Trouble with Refund for Overcharging

jonlwallis

In February we received a letter from our electricity supplier (Spark Energy) stating that our monthly direct debit would increase from the previously advised £50 to a huge £300+. We were away at the time and by the time we returned to the UK the first payment had already left our account.

We spoke to Spark and they informed us that the increase was based on a number of estimates (despite the original payments being based on the advice of Spark). Having obtained our meter readings the revised DD amount was reduced to £61. We were therefore left with Spark having an additional £250+ of our money.

We were informed that the money would be refunded via bank transfer within 28 days, which in itself seemed a long time. Needless to say we had not received the money, and after 6 weeks we contacted Spark again. We were eventually advised that there had been a 'problem' with the transfer (although they failed to contact us to tell us this) and that the transfer had been re-submitted and approved the day I called (again a coincidence). However, we were unable to speak to the complaints department - all correspondance has to be by post or email - and we were informed the transfer would take another 6 weeks and that we will not receive our refund until 4th May (the money originally left our account at the beginning of February)?!

We have submitted a number of complaints based on the original issue and the time it has taken to refund our account. We have only received one reply that stated the issue was now resolved and we would receive the money on the 4th May.

Is there anything we can do to speed up this process as it seems wrong that it can take so long?

jalexa

jonlwallis wrote: »

Is there anything we can do to speed up this process as it seems wrong that it can take so long?

The complaint's process couldn't really be explained any more clearly than here...http://www.sparkenergy.co.uk/files/Complaints%20Process%286%29.pdf

Follow it scrupulously and if you remain dissatisfied after 8 weeks you are entitled to ask the Energy Ombudsman to consider the complaint.

macman

Why are you giving this bunch of (alleged) cowboys your custom in the first place? Expensive, highly dubious marketing tactics, slow to refund...the list goes on.
Switch and ditch ASAP.

DVardysShadow

Me. I would claim the money back under the Direct Debit guarantee.

Terrylw1

They've admitted its an error so you tellyour bank this and the whole sum is back in your account usually on the next banking day. You just then need to pay Spark what try should have taken.

6 weeks is an absolute joke. They will usually do it via a standard transfer back in with would more likely 5 days. For a large sum a damaging complaint they would daily be able o get it back in quicker but it would cost them more.

So, where does the 6 weeks actually come from? Its the internal operational processes to raise a refund request, manager authorises it, finance people recheck, possibly a higher manager is required to sign it off, blah blah blah.so, you are waiting because their processes are, well,rubbish!