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EDF, an energy company, received criticism when well-known customers were surprised by a sudden increase in their energy bills.
Jon Sopel, a former journalist, had to turn to social media for explanations when his monthly bill skyrocketed from £152 to £19,274.
He wrote on X: “Hey @edfenergy, I just received a notification that our monthly standing order is increasing from £152 per month to £19,274. That seems like a significant increase.”
“Is there a person we can speak to instead of a bot? Thank you and happy holidays, Jon.”
The tweet received 1.3 million views and numerous comments from other customers who shared their complaints about the energy company.
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A comment from a user on social media stated: “I am being charged £3,000 for 2 months of usage, but I am unable to reach anyone and I keep receiving intimidating letters in the mail.”
English artist and writer, Sir Grayson Perry, expressed his dissatisfaction on EDF’s page, stating that he has been attempting to contact someone regarding his electricity bill, which has drastically increased from £300 to £39,000 per month.
“I have not received any assistance from your call centre, yet today you attempted to deduct this amount from my account through direct debit.”
Mr Sopel commented on the post, stating that he experienced the same issue and found it absurd. However, he was able to resolve it. He also questioned how many other people have encountered this problem and tagged EDF Energy, requesting an explanation for the situation.
Following the announcement by energy regulator Ofgem, millions of households will see a 5% increase in their gas and electricity bills as a result of the latest price cap.
The cost of energy for an average user who pays through direct debit will go up from £1,834 to £1,928, resulting in a £94 increase. These new rates will take effect on 1 January and may cause concern for the many individuals in the UK facing financial challenges.
In response to the grievances regarding energy bills on X, a representative from EDF stated that customers need not be concerned. These issues are not connected to any larger problems with our billing system and we have not altered our process for handling direct debit changes for customers.
Sometimes, there may be unexpected changes in the amounts deducted from your account through direct debit. This can happen due to incorrect meter readings being recorded on the system.
“Our procedures are strong in guaranteeing that significant rises in customers’ direct debits undergo a manual review, and in nearly all instances, technical malfunctions are fixed and prevented without causing inconvenience to customers.”
Source: independent.co.uk