New EDF system. Backward step on PAYG auto top-ups.

lohr500

On the old system the auto top-up process allowed you to set the minimum balance value, below which an auto top-up was triggered. Both the top-up minimum balance point and the top-up value ranges could be set at various values between £50 and £5. 

Now it seems there is no option to select the minimum balance point. It is set at a fixed £5.

For a high usage customer, this fixed trigger value of £5 is far too low and we will run out of credit in less than a day if the auto top-up fails for any reason 

You do get £10 of emergency credit but this has to be activated manually when the balance falls below £1.

I have contacted EDF asking if the fixed £5 minimum balance for auto top-up is a temporary thing whilst they complete the migration.

If they have no plans to change this, then I just hope their auto top-up payment failure messaging is quick, giving us enough time to go online and raise a top up manually.

On the old system, I had two failed auto top-ups due to problems with their system. But because I was maintaining a £50 minimum buffer, there was always enough credit on the meter to give me time to do a one off manual top up before the power was cut.

Mobtr

I would try ringing them & speak to someone to see if this an option rather than any other method. At least then you can ask questions rather than messaging backwards & forwards 

lohr500

I'll give them a call on Monday or Tuesday when their phone lines open.

MattMattMattUK

lohr500 said:

On the old system the auto top-up process allowed you to set the minimum balance value, below which an auto top-up was triggered. Both the top-up minimum balance point and the top-up value ranges could be set at various values between £50 and £5. 

Now it seems there is no option to select the minimum balance point. It is set at a fixed £5.

For a high usage customer, this fixed trigger value of £5 is far too low and we will run out of credit in less than a day if the auto top-up fails for any reason 

You do get £10 of emergency credit but this has to be activated manually when the balance falls below £1.

I have contacted EDF asking if the fixed £5 minimum balance for auto top-up is a temporary thing whilst they complete the migration.

If they have no plans to change this, then I just hope their auto top-up payment failure messaging is quick, giving us enough time to go online and raise a top up manually.

On the old system, I had two failed auto top-ups due to problems with their system. But because I was maintaining a £50 minimum buffer, there was always enough credit on the meter to give me time to do a one off manual top up before the power was cut.

I would expect the new system to be far more reliable so unlikely to fail to top up if there are sufficient funds in the attached account. If you set up thr app correctly it should notify you within a few minutes of a failed payment so you would be able to manually make payment. Would you perhaps be better off on a normal account though rather than a PAYG option?

lohr500

MattMattMattUK said:

I would expect the new system to be far more reliable so unlikely to fail to top up if there are sufficient funds in the attached account. If you set up thr app correctly it should notify you within a few minutes of a failed payment so you would be able to manually make payment. Would you perhaps be better off on a normal account though rather than a PAYG option?

Yes, hoping the new system will be more reliable. The only problem I can see is if we are away in the campervan when a top up fails and we are in an area with no phone signal. I might have to do a manual top up before going away if the new system does prove to be unreliable.

We switched to PAYG last year because it gave us an annual saving of somewhere around £125 from memory. I need to recalculate the saving based on the lower unit costs since last year as it may no longer be worth the hassle. I'll do this once I see then new rates from 1st July. Although the standing charge for ECO20:20 is now the same for DD & PAYG, the peak and off peak rates are slightly lower on PAYG than DD.

Also, EDF wouldn't allow variable DD on the ECO20:20 tariff and insisted on a fixed DD amount that was always higher than it needed to be. I'd rather keep the cash in my account, than theirs!!

mmmmikey

I suspect that you're ahead of the curve on your decision to swap to smart prepayment and others will follow. It offers the ultimate in budgeting flexibility and should be a good option for energy suppliers as it removes the bad debt risk which will hopefully drive down prices. But we're not there yet. I wouldn't be surprised if this feature is reintroduced, it's in EDFs interest to make the system as attractive as possible to the widest possible range of customers. 

lohr500

Yes, hopefully they will modify the auto top up process to restore the option of choosing a minimum balance level.

On a positive note, the Energy Hub page on the desktop webpage now shows some data, which it never did.

Not a big deal as I have been using the Bright phone App. And it doesn't appear to break the usage down by the hour or half hour like the Bright App.

lohr500

Quick update.

Received this reply from EDF : 

Hello ******** our smart specialist has confirmed we cannot change the auto top up limit balance at this time, only the amount that is physically topped up to the meter, which you do via your My Account. Regards  Carrie

So the trigger limit for auto top ups will remain at a fixed £5 

The Energy Hub kWh reporting is now showing in half hour increments as well which is good, although when viewing as a cost, it only shows the daily totals..