100,000 EDF customers to be refunded after billing error

The energy provider announced today it has put aside £200,000 to repay customers back, plus interest.

Key Points

• £200,000 compensation for billing blunder victims

• Most will be auto-refunded

• Fault with telephone meter reading system to blame

The problem occurred due to a fault with its automated telephone meter reading system. It will only have affected those who used this system during periods when EDF changed its prices between October 2003 to May 2010.

EDF stresses for the vast majority of customers who have been overcharged, the amount is less than £5 and the problem with its automated telephone system is fixed.

Some customers may also have been under-billed as a result, but EDF will not ask for any of this cash back.

How to get a refund

If you were an EDF customer between October 2003 and May 2010 and you provided your meter readings via its automated telephone service, here's the drill:

• Customers who are still with EDF do not need to do anything as your accounts will be credited automatically by 30 September, regardless of how much if owed.

• Past customers who are no longer with EDF and who have lost out by £3 or more will be written to by EDF with details of how to claim. EDF will use the address it has from when you were a customer.

• Past customers who are concerned they may have been affected and have not been reimbursed by 30 September should contact EDF on 0800 046 2012. This includes those who have moved home since leaving or those who are owed less than £3. Of course, you may not be aware if you're owed money or not so it's worth a call to check.

Hundreds of thousands of Npower customers were refunded a combined £70 million last year after a massive billing blunder (see the Claim Npower refunds news story).