I've just had a quarterly bill come through from EDF for £990, and when I queried it they say it's correct and it's because i've been on estimated billing since I moved into my flat in 2004.

I'm a single person who works full time, so am therefore not in during the day, and the flat is gas heated, with a gas hob and electric oven. I've been paying between £40 and £60 a month since i've lived here and i've since found out that seems to be a lot more expensive than other people I know in similar sized houses/flats.

Anyway, back to the problem. I called EDF and they offered me the option of paying over a longer period of time, which I agreed. 5 minutes later I got a phone call saying the new reading i'd just given over the phone means the bill has shot up to £1300!!! I couldn't believe it and i've told them i'm not paying, and looking around it seems i'm not the only one to fall victim to their shoddy practices.

Now I accept that estimated billing can be inaccurate, but other people I know are paying £30-35 a month and i'm still paying £57 for useage. Taking the £1300 and dividing it by the 60 months i've been living here, they are, in effect saying I use £75-80 worth of electricity per month!! Surely there's something wrong somewhere?

Can anyone help?

Hi Ali

See other recent thread http://www.moneysupermarket.com/community/forums/t/very-high-electricity-bill-36346.aspx

On this site, everyday, someone is complaining about a massive energy bill. Is it just a coincidence that most occur where the bill payer lives in a flat/apartment ? Is the meter inside a communal door and not outside, so a meter reader cannot therefore attend to obtain reading, so estimated bills are relied on ? If estimated since 2004 have you under paid since that time? Can EDF backdate any under payment more than 12 months? I have read that any under billing cannot be backdated more than 12 months but I don't remember the context.

Suggest contacting consumer direct.http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/EnergySupplyandPost/energysupply/ . They will advise you on what your rights are and the best course of action.

Good luck

Huckster

Thanks i've just read that. My meter is inside the flat and as I work i've not had a reading as i've not been in. I don't see how I can be underpaying when I seem to be paying so much more than everyone else. I'd be interested in that backdated 12 months bit as i've not heard of that. From what i've read up on they can bill for up to 6 years.

I'll read that link though, thankyou.

Ali H:

Surely there's something wrong somewhere?

Mainly for the benefit of others reading this thread, to be blunt there is. You the consumer have not complied with Paragraph 3 of the Code of Practice on Accurate Billing but expect Paragraph 10 to be applied to your benefit.

Unfortunately the bulk of the Code doesn't apply to your benefit here because you have received regular quarterly statements, with the reading marked as estimated, and you have chosen to accept the estimate.

However there is a Code obligation on EDF to attempt to read an external meter at least once every two years and failing that only because it was not possible to access an inside meter (and this is my interpretation) to explicitly request a customer reading. There is also a Code obligation on EDF to ensure any estimate is based on either previous consumption or typical consumption for the type of property.

So there is some scope for ensuring that EDF have complied with the Code as EDF has with your conduct.

Regarding your bill less your payments, I agree it seems high for a gas heated house. You need to get a handle on your typical consumption by reading the meter daily for a week and then weekly for a month. Only then will you be in a position to challenge EDF's consumption claims.