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

di3004

I am almost £300 in credit with my gas and almost £200 with my electric (Swalec(SSE).
I obviously pay by direct debit, but next week the quarterly bill is due, so assume it will swallow up my credit...(No refund for me at this point I dont think).

masser

I am quite relaxed at being in credit with my energy supplier. Since moving to OVO Energy, they pay me more interest than my bank does.

MABLE

masser wrote: »

I am quite relaxed at being in credit with my energy supplier. Since moving to OVO Energy, they pay me more interest than my bank does.

Yes but they are dearer than a lot of other energy suppliers.

dude89

MABLE wrote: »

Yes but they are dearer than a lot of other energy suppliers.

Since when? They are currently the cheapest available (dual fuel) supplier for my usage and region (South Wales elec 4000kwh gas 11000kwh) which is not too far off the national average.

You can save more money by splitting your fuels and going with the newer smaller companies

the_reductionist

Always in credit with Npower - currently over £400 -:mad: never reduce DD payments until I insist and I'm still trying to get this credit refunded.


Their excuse is always that they need an agent to read the meter. This was done only last week which was the first time in over 2 years. I now have the ammunition so it will be interesting to see whether they cough up.Seems we pay as customers for their inefficiencies.


I certainly don't recognise the stated procedures in this news thread......

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

MrsWenger wrote: »

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.

Hiya MrsWenger,

This is correct, but the automatic refund would be at your annual review, for any credit over £5 so long as we’ve had up to date meter readings in the last six months.

I agree with leaving the credit for now, over the winter. It could also be the credit is from the Direct Debit payments you have made.

True credit shows after an accurate bill has been produced.

Lot's of info if you need it on the website, along with the new Direct Debit tool where you can change your Direct Debit etc.

Hope this helps.

Helena

neneromanova

I personally find this stupid. We were in "credit" on our Npower account by about £150 for the winter, then this stupid thing came in and they had to refund it. I think people should be able to opt in or out of this happening as I'd rather be in credit for gas/electricity than come to a bill and be short then have to find that extra money.

Ah well

MrsWenger

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena wrote: »

Hiya MrsWenger,

This is correct, but the automatic refund would be at your annual review, for any credit over £5 so long as we’ve had up to date meter readings in the last six months.

I agree with leaving the credit for now, over the winter. It could also be the credit is from the Direct Debit payments you have made.

True credit shows after an accurate bill has been produced.

Lot's of info if you need it on the website, along with the new Direct Debit tool where you can change your Direct Debit etc.

Hope this helps.

Helena

Hi Helena,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. The credit value has been fairly consistent for quite a period now and i just don't recall it ever being returned by your teams. Not an issue for me though; i know if i wanted it paid back it would be sorted by the team. Thanks for the heads up about the direct debit tool.

Best wishes,

Tracey

MrsWenger

neneromanova wrote: »

I personally find this stupid. We were in "credit" on our Npower account by about £150 for the winter, then this stupid thing came in and they had to refund it. I think people should be able to opt in or out of this happening as I'd rather be in credit for gas/electricity than come to a bill and be short then have to find that extra money.

Ah well

I completely agree with you, good point well presented

undercover_peon

"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!"

Well it can be viewed as ridiculous either way. When I worked for NPower (for my sins) I had complaints when they didn't offset it (this is stupid why didn't you take one from the other?) and complaints when they did (usually people saying loudly its my CREDIT as if they were speaking to a retard).

This has kinda been covered already but I thought the banks right of offset was well known? Maybe it needs more coverage.

Apart from a customers wishes put yourself in the position of a company. Would you refund money to a customer who owed you money?

For the record I think this new policy is stupid and is designed to make the government look like it is doing something when in practice it is useless.

I'll give you an example. For years people would moan that they only knew their balance when they received a bill. Then when NPower began to show the credit accumulating as the payments came in (one of the VERY few positive things about the new billing system) people would lose touch with reality and insist over and over again it is my credit I want it back.

Many wouldn't listen even when you pointed out that five hundred pouunds had built up over five months and thier bill was due anytime (IMO six monthly billing is also a pretty rubbish idea).

Many people still cannot grasp that the concept that the only way to pay for exactly what you use is to give meter readings and pay on when you get the bill.

My solution would be annual refunds at a reasonable threshold, though I am not sure what this should be, with a reassessment every six months (any credit or debit balance to be factored in over 12 months).

This would prevent wild swings in payment when usage or prices change, or the company has simply got the sums wrong.