Have you tried to reclaim old bill credit?

lovinituk

Interesting, I missed this thread previously. Npower are currently not refunding a credit owed to me.

Why are the energy companies managed so badly? Between them and the equally poor service provided by telecoms companies, it's a wonder that this country actually has any infrastructure at all!!

Jakes50

I switched from "OVO energy" back in July to "First Utility". The switch went well and I noticed that I had an outstanding credit with OVO for £250. I have been trying to get this refunded ever since. First of all they told it would take 6 weeks then after 6 weeks they said that I was being supplied my gas by an "Independent Gas Supplier" (IGT) and that it could take up to 12 weeks to get them to confirm my final meter reading!! After 12 weeks they told me it could be up to 15 weeks. After 15 weeks they told me that they have still not received reading, but that they would chase it up. I asked for name of supplier and they refused to give me this saying that they were not obliged to do so!! We are now over 18 weeks and despite a lengthy and fraught phone call with OVO it is still not sorted. I contacted the Ombudsman and they suggested contacting my current supplier. That was a Waste of time as my current supplier said that they could not help. Has anyone came across this situation before or am I just being fobbed of by OVO so they can make interest on my £250?? :mad:

azwilson

A 10 min call on Saturday morning after watching the Friday night show paid £269.03..... Kerching! Just in time for Xmas.

edhooper

So easy 5 minutes to get call answered and 5 more while payment arranged. Result!
Nothing from E.On unfortunately

teabelly

Is there an upper time limit on how long ago you can claim for? I think I had a spell with Npower in my old house but it was probably 10 years+ ago! As Npower seem to be exceptionally appalling it seems likely if there was any credit it wouldn't have been paid even if I did ask for it.

I switch regularly so I've probably had an account with most of them.

Kent_Sue

Took me 6 months but I finally got a refund from Scottish Power. I stopped using them and changed supplier, but SP still kept taking money from my direct debit and used an estimated final reading which was much higher than the real reading. I reckoned they over took 180 pounds. I complained to SP but they kept sending me more bills and wouldn't look into my complaint.
So I took the case to the ombudsman, after about 8 weeks the ombudsman said SP was in the right. I appealed and after another 8+ weeks, I finally heard I had won the case. About a month later SP sent me a cheque for the amount I had overpaid + 50 pounds compensation.
Thanks too MSE for alerting the fact you can go to the ombudsman.

tirosh

Hi There,

Wanted to say a thank you to Martin Lewis for highlighting this. I have gone back and checked for the last 5 years and I was not owed anything by the first supplier but Scottish Power did owe me £115 from my switch in September 2012. However, it appears that they were checking accounts themselves and had refunded me this money in April of this year! Hence I didn't et anything new and goods to see some companies doing this pro-actively.

Tirosh.

SarahDR

Took Martin's advice and called all energy suppliers with whom I've had an account... EDF and E.On say they have already credited outstanding balances on closed accounts. First Utility had NOT and have been sitting on £396.44 of my money since I switched in May this year - six months! They say they will credit it to my bank account now. I think it is DISGRACEFUL that they can just hold this money. They said I should have called them to get it credited, but nothing in any correspondence I received from them told me this. I accept I was remiss in not checking, but really, should I have had to? How long would they have sat on it if I had not called? Would they have EVER credited it to me? I will NEVER use First Utility again. Thanks Martin, your advice has ensured that I have reclaimed nearly £400 I was owed!

C_Mababejive

This has all the hallmarks of another PPI type scandal. How can a business explain that they know you are in credit when you leave them but they will just hang onto your money anyway and not bother mentioning it? I wonder what a decent barrister would make of this? It seems to me to be very close to theft in that by not returning money to you or not making you aware of it, there could be an intention to permanently deprive you of it,as will be the case for hundreds of people who are non the wiser and will never contact their old supplier.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

C_Mababejive wrote: »

This has all the hallmarks of another PPI type scandal. How can a business explain that they know you are in credit when you leave them but they will just hang onto your money anyway and not bother mentioning it? I wonder what a decent barrister would make of this? It seems to me to be very close to theft in that by not returning money to you or not making you aware of it, there could be an intention to permanently deprive you of it,as will be the case for hundreds of people who are non the wiser and will never contact their old supplier.

The sums will be far lower than PPI - far more people have taken out credit than have changed energy supplier!

I would also be instructing a solicitor before a barrister.

But yes, if this is going on to the extent we're being led to believe, truly shocking.