EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

[madstuntman]

Hi all,

Just found the site and registered in the hope of some advice please.

I have just received a bill from EDF for an address i have not lived at for around 14 months and the bill is dated 16/08/06 - 27/10/07.

We were paying EDF by the quarter and basically they changed our meter and cocked up with the readings, when we left them for British gas we gave them a final meter reading and they credited us £430.07 and closed our account.

They are now saying we owe them £768.47 as they cocked up and credited us and also have not charged us properly for gas used (this is gas only) it seems a lot and we have refused to pay, but we have just received another letter saying it will be passed to the legal team, we are adamant it is their fault as we as customers have done nothing wrong, we paid on time and gave them the correct meter readings.

Is their anything legal which i can put in my letter? i heard of a 1-2 year rule where they can not chase you. is this true?? any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks

[crashbandicoot]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Hi and welcome madstuntman.

Just as a starting point, do you have copies of the old correspondence where they gave you a credit after your final meter reading to them? If you haven't found them, you can request copies of previous correspondence/statements by sending EDF a Subject Access Request (SAR) for a £10 fee. Would be good if you already have all the docs though?

Crash

[enaid]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Here is the Billing Code it explains what they can and can not do.

The billing code - Legal Beagles

[madstuntman]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Hi crashbandicoot, i did not keeep the statements but i have an online logon which i think i can view all past bills, not tried it yet, i will need to try and find my passwords and hope they have not closed this when they closed my account.

What shall i do when i receive/view them?

Thanks Enaid I will read through the billing code and see if that helps.

Thanks

[ed.]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

I know with electricity they can only go back 12 months for underbilling, think that applies to gas aswell.

If they've credited when they shouldn't have done, I would say in light of the 12 month job, you are only liable (or should be) for the return of the overpayment and given it was their error they should allow instalments.

I'll dig out the 12 month screed, I have it somewhere.

Hopefully the overpayment error somebody else can answer, or the answer will be in the code but I would think you are liable for that, but not any outstanding bill now.
------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
Here you go.

I'd say they didn't issue a bill because they credited you instead.

(From CAB Infosys)
43
A billing Code of Practice For Accurate Bills sets out the standards of service a client can expect from her/his fuel supplier. The Code of Practice and information about the code can be found on the Energy Retail Association website at www.energy-retail.org.uk.

46

If a company fails to provide a bill, companies have been told by Ofgem not to bill for any electricity or gas used by a customer more than two years previously. From July 2007, companies who have failed to issue bills will be expected not to bill for any amount which dates back for longer than a year.

[crashbandicoot]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Madstuntman, from the info Ed's provided, looks like they don't have a leg to stand on. I suggest you follow the link he's given, and hang on to the information should you need it as ammo. At present, get a letter out to them stating all the facts and reminding them that at the point of final billing they credited you. This is what you have accepted as the final stats/credit, and therefore as far as you're concerned, no further money repayment is owed for additional gas by you based on this information.

Obviously they may dig their heels and if so, inform them of the 'limitations' so to speak, but do be prepared to negotiate repayment of the 'overpayment' if push comes to shove. The error's on their part and older than general. I am reading from the information though that companies are 'expected' not to bill for anything older than a year, but am not 100% on the legalities, so maybe someone else can clarify on here?

[madstuntman]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Thanks for everyone's help.

I sent a reply mentioned the 2 year rule reduced to 1 year and at present am waiting for them to reply.

I will keep hold of the links and use them if needed.

Hopefully they will drop it but i doubt it for that amount.

It baffles me where they get these figurse from as i pay £70 for both gas and elec a month now and am always in credit when they do a reading!!

fingers crossed.

[madstuntman]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Hi all,

sent the following to edf:

I am replying with reference to the response from my letter and email dated 17th May 2009 and also the recent letter which you sent us dated 24th June 2009.
I received an email from Ratnakar Ali telling us that our meter had been exchanged and new meter had been fitted and that EDF HAD TAKEN DOWN THE WRONG READINGS!!! Surely this a basic task for a company like EDF.
This is an absolutely shocking service from EDF, we switched to EDF and paid our bills every time we received them, by choosing EDF we expect you the gas and electricity supplier to manage our account competently. This has not been done in the slightest.
If you can not continue the flow from an exchanged meter then it is a worry for all EDF customers, we are appalled by your mistake, we do not believe your figures are correct as we have since been with British Gas and Scottish power and paid nowhere near that amount and also amazed that we are being chased for money from SEPTEMBER 2006 for a house we have not lived in since APRIL 2008!!!When your company has been completely incompetent.
We do not think we have been treated fairly or properly and feel EDF are completely at fault with this, it is your mistake, and we as the customer have done nothing wrong.
We were also of the understanding that EDF as a company has to conform to the billing code of practice as stated below.
The code of Practice for Accurate bills (the Code) has been developed by the Energy Retail Association (ERA) with Powergen, British Gas, EDF Energy, npower and Scottish Power to address action raised in Ofgem's response to the Billing Super Complaint for domestic customers.

These companies all support the independently-audited Code of Practice and are committed to the Code as a minimum standard of service for customers. The Code states that:

"From the 1st July 2006 where the supplier has been at fault in not billing a domestic customer the supplier will not send a bill which includes energy consumed more than 2 years previous to the bill being issued. From 1st July 2007 this period will reduce to 1 year" (Clause 3.5)

This Code is effective from 1 July 2006.
I would like a satisfactory reply to my complaint otherwise we have no option but to take the matter to the next level, we will be contacting the Energy Ombudsman and if necessary Watchdog.
I received a reply the next day saying "Letter before proceedings"

The have not answered explained or acknowledged anything in the letter just re-iterating that i owe £768.09 and that failure to respong may result in legal action.

I am annoyed as they have not done anything with regards to my letter.

Any advice for another letter ? should i call them?? help!!

thanks

[enaid]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Well I would contact Consumer Direct - Energy and Post
I think they are the ones who should be able to tell you exactly what the situation is with this.
Even if they are in the right they have to give you options to pay this according to the code of practice.
Enaid x

[madstuntman]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Hi all,

Just want to say thank you to everyone who gave me help and advice on here!

Got a call from EDF today telling me that under the billing code they can not charge me for the £768 !!

Thanks for pointing me in the right directions, i am a happy man again.

Thanks again

Great site.

[crashbandicoot]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Nice one, glad it's been sorted for you...hang onto that letter for future reference in case they try it on again!!

Crash

[enaid]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Thank you for the update madstuntman, it is always appreciated to find out the end result on these issues, especially when it's a good one, well done.
Enaid x

[madstuntman]

Re: EDF trying to bill me for old address nearly 2 years ago!! help

Hi all,

Got a grovelling letter today, think i may frame it!

The letter co-incides with the news that edf are being fined 2 mill for being rubbish.


Thanks again

Madstuntman.