52 Days to get my £200+ credit back, FU

WattNext
WattNext Posts: 145
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edited 2 October 2017 at 10:58AM in Energy
On 18th Sep 2017 I switched from First Utility to Avro Energy. I asked Avro was their switching delay the same. No reply except to say that it takes up to 3 wks for the final reading to be logged with an independent energy database.

My online chat with First Utility Carlos 2/10/17 10:30am

I left you on 18/9/17 but have you have taken a £60 direct debit from me. Why did you do this

Carlos: I can see that there was still a Fixed Direct Debit set up so the payment was pulled on the 25th of September. I'm really sorry about this. I can see your account is still waiting for the final bill to be produced, so I've changed your Direct Debit to a variable one so that no payment will be taken until the final bill is ready and only if there would be any outstanding amount. If any credit will remain on your account after the final bill, we will issue you with a refund. The bill should be ready within 4-6 weeks from your supply end date. Once the bill will be ready we can request a refund and it will reach your account within 10 working days from the day of request. It will be by BACS so if possible, please do not cancel your Direct Debit until all is done and the remaining credit will reach your account.

Why didn't you advise that I needed to change to a variable direct debit to stop the payment going out

Carlos: I'm really sorry for this. Usually the payment method would automatically be changed to variable direct debit.

So I'm alright telling Money saving expert energy forum what you are doing?

Carlos: I'm sorry to hear that you feel this way. Your payment method has now been changed to variable direct debit so that no payment will be taken until the final bill is ready and only if there would be any outstanding amount.

Its not your personal fault Carlos. but your customers need to know. Bye.
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Comments

  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,586
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    and what is your point?
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
  • Swipe
    Swipe Posts: 5,062
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    They told me 4-6 weeks. It took about 14 days in the end. They also took my direct debit after my switch but got it back in the refund of my final bill. It wasn't a big deal either because my new supplier didn't take their DD until the start of the second month.
  • WattNext
    WattNext Posts: 145
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    matelodave wrote: »
    and what is your point?

    The switch itself used to take weeks and they reduced it to 17 days but the refund of credit got left behind and still takes considerably longer.
  • WattNext
    WattNext Posts: 145
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    Swipe wrote: »
    ...It wasn't a big deal either because my new supplier didn't take their DD until the start of the second month.

    Avro took the direct debit ahead of the supply start date. That meant that I paid twice in the same month. Families struggling to pay their energy bills need any credit returning earlier.
  • WattNext
    WattNext Posts: 145
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    Switch from First Utility Timeline

    • Switched to New Energy Supplier.......18/08/2017 00 Days
    • Start New Energy Supplier................19/09/2017 32 Days
    • First Utility Final Bill.........................10/10/2017 21 Days
    • Email Notice Returning Credit.............13/10/2017 03 Days
    • Credit Returned to Bank....................24/10/2017 11 Days
    • Switch Completion Delay = 67 Days
    Have been with First Utility for 4 years, their billing is very accurate and have not had 'any' problems. Would not hesitate to return to them.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    Under EU Law, and Supply Licence Conditions, energy suppliers have 6 weeks from the day of the actual transfer of your supply to produce your Final Bill. Repayment of any credit will then follow.
  • HDRW
    HDRW Posts: 5 Forumite
    I switched on the 26th September, and was told it could take "up to 28 days" to get the reading validated "by the industry". Nobody seems to want to put at name to this industry body! Today is day 28, and I called to see what's happening: They have the Gas reading but not Electicity. They apologised that I was told 28 days and don't know how much longer it will be! The issue is that I was *way* overpaid with the old supplier (about 3x my monthly payment), I had to leave the Direct Debit running "or we'll charge you £12 for non-payment" despite the fact that the payment was taken several days after I left them, and I had to pay the new supplier immediately. So not only have I paid twice for this month, but that and the overpayment is sitting nicely in their bank account - and it's *my* money! I'm broke and I need it back. Howcome this unidentified Industry body is so slow at checking the meter readings? It should be about ten lines of code in a program to check whether the figures are reasonable compared with previously. Nobody knows when my figures will be validated, and apparently nobody can contact anyone to find out. So what gives?
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    HDRW wrote: »
    I switched on the 26th September, and was told it could take "up to 28 days" to get the reading validated "by the industry". Nobody seems to want to put at name to this industry body! Today is day 28, and I called to see what's happening: They have the Gas reading but not Electicity. They apologised that I was told 28 days and don't know how much longer it will be! The issue is that I was *way* overpaid with the old supplier (about 3x my monthly payment), I had to leave the Direct Debit running "or we'll charge you £12 for non-payment" despite the fact that the payment was taken several days after I left them, and I had to pay the new supplier immediately. So not only have I paid twice for this month, but that and the overpayment is sitting nicely in their bank account - and it's *my* money! I'm broke and I need it back. Howcome this unidentified Industry body is so slow at checking the meter readings? It should be about ten lines of code in a program to check whether the figures are reasonable compared with previously. Nobody knows when my figures will be validated, and apparently nobody can contact anyone to find out. So what gives?

    The industry third party (Data Collectors) that verifies all meter readings on a switch has been in existence for years. It doesn’t take 28 days: 5 to 10 days is the norm. Gas transfer meter reading validation involving an IGT used to take a little longer than electricity but the process was automated earlier this year (Project NEXUS).

    If your losing supplier hasn’t received industry validated meter readings within 6 weeks of the transfer, it will usually contact the gaining supplier on your behalf. That said, this forum is full of complaints about suppliers taking 6 weeks to raise a Final Bill. I will leave it to you to work out why this might be the case.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
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    WattNext wrote: »
    Avro took the direct debit ahead of the supply start date. That meant that I paid twice in the same month. Families struggling to pay their energy bills need any credit returning earlier.

    Write to consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk and make the point.
  • Hengus wrote: »
    Write to consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk and make the point.
    As long as the OP doesn't expect Ofgem to care.
This discussion has been closed.
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