EDF Increased my direct debit without my explicit consent- is this legal?

[dizietsma]

They claim that as long as they send a letter advising me of it that it's all perfectly legit, but I'm fairly sure that unless they have specific written consent from me it's illegal. The woman on the end of the 'phone offered me compensation of £20 which makes me think they'd pay me much more if I took the matter further- any legal eagles out there who know who's in the right?

If you signed up to a variable (as opposed to fixed) direct debit then I think they can change it.

They are in the right. A direct debit is different from a standing order: a standing order is an order to pay a specific fixed amount at regular intervals; a direct debit essentially means the payee can help themselves from your bank account as long as they notify you first. The £20 offer sounds like a gesture of goodwill rather than an admission of wrongdoing.

I had a similar letter from EDF, saying that they were going to increase our monthly fuel direct debit from £42 to £70. I phoned them up straight away and pointed out that the rise was completely disproportionate, whereupon they immediately agreed to limit the increase to £48 instead.

It is a bit of a tryon, methinks, but strictly speaking they are in the right. If you're really not happy you can either change fuel suppliers, or stop the direct debit and pay by monthly bills.

A dd can be varied, a bank standing order cannot.
Ring them if you think its too much and try and sort out something else

when you ring also have your latest meter reading(s) available as this helps. however, if they are increasing your dd, it sounds like they recently had a true reading. if you take another reading anyway, it cannot hurt.

Interesting, do you think I could change it to a standing order? That way it'd still come out automatically but they couldn't take more than the agreed amount.

From what I now gather it was most definately a try on, it was an utterly disproportionate increase, but isn't it appalling that an energy provider would do such a thing?

Thanks for the heads up everyone.

They did that to me. Took £230 from my account yesterday. Normally they take £20. They are refunding the money and sending me a new bill.

I'm still steaming!

Clearly EDF are money grubbing chancers, I shall scruntinise every bill from now on!

Have you looked on moneysavingexpert.com?

Apparently he says to hold fast for a few weeks whilst prices stabilise and then see if you need to swap suppliers for cheaper rate.

Barstewards these fuel companies!