EDF billing error leaves small business owner facing £579 energy bill
After closing a North Yorkshire high-street shop, a retailer fought EDF over a disputed final bill; an investigation helped secure a refund and goodwill gesture.
A North Yorkshire retailer who closed his high-street gift shop in October 2024 says he faced an eight-month billing chase from EDF for £579 after the energy supplier took over his account from Opus Energy earlier that year. He submitted a final meter reading from the shop at closure and emailed a time-stamped photograph as proof, but EDF continued to demand payment, issuing further bills and threats of debt collection and legal action.
EDF had taken on Opus Energy accounts in August 2024, and the reader had been an EDF customer for around three months. He moved out and submitted the final reading, which EDF later said was far below the estimate on file. He was told the final reading was 1,129 kilowatt hours higher than his own reading, which may have resulted from a reliance on estimates when no regular readings were submitted. Because the account was reopened after the closure, EDF pursued the extra cash.
A few days after intervention by This is Money, EDF contacted the reader and recalculated the bill. EDF said the error had caused the account to be reopened and pursued the extra cash. The company sent a cheque for £573.11—the amount of credit that should have been in the account when the shop closed—plus a £100 goodwill gesture.
EDF issued a statement: "Unfortunately an error has meant that [I.R] received an inaccurate bill which we are pleased to say has been rectified. We're sorry this wasn't fixed sooner and we've sent him a credit cheque alongside a goodwill gesture." The reader said he was glad the problem was resolved and could focus on his business, which now operates online.
The episode underscores how energy bills for customers who have closed a premises can be complicated, particularly when accounts are transferred between suppliers. With no smart meter or regular meter readings, customers can be billed on estimates that might overstate usage. In such cases, timely documentation—like a timestamped photo of a meter reading—can be crucial when disputing a bill.
The story sits within This is Money's Crane on the Case column, which has followed readers' consumer problems. In a separate note from the same column, a Karen Millen online order issue was resolved after Debenhams Group intervened, refunding the customer £133.32 plus a £25 goodwill voucher; Karen Millen apologised for the delay and miscommunication, and Debenhams said it would discuss staff training to avoid repeats. The case illustrates how refunds can hinge on retailer policies and the interaction of payment platforms like PayPal, even as shoppers navigate a challenging retail climate.