First utility

desidg

Thanks to Money Saving Expert I changed my energy supplier on 5th December 2017 from First Utility to Ebico. However, I am getting more and more frustrated with First Utility as I am almost £500 in credit to them and have still not received the refund, even though I was assured that the money would be fast tracked into my bank account on 9th January. I was fobbed off by First Utility saying that it was probably because my new supplier had not given First Utility my final reading. This was not the case as I contacted Ebico who informed me that the reading was sent to First Utility on 5th December 2017. So, here I am still waiting for the credit owed to me. To compound matters First Utility asked me to keep my direct debit open so that they could pay me the credit. However, instead of doing that they took my January payment as well so I have paid two sets of electricity direct debits this month. I wonder whether anybody else has had similar problems because it is just not ethical.

molerat

You need to do 2 things. Raise a DD guarantee claim with your bank and raise a formal complaint with FU. The majority of energy companies, along with the energy minister, regulator and ombudsman, are totally incompetent so you need to be pro active.

System

desidg wrote: »

Thanks to Money Saving Expert I changed my energy supplier on 5th December 2017 from First Utility to Ebico. However, I am getting more and more frustrated with First Utility as I am almost £500 in credit to them and have still not received the refund, even though I was assured that the money would be fast tracked into my bank account on 9th January. I was fobbed off by First Utility saying that it was probably because my new supplier had not given First Utility my final reading. This was not the case as I contacted Ebico who informed me that the reading was sent to First Utility on 5th December 2017. So, here I am still waiting for the credit owed to me. To compound matters First Utility asked me to keep my direct debit open so that they could pay me the credit. However, instead of doing that they took my January payment as well so I have paid two sets of electricity direct debits this month. I wonder whether anybody else has had similar problems because it is just not ethical.

Suppliers have 6 weeks from the date of the actual transfer of supply to raise a Final Bill. You are still within the 6 week window. When this has passed, then raise a formal complaint against First Utility in writing. Cancelling your DD mandate may allow the supplier to withhold repayment as they no longer have your Bank details. paying two suppliers during the transition period is not unusual.

Tom99

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]FU's tardyness does not surprise me. I am with them now but it took a full 8mths to sort out the initial payments.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]1st they charged before they had even taken over the supply, then they would not believe I had a E7 meter and I had to send them photos of the meter several times, then they reversed the day and night readings for several months.[/FONT]

footyguy

desidg wrote: »

Thanks to Money Saving Expert I changed my energy supplier on 5th December 2017 from First Utility to Ebico. However, I am getting more and more frustrated with First Utility as I am almost £500 in credit to them and have still not received the refund, even though I was assured that the money would be fast tracked into my bank account on 9th January. I was fobbed off by First Utility saying that it was probably because my new supplier had not given First Utility my final reading. This was not the case as I contacted Ebico who informed me that the reading was sent to First Utility on 5th December 2017. So, here I am still waiting for the credit owed to me. To compound matters First Utility asked me to keep my direct debit open so that they could pay me the credit. However, instead of doing that they took my January payment as well so I have paid two sets of electricity direct debits this month. I wonder whether anybody else has had similar problems because it is just not ethical.

I'm confused.

Have you got a final bill yet? If not the supplier will not know what is owed (either way) so unclear how they could make assurances they would send you almost £500 on 9th Jan.

Depending on exact timinmgs, many suppliers often take one last payment after you have switch. This also allows then to inform your bank it is a final payment, and so the bank will cancel the mandate.
It also, as you have been informed, allows the supplier to credit your account if money is owed to you.

All credits collected by DD will be included in the final bill.

footyguy

Tom99 wrote: »

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]FU's tardyness does not surprise me. I am with them now but it took a full 8mths to sort out the initial payments.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]1st they charged before they had even taken over the supply, then they would not believe I had a E7 meter and I had to send them photos of the meter several times, then they reversed the day and night readings for several months.[/FONT]

Lots of feedback on this supplier in their feedback thread here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4415653