Paying Twice

Barry.C

I changed energy supplier to Affect Energy on the 16th May 2017,they took payments out on the 23rd May and 21st June 2017then SSE took payments on the 6th June and the 13th June 2017.affect Energy said that SSE should'nt have taken a payment out in June 2017as they were no longer my supplier,the final bill from SSE is dated 22nd March -30th May 2017but im still not received any refund from SSE.

molerat

You either write a formal complaint to SSE or invoke the DD guarantee with your bank, maybe both.

System

Barry.C wrote: »

I changed energy supplier to Affect Energy on the 16th May 2017,they took payments out on the 23rd May and 21st June 2017then SSE took payments on the 6th June and the 13th June 2017.affect Energy said that SSE should'nt have taken a payment out in June 2017as they were no longer my supplier,the final bill from SSE is dated 22nd March -30th May 2017but im still not received any refund from SSE.

Have you had a Final Bill from SSE? It can take up to 6 weeks from the date of the actual transfer for information to pass between the two suppliers. During this time, most suppliers will continue to seek payment via DD. It would seem to me that SSE took a normal monthly payment on the 6th June and claimed the remaining debit balance on the 13th June. You need to check your Final Bill. You will only pay for the energy used. If you have overpaid, then SSE will return this to you.

footyguy

Barry.C wrote: »

I changed energy supplier to Affect Energy on the 16th May 2017,they took payments out on the 23rd May and 21st June 2017then SSE took payments on the 6th June and the 13th June 2017.affect Energy said that SSE should'nt have taken a payment out in June 2017as they were no longer my supplier,the final bill from SSE is dated 22nd March -30th May 2017but im still not received any refund from SSE.

It's quite common that you may have to pay double direct debits (i.e. to different suppliers) when you change supplier.

SSE, being a huge company, take payments in arrears. I suspect the new supplier, being not only new, but small and cheap, talke payments in advance.

You will not receive any refund until the old supplier creates a final bill, which should be with you within 6 weeks of the actual switch date.

footyguy

molerat wrote: »

You either write a formal complaint to SSE or invoke the DD guarantee with your bank, maybe both.

A complaint to SSE would be in order if (a) no final bill has been produced and (b) in the event one has, the balance has not been repaid.
(to be fair, my experience with SSE was that the final bill stated what was happening with the resultant balance, and whatever it said happened)

I don't think the DD guarantee applies here. Remember, if you invoke it erroneously, the supplier can object.

If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when the organisation asks you to

NineDeuce

You rather just need to check the reads on your bills and that they arent overlapping. When the suppliers take the DD is not as relevant as this.

molerat

IMO once the contract ends and you are no longer a customer then no routine monthly payment should be taken whether in credit or debit and the DD guarantee is the way to go. Any debit / credit should be settled with the final bill. Even ExtraEnergy can manage to get that one right.

footyguy

molerat wrote: »

IMO once the contract ends and you are no longer a customer then no routine monthly payment should be taken whether in credit or debit ...

I acknowledge that you accept trhis is your opinion, and you are of course entitled to hold and express it ... even when it may not be supported by contract law.

molerat wrote: »

...and the DD guarantee is the way to go.

I would refer you to the reply I posted earlier.
As a matter of interest, what would be the basis of such an attempted claim? :huh:
Or is it simply based on your own interpretation of the law you express above?

molerat wrote: »

Any debit / credit should be settled with the final bill. Even ExtraEnergy can manage to get that one right.

On that we can agree
Athough I cannot comment on what Extra Energy does come final billing - I never got that far with them.
I cancelled during the cooling off period, and then managed (rightly or wrongly) to invoke the erroneous transfer customer charter when they continued to take over the supply against my wishes.