EDF read my meter for years but now says I owe £1,850 arrears

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I rented a flat for five years and paid monthly bills to the energy supplier EDF, and had regular meter readings taken.

I moved out in January and was shocked to recently receive a bill for £1,851 to cover May 2016 to January 2022 – a period when I had been making monthly payments via bank transfer to the account.

I have tried speaking to numerous representatives via email and sent copies of the payment history, but EDF insists I owe this because the bills were estimates.

This doesn’t make sense. EDF representatives visited the flat to take meter readings while I lived there and, because of this, I did not keep a record myself.

I have now received an “overdue bill” warning letter and it is making me really anxious.

This is a huge amount, especially when I thought I was up to date.

EC, London

Credit burau

This has caused a lot of unnecessary stress but we have managed to resolve the problem.

While you were living in the flat, the name on the account was “owner/occupier”, as EDF was unaware who was living in the property, even though payments were being made.

When it received an email from the letting agent advising that you had moved out, and had lived there from May 2016 to January 2022, a change of tenancy was completed on its system and an account set up in your name for the whole period.

Crucially, however, the payments made into the “owner/occupier” account were not transferred, meaning a balance was shown as outstanding and reminder letters were sent requesting payment.

EDF says: “We have contacted the customer to let them know we’ve transferred the payments, and apologise for not updating the account sooner.”

There was a balance of £11.41 to pay but EDF has cleared this, which, in the circumstances, is the least it could do. You are very relieved.

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