Problem with EDF

[Hopes & Dreams]

Last July I signed up to EDF from southern electric for my gas and electric and when we signed we signed a direct debit mandate for both.

The electricity went over with no problem and when I first called them I enquired about my gas account and was told that this would take longer often up to 6 weeks. Then I got a letter from EDF saying sorry you are leaving us and when I called them and asked why they said that they had been informed that i was switching?! I told them this was not the case as I hadn't officially 'joined' them yet and I found out that it was southern electric being stupid, so I rang them and told them they had no right to apply for my gas back and they apologized and said that they would do a erroneous transfer back to edf and any gas used until it got back to edf they would pay for. They told me this again could take 4 to 6 weeks to transfer over and they also cancelled my direct debits to themselves.

I called EDF after 6 weeks as I had heard nothing and was told again that they did not have my gas supply yet, I then called SE straight after to be told that it should be done in the next 4 - 6 weeks

This was the same every time I called them, I explained to EDF that I was concerned as I was not paying anyone for my gas supply and asked when they would be starting to take my DD for the gas supply and was told that legally they could not take my payment for it unless they were actually supplying my gas, and was told not to worry as SE was doing a erroneous transfer so it would be them footing the bill.

Every month I went through this whole scenario of calling them both only to be told nothing I think i last called them about january time and then I just thought what is the point wasting my time and money I know what they are going to say and to tell you the truth i felt like piggy in the middle!

Then about june I got a final bill from SE which I paid and I hoped that this meant that finally my gas supply had been moved over to EDF and expected my welcome pack and request for meter reading to come soon.

Then I get a letter from EDF but instead of being a welcome one it was my first gas bill from them and was asking for £522!!

I called them striaght away and asked how this was possible and was told it was for my supply from september last year!

When I asked them how it could have been from spetember when they had categorically told me over the phone on numerous occasions that they were not supplying my gas the woman had no answer all she was interested in was setting up a direct debit to pay for it.

I spoke to SE and they were very helpful and said that EDF had taken the gas supply in sept and they gave me the telephone number for IPL so that i could call them and confirm exactly when EDF took it over and this was on the 15th sept last year

I have spoken to EDF a couple more times since then and I have been given the standard unhelpful remarks such as

Well you used the gas so whats the problem?

Why didnt you put money away to pay for it?

But yet not one of them wants to answer the question why did they not contact me in sept when they took over my gas and ask for my meter reading?

Why did they continually lie to me over the phone by saying they were not supplying my gas?

We have two young children and are struggling financially and fighting every month to keep our heads above water and this is going to throw us into even more difficulty, surely they can't do this can they?

I don't dispute we used the gas but if they had started taking the payments of £42 in sept we would be paying the 12 payment this month which would have been £504 which would only leave us £18 in debit which would probably be absorbed by summer useage

I would be grateful for any advice

[zazen.warrior]

Were you paying anyone else for gas during this period?

[mattlamb]

Yeah, for what period did Southern bill you up to? And do the final reading for Southern and the start reading for EDF match up?

[Clare_L]

When an erroneous transfer takes place then you will be charged as though you never left the supplier ie EDF. So records WILL show that EDF were your supplier since September. Surely this is something you need to take up with Southern as you said that they stated they would pay for the amount until the supply went over, which to be totally honest have never heard of before. Southern took the supply and it was down to Southern to send it back, but they failed to do that on a number of occassions and its because of them that you have the debt. They will have a record on your old account that will tell them that this was an erroneous transfer. I would seek some form of compensation from them, not EDF, they have done nothing wrong in this case.

[mattlamb]

Erroneous post by me -sorry!