello xxx

We are not your supplier on the electric we wont able to connect the communication hub as its attach on the electric meter, to try and get the gas data, you will need to transfer your electric supply to us EDF."

This was in relation to my gas smart meter having stopped communicating.  It's now with the Ombudsman.

MattMattMattUK

Largs said:

This was their reply to my 2 page complaint letter they sent to me by email in response....

"Hello xxx

We are not your supplier on the electric we wont able to connect the communication hub as its attach on the electric meter, to try and get the gas data, you will need to transfer your electric supply to us EDF."

This was in relation to my gas smart meter having stopped communicating.  It's now with the Ombudsman.

Are they your electricity supplier? If not, then they are correct and complaining to the ombudsman will do nothing.

Also, is that copied and pasted from their email as it is incredibly badly written?

flaneurs_lobster

I am very new to EDF. Started swap to them yesterday based on MSE Energy Club calculation that says I will save £450/year. I have received 1 email from them as a result of my application. Here's my response:

Thank you for your Welcome email.

I'm trying to set up an online account and it asks for my account number and says:

"Your EDF account number is a 12 digit number starting with '67'. You'll find your account number on any letters we've sent you and in your welcome email."

The only account number I can find in my welcome email is 

"Account number: A-A0XXXXX" [my redaction]

Not surprisingly this is not accepted by the signup process.

Your advice would be appreciated.

Doesn't bode well does it. 

GingerTim

I've been with EDF since July 2021 on a three-year fix and haven't had any problems - though, that said, my only interaction with customer service was getting them to switch me to Variable Monthly Direct Debit, which they managed to do there and then. 

I suspect my fixed rate would have raised my tolerance of any incompetence had it arisen!

flaneurs_lobster

GingerTim said:

I've been with EDF since July 2021 on a three-year fix and haven't had any problems - though, that said, my only interaction with customer service was getting them to switch me to Variable Monthly Direct Debit, which they managed to do there and then. 

I suspect my fixed rate would have raised my tolerance of any incompetence had it arisen!

I suggest shouting "Brace! Brace! Brace!" and putting your head between your knees before you look at your first bill post your fix.

GingerTim

flaneurs_lobster said:

GingerTim said:

I've been with EDF since July 2021 on a three-year fix and haven't had any problems - though, that said, my only interaction with customer service was getting them to switch me to Variable Monthly Direct Debit, which they managed to do there and then. 

I suspect my fixed rate would have raised my tolerance of any incompetence had it arisen!

I suggest shouting "Brace! Brace! Brace!" and putting your head between your knees before you look at your first bill post your fix.

Don't worry, I'll be doing one to Octopus before that happens!

EssexHebridean

I wouldn't touch them with somebody else's very long barge pole.

My experience is that communication via telephone is pretty much pointless, as the person you speak with makes all the right noises, fails to act on any of what is agreed, then doesn't record anything so you have to go right back to the beginning the next time you call. 
WhatsApp communication is slightly more efficient but quite painfully slow - as in wave good bye to a solid day slow. Best one on that was waiting all day for a response from them on a WA conversation, then going to bed only to find I had a response from them at 3am, and having had no reply from me by 5am they announced that they assumed my problem was sorted and so they were closing the complaint on it...