Energy companies not paying customers back when they swap!

cepheus

This opening item on Moneybox was rather worrying. Some energy customers have been hanging onto customers money who are in credit when they change. I wonder how many customers have lost money this way?

tillycat123

Going from Atlantic gas to EDF. Atlantic insisted that I had to let another £89 direct debit be collected even after I had switched as they had not had my metre reading from EDF.

I was already £300 in credit with them. Switch all done and dusted and still refusing to let me have money credit back until they say I can. Switch happened on November 25th and was told can take up to 6 weeks to get my money back.

British gas on the other hand for my electric, also going to EDF, worked seamless, did not collect any unnecessary payments during the switch.

savemoney

British Gas still have over £300 of mine since I moved supplier on 25th November

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

savemoney wrote: »

British Gas still have over £300 of mine since I moved supplier on 25th November

That was 10 working days ago. They may not have received the reads from the new supplier yet!

savemoney

They got final reading on 25th of last month.In fairness to BG I just got in last few minutes a cheque in post dated 4Dec from BG for £260.29 which is balance of my gas, still waiting for electric to come for electric though looking at my account its still not been sorted. Another thing BG do allow the cheque to be cashed at any HSBC banks if you have suitable ID and its under £400

matelodave

Unfortunately the rules allow them a certain amount of time to process the refunds - Scottish Power reckon it takes them 45 days from the time they get the final reading from new supplier. So they aren't really motivated to get on with it if they can keep your money in their bank for an extra six weeks or so of interest. Like wise the new supplier doesn't really have a great deal of motivation either - he's got your business and will be charging you from the date of transfer, sending info to your previous supplier isn't a priority for him either.

JSR

It took npower several months to return my credit when I moved away from them. I did get £50 in compensation when I complained about it though so I don't imagine they're making anything out of their inefficiency overall.