Jalexa

Perhaps that's because it is called "tomato" and not "standing charge"?

Hysterical, Call it what you will it’s still a fraction of what we are paying in the UK.

This shows that there are indeed equivalent charges to our "standing charge" and in addition a range of taxes that we would be "up in arms" about if asked to pay.

Ah you are referring to the transparency in the bill, it is a requirement enforced by law they have to show generation costs etc, as you know, you read it! If EDF do this we might see how they can report 54% increase in first-half net profit, and net income of €3.9bn (£3.4bn) for the full financial year.

There are other clues “Some 100,000 EDF Energy customers have been overcharged owing to a seven-year fault on the company's automated telephone meter reading system.”

Bob666:

... My colleague in the US said they were up in arms at being charge around 7p per kWh for electric and they don’t even know what a standing charge is...

Perhaps that's because it is called "tomato" and not "standing charge"?

I chose a US utility at random. This shows that there are indeed equivalent charges to our "standing charge" and in addition a range of taxes that we would be "up in arms" about if asked to pay.

http://www.fpl.com/customer/rates_and_bill/bill_components.shtml

“Recently the rules have changed to require advance notice of any customer detrimental changes.”

Yes very recently the 28^th April 2011, prior to that the energy companies had been able to increase prices with immediate effect and only had to notify customers within 3 months of the price rises, which doesn’t really apply to me, I don’t have the time to pursue a few quid, it took me long enough to find out what was going on, try ringing EDF and ask for a tariff without a standing charge, some say they have, others not, after six phone calls and a call back they don’t do one, so I changed supplier.

Like I said, most people would quickly read the letter and not notice the standing charge had being added, that’s not what I signed up for in the first instance, why would I look for it on the back page, it’s not under “your energy prices are changing” on page one.

i361“Telephone companies charge line rental even you use your landline or not.”

I understand it is added to allegedly pay for the running of the service, but EDF only sell electric they don’t supply or repair meters or lines, anyway don’t they make enough profit from the sale of the electric? My colleague in the US said they were up in arms at being charge around 7p per kWh for electric and they don’t even know what a standing charge is.

Bob666:

“As long as you act promptly you can reject any increase pending the switch.”

No this is not the case,

Oh yes it is.

I'm not going to pursue point scoring on your particular narrow point but I want to ensure others are not misled. Previously, detrimental changes were rejectable after the event in which case the supplier has to backtrack the increases pending a transfer to a new supplier. Recently the rules have changed to require advance notice of any customer detrimental changes.

Regarding your point about standing charges, that's just how things are, standing charges are allowed by the regulator. The effect is cost neutral for customers who use in excess of the primary unit threshold, so to answer your question there is nothing unacceptable about that. Low users (who use less than the primary unit threshold) would be better off on a "no standing charge" tariff. If EDF doesn't offer that, then make that their loss.

A standing charge is a fixed amount you pay daily to your gas and/or electricity supplier. It’s a little like a connection fee and you will also have to pay for the gas and/or electricity you actually use. Energy companies are not the only one, Telephone companies charge line rental even you use your landline or not.

“But you do use energy. Don't you?”

Yes of course I do, are you saying it is acceptable to pay a charge before purchasing a product ‘because it will work out in the end’? Would you be happy to pay a standing charge for petrol/diesel each month before you go to the pumps?

“As long as you act promptly you can reject any increase pending the switch.”

No this is not the case, I was already being charged, the letter I received said the price was going up due to ‘wholesale prices’ nothing about being charged a standing charge, only when I had time to read it through on the back page it had the new prices along with a ‘standing charge’, as if it was nothing new, ie, Electric Daily kwh + standing charge 13.81, Gas kwh + Daily standing charge 20.71, when questioned, I was told, EDF only do standing charge tariffs now. They even tried to tell me they had always had a standing charge.

I am a low energy user, is that not what we are supposed to be encouraged to do, conserve energy, save the planet, reduce our carbon footprint, yet with EDF you will be penalise, as the standing charge works it a way that effectively charges you more per unit the less you use.

Yes I have changed supplier.

Bob666:

EDF have just introduced a £177 per year duel fuel standing charge for the pleasure of them supplying your energy, so if I use no energy I still pay £177, how can this be right?

But you do use energy. Don't you?

Use a Consumer Focus accredited website and for your typical annual consumption find out what is your best deal, then switch supplier if your revised deal is not competitive. Generally, people with low consumption, that is less than the primary unit threshold, will be better off on a "no standing charge" tariff. Should make no difference to consumers who use more than the primary unit threshold in which case the high standing charge is offset by the lower price of the secondary units.

If the tariff "revision" represents a price rise you are entitled to give notice to reject the rise pending your switch. That is why you were written to. The fact that you "didn't receive any forewarning" is not important. As long as you act promptly you can reject any increase pending the switch. I assume you are not on a fixed or capped tariff.

Your price comparison should show that the EDF Fixed Saver V2 Dual Fuel tariff is quite a competitive tariff in spite of the high standing charges.

The cynic inside me says EDF want a high "standing charge" because of the capital cost of their nuclear power stations, but at the end of the day just trust to the price comparison. You are seeing something that for most people really isn't there.

EDF have just introduced a £177 per year duel fuel standing charge for the pleasure of them supplying your energy, so if I use no energy I still pay £177, how can this be right? I don’t pay BP or Tesco’s so I can buy there fuel and goods, I don’t get a bill off Tesco if I never shop there, so why should I pay EDF? I didn’t receive any forewarning, just a letter letting me know they would be ripping me off on a daily basis, it probably looks even worse if they showed a weekly calculation.