NOT GUILTY AS CHARGED
I was charged TWICE for energy bills for months & sent threats – but then I took company on and won
The pensioner said he felt 'threatened' during the ordeal
A FURIOUS homeowner was left scratching his head when he was charged twice for his energy bill for months.
Pensioner Alan Cunningham started being slapped with the extra fees in April this year.
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Alan, from Ditchling, East Sussex, then threatened legal action against EDF energy following the unwarranted charges, The Argus .
"They’ve said they would refund me, but it’s been dragging on for months. I just want a conclusion and to stop the bills," Alan fumed.
The homeowner was urged to replace his old prepayment meter earlier this year.
But Alan noticed he was receiving a separate bill each month, before eventually flagging the issue in September.
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He continued: “A man from EDF customer services told me to not pay the bills.
"So, the last bill for October I decided to keep that back a bit, as I had been advised.
"I then got an email from the payment department of EDF asking me why I hadn’t paid them my October bill.
"This was then followed up with a letter threatening me with court action and that they will charge me for the late payment of my bill.”
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Alan feared his energy would be cut off entirely if he didn't hand over the cash.
“I’ve been toing and froing with emails since September and it still hasn’t resolved it," he said.
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"The last email I got was saying we are getting there, but we still haven’t got there because it hasn’t been resolved."
He believed he had overpaid more than £200 since April.
After being approached by the Argus, an EDF spokesperson said: "During a single visit, Mr. Cunningham had multiple meter exchanges, but we received details for only one, leading to the incorrect billing.
"We’ve spoken to Mr Cunningham, confirmed that this is now all fixed and have issued a refund for any money owed.
"We’re sorry for the delay in getting this sorted and have also offered a gesture of goodwill."
The Sun Online has reached out to EDF Energy for comment.
HELPING HAND
It comes as low-income households should be aware of a helpline which can help them get a £150 discount on their energy bill this winter.
The Warm Home Discount is a one-off £150 discount on your electricity bill.
You do not get the money paid into your account, but instead, your energy supplier takes the sum off your bill.
To qualify for the support you usually need to be on a low income or claim certain benefits.
It comes as households face rising energy bills this winter.
Following Ofgem's price cap announcement, yearly energy bills will rise from its current rate of £1,717 a year to £1,738.
New figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) showed a total of 2.3million households automatically received the payments in 2022/23.
But, a further 128,000 people were given the discount after they called the Warm Home Discount helpline.
The helpline is a telephone number you can call to enquire about your eligibility for the benefit.
You can also contact the Warm Home Discount helpline if you do not get the letter by early January 2025 and you think you’re eligible.
However, you must contact them before February 28 2025.
Households can call the number on 0800 030 9322.
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WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS
If you have a problem with your energy supply or you are unhappy with the service you have received, you have the right to complain.
Depending on what the problem is, you can complain to either your energy supplier (the company that provides your energy) or network operator (the company responsible for the pipes and wires that carry electricity and gas).
If you are not sure who to contact, follow the instructions on our page.
Making a complaint
If you have a problem with your energy supplier or network operator, contact them and explain what you would like them to do to make it right.
They should have a formal complaints procedure process on their website or on your energy bills that explains how to do this. They can also explain their complaints procedure process if you contact them by phone.
If you want to write to them or send them an email, you can use the Citizens Advice complaints letter template.
Suppliers and network operators must try to fix any problems you’ve reported within eight weeks. Make a note of the date you first contacted them in case you need to check this later.
Taking your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman
The Energy Ombudsman aims to help resolve problems between customers and suppliers or certain network operators.
See a list of the network operators the Ombudsman can review disputes with on their website.
Suppliers and network operators must carry out the actions listed in the Ombudsman’s decision. These actions can include fixing your problem, explaining what happened or paying compensation.
Ofgem is independent from the Energy Ombudsman. We cannot get involved in investigations or decisions that the Ombudsman makes.
If you are unhappy with the Ombudsman’s decision, they will tell you what to do next.
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