How do I get my money back from First Utility?

svlpacker

I sold my flat at the end of May this year (2014) and submitted a final reading for my gas & electricity. It took First Utility 4 months to produced my final bill and I found out they were holding over £1,000 of my money! Despite several phone calls and a promise each time that they'll send me a cheque, nothing's arrived. I'm hopping mad but not sure what I can do to get them to send me back my money.....any ideas out there please?

Swipe

I'd start by raising a formal complaint with them if you haven't already.

energyworker

I would advise to put it in writing (email, not snail mail) that you have been promised a cheque refund that has not turned up. Ask for an explanation of why this has not been issued and an assurance of when it will be issued. Be sure to include the correct forwarding address for the cheque to make sure it isn't being sent to the old supply address.

If it has been 8 weeks since you initially requested the refund and you are dissatisfied with the response to this email then request a deadlock letter and raise it with the ombudsman. I would perhaps include that you plan to do this in your direct email to FU as they are likely to bend over backwards to avoid an ombudsman complaint as this will cost them a significant amount of money.

fred246

First Utility are complete crooks. You can take them to the small claims court if you wish. The only thing is you have to give them ample opportunity to sort it out. They paid me just before I put the claim in. I sort of hoped to add the court costs so they would have to pay more than they originally owed.