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This is the first time in 5 years I have had to contact my energy provider about my bill. So that is not too bad. I am stuck with them until the contract expires in May because I would otherwise have to pay extra for breach of contract.

I have been away since Friday, but I will ring them tomorrow and sort it out. At least the query is about under paying not over paying. I pay each quarterly bill exactly by Direct Debit each quarter when it is presented, so there really ought not be any queries,but this quarter, having worked out the bill correctly in agreement with the meter readings on page 2, when I turn to page 1 and look for the total being taken from our bank account the amount is £100 less.

MadeInYorkshire
It must be frustrating not to get a response after all your efforts but don't try not to worry. Thereare many hold-ups in the run up to Christmas but their finance department will reimburse you via the way you paid, presumably by card. This will usually take up to 5 working days and you should, in the normal way of things, receive an email telling you that it's been actioned.
As far as your fear regarding the 'takeover' and getting your money back, if you paid by credit card you should be covered by the card issuer who, if all else fails, will make good your loss.
I'm confident that you won't lose out, however, remember to archive the 'returned item received' receipt...just in case it gets accidentally deleted.

Not for fuel - although currently have a complaint in with British gas as it has taken 6 months to try to arrange a smart meter (disabled and cannot actually see my gas meter!)

HOUSE OF FRASER! Do not go there!

Looking for a winter coat, saw one on their website, and ordered it to try - I HATE going shopping as it makes me very anxious so would much rather try on things at home. I was quite shocked that at well over £100 they charged postage, as everyone else I had ordered off were free .... anyway it looks like a bin bag on me so I go to return it - no Delivery or Returns slip in the bag, so I go to the website, sign in and try to find info on returns. But first of all I needed my order number - go to "my orders" and it says as from April 2108 we have a shiny new website (?) and my order wasn't there (although I had only just registered to what seems to have been their old site? On to returns info - they charge for returns as well, and want you to get INSURANCE on your parcel! (heavy wool coat, cost me over £11 to return in the end) It then appears they do not send delivery or returns slips anyway, you have to print one off if you need to return (my printer isn't working!) OR email for one - I send this email - didn't come, also sent an email to Customer Services about the whole debacle - not answered .... there are no phone numbers and only web chat apparently if a pink pop up appears on your screen, which funnily enough it never has! Eventually as time was running out, found an order number from an e receipt, and had to write everything down by hand! It was delivered and signed for on the 5th December but have heard absolutely nothing from them since!

I am astounded that a huge company like that is even offering online sales when they cannot deal with them - as it was, I must have missed something as it seems they were in trouble and have been sold on which I wasn't aware of - looks like I may have a bit of trouble, and \i cannot afford to lose that money

GreenGran78
If you contacted TalkTalk's CEO later than 2009 and received a call back, it would have been Michael who takes calls in the execs office as both CEOs since then have been and are women. Dido Harding > 2017 and Tristia Harrison 2017 > present.

Jayelld. Contacting the CEO doesn't always work, though. I had a billing dispute over a cancellation charge, after I moved away from TalkTalk. After numerous webchats and phone calls, with unfulfilled promises that the charge would be removed, I forwarded all the details to their CEO. He phoned me, and assured me that the amount would be cleared. The next month, I received yet another demand for the money, and again the following month.
It was eventually sorted out, after many wasted hours on the internet and phone, but TalkTalk is definitely on my permanent blacklist.

A flipping nuisance. It's amazing how many companies are adopting this method. Delivery, fuel, telephone to name but a few. There usually is a telephone number to speak to someone but they're so well hidden most people give up.

To my mind, if you need to webchat, email or ring your energy provider because of problems with bills, then you're with the wrong sort of company.

Why would you need 'excellent' customer services if delivery of the main service ie: energy is satisfactory.
1) You give reading
2) They send statement
3) Your DDs go out on time
Why is it so difficult?
You can work out your bills, it's easy. Most if not all statements have the way they calculate bills printed on them.

I really like ‘Chat’ options. Much quicker than waiting on the phone, time to take in the company’s response, but best of all you can take a screenshot and have a record of the ‘conversation ‘. It’s my preferred method of contact.

I'm on a fixed tariff with Brilliant Energy and have never needed to contact them since I joined in April. I give quarterly readings and they email statement 3 days later. DD covers costs and in credit. Very very low tariffs that any company would not be able to beat. They have a small team with low overheads. British owned, their offices are in Canary Wharf, London.
If it's a well run company, there should be no need to contact them.

I highly recommend Bulb for green energy.

Very helpful & informative . Frequent updates on costs & meter readings etc. Extremely easy to find your way around their website.

They seem very variable. I returned a table to Argos that arrived with a flaw on the top and it was very quick and easy through their online chat.
The Council on the other hand seems destined to frustrate. I want to pay my rent by direct debit which you would think they would make easy.
For council tax, you can just pull up a form and do it. For rent you have to download it but the system didn't want to.
I tried the chat bot and it kept taking me in a circle.
'I cannot understand the question, please try rephrasing it'
I tried.
'You want to pay your council tax by direct debit?'
No, I want to pay my rent by direct debit
'I cannot understand the question, please try rephrasing it'
I tried again.
'You want to pay your council tax by direct debit'
I gave up and sent an email. Got an automated reply saying I will get a response within ten day. I haven't.
I'll try to download it again and if I can't, I'll have to call them but they put you on hold for ages or use snail mail. It should be a 5 minute task.

I am with British gas and use webchat as its easier than using the phone and its instant chat,they have a facebook page too.

Comparison sites can be confusing, as they factor into the equation the cost of your present supplier putting you onto a standard tariff when your present deal ends. This is in order to show you your overall annual consumption divided into monthly payments. It's a bit more complicated that that but I personally would only ring around 10 days before my tariff ends. No comparison sites can get me a better deal. I also check Topcashback to see what they offer.

PS I do not work for SoEnergy but as a pensionless pensioner currently living on my savings changing my energy suppliers was one of the first things I did to cut back on expenditure.

Often use webchat and find it useful most of the time. On rare occasions I've had what I would call "stock answers" to a query ie repeating what has already been said. Never used for fuel query though.

TellNo1Ok Can thoroughly recommend SoEnergy. They provide 100% renewable fuel and get - deservedly - excellent reviews for customer service.
www.so.energy

M0nica - if you are still intending to change supplier it might be worth checking what, if any, your ‘get out’ charge is. We were going to wait until the end of out contract then we realised we were actually going to save more than the ex-supplier was charging to move early

I am with Octopus. Chose them on price comparison when I moved here last year. They are excellent, and the customer service is genuinely customer based. If you have a problem they sort it out - even if it was your own fault!
They are not the cheapest, but are right up there in the reasonably priced and for the comfort of knowing that if I have an issue it will be dealt with by a courteous human being who values my custom that extra twenty quid or so a year is worth it!

Never try web chat with Argos... nobody there seems to know what they are doing! They pass you from one web chat person to another, each giving conflicting information!
I have to say calling them hasn't resolved the issue either. I won't order a delivery from Argos ever again due to their utter incompetence.

List of phone numbers here:
edfenergyuk.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1507
I find the one that you use to talk about leaving the company is useful!
General enquiries - if you are thinking of leaving EDF Energy 0333 200 5100 (1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm

General account enquiries 0333 200 5100 (1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm
Check your balance, submit a meter reading or make a payment
0333 200 5108 (1)
Automated 24 hour line
Prepayment meter enquiries
0333 200 5110 (1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm
Smart meter enquiries
0333 200 5104 (1) (to book a Smart meter installation)
0333 009 7000 (1) (for Smart meter general enquiries)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm
Text telephone for customers with hearing difficulties
0800 096 2929 (2)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm
Switching to EDF Energy or renewing your tariff with us
Switching to EDF Energy (new customers only)
0333 009 7155(1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm
Renewing your energy tariff with EDF Energy (existing customers)
0333 200 5100 (1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm
Emergencies

Gas emergencies
0800 111 999 (2)
Electrical emergencies (power cuts)
105 (from mobile or landline)
Our support services
Priority services helpline
0800 269 450 (2)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8.30am to 2pm
Energy efficiency enquiries
0333 009 6999 (1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8.30am to 2pm
Warm Home Discount enquiries
0333 009 7010 (1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm
Debt helpline
0333 009 6992 (1)
Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm
Independent debt advice
0808 156 6666 (from a landline)
0300 330 0519 (from a mobile)

I have spent years moaning, as only I can, about the length of time it takes to get through to my bank. So I used their chat option last time. It was so much better. Got through instantly and I had time to think about what was being said before replying to make sure I had understood. We resolved the problem fairly quickly even though the person disappeared once or twice to check discrepancies. I think if you still cannot resolve the problem then at least you can ask them for a number to contact or an address to write to. Also, I would like to believe this service cuts down on administration and staff costs answering unnecessary correspondence or phone calls where the issue could be dealt with swiftly by a chat service. Thereby not passing those costs on to the customer.

kittylester
Stopping DDs may have an effect but it can also impact your credit rating.
It's never a good idea to stop payments as it immediately puts you in the wrong.

You can always raise a complaint with Resolver or the Energy Ombudsman if you are not getting results by other methods. Try sending an email to EDF, citing the fact that they don't respond to your emails (yes, a bit weird) and giving them 10 working days to send a deadlock letter (email) which, in essence, means that neithet of you can resolve the problem. If no joy then contact the Ombudsman who will assign you an investigator to deal with it.
CAB is another, less confrontational route to getting answers. Good luck.

I have never had an issue with EDF and their communication is excellent by phone email or live chat.
I prefer live chat, always get an answer quickly.

For Monicas info:

By phone

Call us on one of the numbers below - however before you call, why not take a look at our question and answers page above. You may find the answer to your question is already there.

General Inquiries

(Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 2pm)

0333 200 5100

Text Telephones

For customers with hearing difficulties

0800 096 2929

National Gas Emergency Services

(24hr, for gas emergencies)

0800 111 999

Calling from mobile?


0113 820 7117

Calling from abroad?


+44 (0)113 820 7117

24-hr Bill Payment


0333 200 5108