EDF took the money anyway

[Gingerbeerfear]

So upset this morning. I had previously paid my electric and gas bills mid month by reading the meters, inputting it on the EDF app then clearing the balance.
When I spoke to EDF last month they said it would be cheaper for me to set up a direct debit which would be payable on 30th of every month. I said that as I get paid mid month I would pay that off then read the meter again as advised a few days before the dd was due.

On the first I submitted a reading on their messaging service as the app was down.

This morning I look at they have not adjusted to the meter reading which I provided and have taken an estimated amount overnight which is much much higher than it should be.

The wrong day the wrong amount and not what was agreed as I haven’t been paid yet. They have left me with £10 to last two weeks. How can this be right???

How can they do that if they haven't got your bank details? Did you set up a direct debit but tell them not to take the money? If that's the case you should have cancelled the DD at the bank, not asked them to not take the money.

Contact your bank this morning and recall the direct debit.

Contact your bank this morning and recall the direct debit.

£10 is all that is left of the overdraft.

They had my details so it could start from end April not today! They knew all of this which is why I was nervous setting it up. Will call my bank

So they've broken the verbal contract. Yes contact the bank. How shity of them.

The DD method always takes a estimate. They will work out, say, that you use £1200 of fuel a year, and so take £100 per month. This means you overpaying the summer, and use that credit over the winter. They won't adjust the dd each month following on from a meter reading.

Call the bank - you’re protected by direct debit guarantee - they can recall the money. Complain to Ofgem and EDF, they tend to give money as a goodwill gesture: always worth trying

Call the bank, they can return it if it's the same day it was taken, then take it up EDF. I hope you sort it but sure it will be fine, please don't stress.

I can cancel direct debits online on the same day with no charges-natwest.
Hope you get it sorted!

Deal with your bank to get the direct debit payment back to you so that you have funds now

The problem with the meter reading not being taken will be due to the large amount occurring, and may also mismatch the bill production timeline anyway, though it sets a line in the sand for calculating rate changes

Then, if you don’t already do so, set up internet banking
Check your direct debits and it is likely that the start date was earlier than the verbal agreement (clearly it was otherwise the bank would not have processed it)

A number of accounts allow you to create a second account or ‘savings pot’

If you can create a secondary account that supports direct debits then that’s possibly your best solution:
Create a ‘bills account’ and set direct debits against it. (This needs to be an instant access account)
Set a standing order etc to routinely transfer an amount suitable for your pay day
(And ideally a diary marker to check the amount transferred and your latest bill)

If your accounts won’t support direct debits on sub accounts then just set up a pot and transfer money when you are paid

You can either put aside your bills money or put aside your ‘spending’ money and use a diary marker to check internet banking to endure the right money is in the right place at the right time

While you’re at it set up ‘save the change’ if your bank provides that - that rounds up any debit card transaction and transfers the difference to your nominated account - do of course make sure that if money is tight that the transfers don’t put you a few pence short and end up bouncing a direct debit or putting you into an overdraft when bills are paid

This is the reason I don't do direct debits. They can take any amount they like. I pay mine a minimum payment and they chase me for the debt, we play a game of back and forth, we both seem to enjoy it.

Well the bank has recalled my money and I will call EDF after work to complain. They will get their money just once I’ve been paid! There was absolutely no dd start date noted on any correspondence which I’d why I called them to check.

Good news.