Can I demand a refund of account credit?

oceanofviolence

Hi all,

I have done some googling this morning which suggests I may be in a position to seek a refund from United Utilities, but I'm not sure what approach is best to take.

We overpaid at our old property due to a leak. I submitted a claim form a few weeks back and a new bill has now been produced - it shows an account credit of more than £800. This means we won't have to make any more payments for the rest of the year, however, as we have overpaid the money in the past, isn't it ours to claim back?

I plan on writing to United Utilities to ask them to issue a cheque for the credit amount from the old property. Their website states that refunds are not issued unless we move to a different supplier. We will happily continue to make payments, but I really would like my £800 back!

Does anyone have any hints or tips on seeking this refund?

Thank you!

Cardew

oceanofviolence wrote: »

Hi all,

I have done some googling this morning which suggests I may be in a position to seek a refund from United Utilities, but I'm not sure what approach is best to take.

We overpaid at our old property due to a leak. I submitted a claim form a few weeks back and a new bill has now been produced - it shows an account credit of more than £800. This means we won't have to make any more payments for the rest of the year, however, as we have overpaid the money in the past, isn't it ours to claim back?

I plan on writing to United Utilities to ask them to issue a cheque for the credit amount from the old property. Their website states that refunds are not issued unless we move to a different supplier. We will happily continue to make payments, but I really would like my £800 back!

Does anyone have any hints or tips on seeking this refund?

Thank you!

You can't move to a new supplier with water! That is for their gas/electricity customers.

However I wouldn't think that they would raise any objections to refunding your credit balance.

oceanofviolence

Cardew wrote: »

You can't move to a new supplier with water! That is for their gas/electricity customers.

However I wouldn't think that they would raise any objections to refunding your credit balance.

Precisely! Unless I was moving far away from the United Utilities region, it means there is no way to claim the refund, which seems unfair!

I have sent a communication from them asking how I would pursue the refund. I will make an official complaint if they say they cannot - it seems like overkill but I'd rather fast track it if possible, after having overpaid for so long I'd quite like my money back!

Thanks

oceanofviolence

Also this is from the United Utilities website:

Will I get a refund if there is credit on my account at my old home?


If you are moving out of the United Utilities region then you can have any credit on your account refunded. If you're moving within the region the credit will be transferred to the new property.

macman

The circumstances are exceptional, so I doubt that they would refuse to at least refund any excess over what is due from you for the current billing cycle.

oceanofviolence

Unfortunately it doesn't take me over the amount due for the whole year, but I would like very much to receive back the money I had overpaid at the last property, and carry on merrily paying my monthly payment at the new one! I'll wait and see what happens

macman

I suggest you call and ask them, we can only surmise.

oceanofviolence

macman wrote: »

I suggest you call and ask them, we can only surmise.

Yes, thanks. I have emailed them - really I was wondering if anyone knew of any handy piece of policy or similar that would be on my side! If they are unhelpful I think I'll go straight to complaints/threaten contact with Ofwat/etc etc.

Gothicfairy

I am not really sure of the problem..Just ask for it back, there should be no issue at all.

Call them and ask for a refund on the account and as long as it is not due to bill in the next month there should be no questions asked and the refund should be sent back within 14 days.

No point threatening OFWAT at all as that is just pointless at this time..Ask for it back and then go from there, there is no need to worry about anything else until you have asked and been refused ~( should that happen )

Oh and what it says on the website it not always what you get when you phone the customer services so give it a go first.

oceanofviolence

Gothicfairy wrote: »

I am not really sure of the problem..Just ask for it back, there should be no issue at all.

Call them and ask for a refund on the account and as long as it is not due to bill in the next month there should be no questions asked and the refund should be sent back within 14 days.

No point threatening OFWAT at all as that is just pointless at this time..Ask for it back and then go from there, there is no need to worry about anything else until you have asked and been refused ~( should that happen )

Oh and what it says on the website it not always what you get when you phone the customer services so give it a go first.

Thanks - though I prefer to do things in writing, I did call them and they are refusing to process as a refund.

So I will continue down the complaints route - thanks everyone for the advice!

Gothicfairy

What reason did they give though because that might well make a massive difference..ie your account is due to bill and if that is the case even writing as a complaint will not help.

~If you do write a complaint though make sure it goes as a CROSS complaint as it then becomes logged with OFWAT in the complaint figures.