MSE News: In credit on your energy bill? Millions to get automatic refunds

Former_MSE_Helen · 19 February 2014 at 7:04PM

"Energy customers will now get automatic refunds regardless of how much their account is in credit by..."

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In credit on your energy bill? Millions to get automatic refunds

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cepheus · 19 February 2014 at 7:18PM

I've switched so many times it worries me some of the companies might be hanging onto old credit after many years, is this possible?

Carl31 · 19 February 2014 at 9:14PM

E on credit customers when they are in credit by 5 pounds?

Is this new? I've never been credited and am always in credit

gozaimasu · 19 February 2014 at 9:21PM

The thing I find most ridiculous about being in credit on your energy bills (dual fuel), is that they never use that credit to offset the debit on the other fuel! To be £100 in credit on your gas and have it refunded, is really so stupid, as they then expect you to pay the electricity bill separately, when they could just have put the credit towards it!

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays · 19 February 2014 at 10:00PM

gozaimasu wrote: »

The thing I find most ridiculous about being in credit on your energy bills (dual fuel), is that they never use that credit to offset the debit on the other fuel! To be £100 in credit on your gas and have it refunded, is really so stupid, as they then expect you to pay the electricity bill separately, when they could just have put the credit towards it!

How would you feel if your current account were overdrawn, but the bank raided your savings account to "level it up"?

These are separate bills, a lot of people do not have dual fuel, and people have anywhere between 1 and 100* accounts. Why should energy suppliers act as clearance houses?

*no idea of the record number of energy accounts in the UK

Caddyman · 19 February 2014 at 10:05PM

The last time I asked for a refund of credit from my supplier Npower it took about two weeks for them to pay me. I asked for the payment to be made direct to my bank, after all, they take my monthly payment by direct debit, but no, they told me they don't do it that way, I must have a cheque. What an absolute pain in the backside! A massive inconvenience because I then had to make a special journey just to go to my bank to pay the cheque in and guess what? that cost me money to get there! Funny how some companies can make life so difficult for their customers!

Anyway, here's hoping they have now changed their method of refund.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case · 19 February 2014 at 10:45PM

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

How would you feel if your current account were overdrawn, but the bank raided your savings account to "level it up"?

You might not like it but they could probably do it.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays · 19 February 2014 at 10:54PM

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

You might not like it but they could probably do it.

Indeed, and according to the article, most would call it stealing!

zerog · 20 February 2014 at 12:28AM

So, will I be able to "top up" my utility accounts with my credit card and then receive automatic refunds?

I sort of did that with npower by having my DD set to £10 per month and adding lots of funds to my account by CC, still got my DD discount plus lots of CC cashback

System · 20 February 2014 at 12:36AM

Perhaps they need to look at stupid bill increases. Explain why one year I was with Eon, my winter quarter I was only £2 in debit but they calculated that my DD needs to increase by £25 a month?

MrsWenger · 20 February 2014 at 12:50AM

I was very surprised to hear that E-on refund automatically as i have been around £250 in credit for several months. I am happy to leave it and sort it once the winter is over and i am sure it will be refunded when i ask. I have been with them many years and don't recall that i have ever had an automatic refund.