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EDF - do they ever read your meter?


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Hi,

We have owned our house/farm in Dept 86 for nearly 2 years, and move there permanently in 4 weeks time.

After various working holidays, etc we are about £1,500 (pounds!) in credit I reckon, having paid all of the small 100 euro EDF bills that come along every 8 weeks or so. Will they ever read our meter?, or is there some way we can get them to take a reading via internet, postal card etc etc?.

The meter is in the atelier, which is locked when we are away, but we have never had a card left - and I do not think we could use this much power too quicky.

Should we notify them of the overpayment, or let it sort itself out over time?, I do not want them saying the meter didn't work or something similar.

Any suggestions...?

Thanks Mark & Kay

 

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Meters are normally read twice a year. If there is a modern meter they can do this from the box at the edge of the property so they don't need to enter the house.

If you have an old meter and they cannot gain access they usually leave a card, and they can insist on proper reading once a year, but we found it was more likely to be once every two years. If they need to make a special appointment to read the meter outside of the normal rounds there is a charge.

I suggest that as soon as you move you get in touch with them armed with your current readings and ask for them to refund the overpayment. You will presumably need to contact them to change the billing address from the UK to the property itself.

I recommend that you pay them a visit rather than doing it by phone or letter if you French isn't 100%. They are usually quite helpful face to face.

 

 

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During the four years of ownership we have had several cards left in our post box stating EDF had visited and could we fill in the present reading. After two years the house was re-wired for three phase and the new meter was read.

 Two years later they sent a letter asking us to arrange a time when EDF could enter the house to make a true reading. I sent them the present reading and the new bill was adjusted to suit.

The following bills were estimates, as usual, based on their best attempt to follow the pattern of use. I intend to send another "present reading" to allow them to make a more realistic estimation. They probably only owe us about 100 euros.

My spoken French is not too good so I prefer to write it down.

I wouldn't let them hold such a vast amount of your money. Get working on a refund asap and spend it or earn interest!

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"or is there some way we can get them to take a reading via internet, postal card etc etc?"

You can make arrangements through their web site to let them know your meter reading. Once you have set up the scheme they e-mail you shortly before the next bill is due and you e-mail back with the reading. They will still want to read the meter themselves, though; once a year is, I believe, sufficient.

Liz (29)

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