This morning I received a letter from EDF regarding my gas account, they said that they had reviewed my?

Question

monthly payments and were going to increase them from £25 per month to £36 almost 50%. Since my account has never been in debit I rang them to tell them not to increase my direct debit payments.My question is how many of you have received similar letters and have you done anything about it.Why should they take what would amount to millions of pounds off us Senior citizens in advance for no good reason. It is common practice with all the utility companies.Help your elderly neighbours by contesting it if you can, if they are unable to do it themselves.

Answer 1

I had a similar letter from British gas, upon querieing the increase they offered me a very reasonable explanation-

Basically my electricity use had increased over the last few months, this was to be expected as my fiance had moved in and we all know what juice gobblers these flaming straighteners and hair dryers etc can be. the main thing is

I pay monthly direct debit to help me budget, basically so i don't get a big bill at the end of the quarter that i struggle paying.

It seems likely to me that after a recent meter read they may have noticed an increase in usage and so they ask you to increase your monthly payment to be in line with the usage- again so you don't get a big bill at the end of the quarter that you struggle paying.

The thing to remember is that you have a choice, you don't have to pay by monthly DD, you can pay quarterly. if you feel you can budget ok and know you wont have any problems paying at the end of the quarter just switch to quarterly billing, that way you know that you are paying exactly what you owe as sometimes with monthly dd you can have a credit balance on the account when the bill is produced- IE you have paid for more than you have used.

Hope this Helps.

Rob

Answer 2

When I changed from B.Gas to Southern for gas and electric they quoted a monthly direct debit for each at figures which I thought might be low... A couple of estimated bills and a couple of price increases later I found I was well behind and owed quite a bit.. At my suggestion the monthly was increased but this still didn't reduce the bill. just maintained the balance. I now am paying much higher monthly payments of £111 a month to bring both gas and electric under control.. Hopefully after a few months and the lower summer usage I can have the amount reduced to a figure that is more realistic to my actual usage. Gas especially has increased enormously in price . Also I will make sure I read my meters and advise the company of discrepancies between estimated and actual readings..

Answer 3

Here in Wisconsin most of us don't have a second option for power and gas. We will at some future point, but not now. I am on what is called a budget plan. Once a year the past 12 months are reviewed and averaged, and that determines whether you monthly rate will go up or down. At the same time, if there is an overage we're expected to pay it and bring the account to a zero balance once a year.

Answer 4

I believe that it is quite a deliberate policy by large business organisations to overestimate repayments.
by this method they collect great amounts of revenue and of course receive interest on the capital.
They usually don't quibble if you query the amount and staff are trained to negotiate a reasonable settlement ( but only if you query at the time)
At the end of the financial term they will of course repay any excess payments but have been benefiting from YOUR capital for that period.
Perhaps government should look a this and tax accordingly they the utilities and similar organisations would then I am sure review the policy.

Answer 5

Good night what will they come up with next? So far here in Calif. we don't have anything like that yet(I don't think). We have had to protest some other outragesous fee increases, so far we have been protected by the passage of proposition 13, but they try to side step it all the time. I doubt if EDF would even read a protest from me, but I'll try.

Answer 6

Being a pensioner myself I was very concerned when about three months ago it was announced on the news that the Government had given Water companies permission to increase charges to customers to cover the costs of repairs to private drains.Many years ago I worked for Birmingham City Engineers, then an agent for the old and efficient Severn Trent Water Authority so I was naturally interested in what appeared to be another forthcoming rip off. I contacted OFWAT for details of the new proposals. My first e-mail was ignored. I then contacted Severn Trent Water Company.Their response was to ask for my address, then silence. Back to OFWAT. After another wait, finally I was told to contact DEFRA ( Can some one tell me what utter use OFWAT is) To try to cut a long story short, after being given the run around by the two bodies that are supposed to protect the public Severn Trent finally came clean telling me that in 2010 What are now classed as private drains, the cost of maintenance being the responsibility of the property owner will be maintained by the Water Companies. Sounds great, but it`s not.If drainage is constructed to the proper standard it should be trouble free for decade upon decade. So where will our money be going? In the pockets of greedy Water Company owners and shareholders. After the floods we were told our water charges will have to go up to cover the costs of flood protection, then a few weeks after we hear that charges will have to rise again to cover the constructuction of new reserviors .Why are the Brits so stupid as to keep quiet while these Government backed rip offs are taking place?

Answer 7

I couple of years ago Manweb told me that they wanted me to increase my Standing Order. I ignored it and they withdrew the monthly payment in advance agreement and I stopped my standing order. One month later they wrote asking me to pay in advance by direct debit or standing order. Naturally I had got myself organised by then and changed my supplier and guess what I ended up paying less for combined gas and electricity than I was before. I am of the opinion that the utilities are criminals

Answer 8

EDF just reduced mine from £27 per month to £22

Answer 9

I have been given suspended on point 6 with sixteen,000+ factors final week as properly. somebody at Yahoo could desire to have been in a pissy temper and did not like I offended some undesirable simpleton with the certainty approximately worldwide Warming mythos. They suspended me. I even have appealed. could like my unique account decrease back. Yahoo the hot Pravda. wish Microsoft buries them.

Answer 10

Yeah - Scottish Power were going to increase mine from £27.50 to £58.00 a few months ago. I told them to stick it and switched to Powergen.
I find it much cheaper now!