EDF Energy

Citizens Advice rating

Energy supplier. Products & services: Gas, Electricity.

Updated: 2 August 2026

Company Overview

Industry: Energy supply (gas and electricity)
Parent company: EDF SA (Électricité de France)
Regulator: Ofgem
Ombudsman: Energy Ombudsman
Founded: 1988 (EDF Energy Customers Limited incorporated 8 March 1988)
Legal entity: EDF Energy Customers Limited (02228297)

1,528Complaints per 100,000 accounts
77%Complaints resolved by end of the same or next working day
2.9out of 5Citizens Advice star rating

What customers complain about

Customers most often complain to EDF about billing and metering (including smart-meter and account issues), the time taken to get through to and hear back from its customer-service team, and the overall volume and handling of complaints. Citizens Advice has scored EDF near the bottom of its energy supplier league table, flagging long call-waiting times, and EDF's own Ofgem-required data shows a high complaint rate per 100,000 accounts. Historically, Ofgem penalised EDF £3m in 2014 for failing to properly receive, record and process complaints after a 2011 billing-system change. Complaints go first to EDF's team; if unresolved after eight weeks or on a deadlock letter, customers can take the case free to the Energy Ombudsman.

Complaint categories

1
Billing, metering and smart-meter issues
Bills, meter readings, smart-meter functioning and account balances are a recurring source of complaints to EDF. In the Citizens Advice Jan–Mar 2026 assessment EDF scored 3.0 out of 5 on billing and metering.
Citizens Advice energy supplier customer service assessment, EDF Energy details, Jan–Mar 2026.
2
Getting through to and hearing back from customer service
Contactability and response speed are a known pain point. Citizens Advice scored EDF 3.2 out of 5 on contact/waiting time in Jan–Mar 2026, and in June 2024 reported EDF's average call-waiting time had risen from just under a minute to over five minutes within a year.
Citizens Advice EDF details (Jan–Mar 2026) and Citizens Advice press release, 25 June 2024.
3
Overall complaint volumes
EDF has a comparatively high complaint volume: its own Q1 2025 data showed 1,528 complaints per 100,000 accounts, and Citizens Advice scored it just 2.0 out of 5 on 'fewer complaints received' in Jan–Mar 2026 — one of its lowest component scores.
EDF Complaints Performance page (Q1 2025) and Citizens Advice EDF details (Jan–Mar 2026).

Latest statistics

94%Complaints resolved within 8 weeksQ1 2025 (Jan–Mar 2025)
2.9out of 5Citizens Advice star ratingJan–Mar 2026 (ranked 11th of suppliers)

Two separate official sources. EDF's own Ofgem-required 'Complaints Performance' page (most recent quarter published there is Q1 2025) and the Citizens Advice quarterly energy supplier star rating (Jan–Mar 2026). Figures are for the periods stated; EDF's own definition of a 'complaint' is broad (any expression of dissatisfaction), so its rate is not directly comparable to other sources.

Contact methods

Complaint journey

1
Contact EDF's complaints team
What happens
Raise the issue by phone (0333 006 9950), email (hello@edfenergy.com) or Freepost. EDF says you'll deal with the same team, who will record the complaint and try to resolve it.
2
Ask for it to be reassessed
What happens
If you're not happy with the outcome, ask EDF to escalate. The specialist will arrange for your complaint to be reassessed and tell you the result.
3
Get a deadlock letter or wait 8 weeks
What happens
If EDF cannot resolve it, it issues a written 'deadlock letter' with the details you need for the Energy Ombudsman. You can also go to the Ombudsman once eight weeks have passed since you first complained.
4
Refer to the Energy Ombudsman
What happens
Take the dispute, free of charge, to the Energy Ombudsman (0330 440 1624). Its decision is binding on EDF if you accept it; a review can take up to 12 weeks.

Response times

EDF handles complaints through a single team and aims to resolve issues at first contact where it can — its Q1 2025 data shows 77% of complaints resolved by end of the same or next working day and 94% within eight weeks. EDF's complaints page does not publish a fixed acknowledgement window, but the key regulatory milestone is eight weeks: if your complaint is unresolved eight weeks after you first raised it, or EDF issues a deadlock letter sooner, you can escalate free to the Energy Ombudsman, whose own review can take up to 12 weeks.

If your complaint isn’t resolved

If EDF Energy can’t put things right, you can escalate — free of charge — to an independent body:

Energy Ombudsman

Recent news

31 March 2026
In the Citizens Advice energy supplier star rating for Jan–Mar 2026, EDF scored 2.9 out of 5 and ranked 11th, with its lowest component being 'fewer complaints received' (2.0 out of 5).
Read more
25 June 2024
Citizens Advice named EDF and Utilita as the worst suppliers for customer service in its league table, noting EDF's average call-waiting time had jumped from under a minute to over five minutes within a year.
Read more

Earlier cases

22 August 2014
Historic: Ofgem secured a £3 million package from EDF Energy after finding it breached the Complaints Handling Standards Regulations (regulations 4, 5 and 7(a)) between May and December 2011, failing to properly receive, record and process customers' complaints following a 2011 billing-system change. The £3m went to help vulnerable customers via Citizens Advice's 'Energy Best Deal Extra' and a debt helpline.
Read more

Know your rights

Gas and Electricity (Consumer Complaints Handling Standards) Regulations 2008
These rules require licensed suppliers like EDF to receive, record, handle and resolve complaints properly and to signpost the Energy Ombudsman. They are the standards EDF was found to have breached in 2014. This is general information, not legal advice.
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Energy supply and related services must be provided with reasonable care and skill; where a service falls short you can seek to have it put right. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a complaint to EDF?

Contact EDF's complaints team on 0333 006 9950 (Mon–Thu 8am–6pm, Fri 8am–4pm), email hello@edfenergy.com, or write for free to 'FREEPOST: EDF Customer Correspondence'. EDF says you'll deal with the same team throughout.

When can I go to the Energy Ombudsman about EDF?

Once EDF sends you a deadlock letter, or if eight weeks have passed since you first complained without resolution. The Energy Ombudsman (0330 440 1624) is free and its decision is binding on EDF if you accept it.

How good is EDF at handling complaints?

EDF's own Q1 2025 figures report 1,528 complaints per 100,000 accounts, with 77% resolved by the next working day and 94% within eight weeks. Citizens Advice scored EDF 2.9 out of 5 (ranked 11th) for customer service in Jan–Mar 2026.

Who owns EDF and who regulates it?

EDF's UK supply business is EDF Energy Customers Limited, part of the French state-owned EDF group. It is regulated by Ofgem; individual disputes are resolved by the independent Energy Ombudsman, not Ofgem.

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