Time limit for refund following switch?

I-W

I wondered if there is a legal time limit for refunding credit following switching energy supplies? If so can someone please post me a link proving this?

I switched at start of June and have confirmation new supplier passed over meter readings 22nd June, but yet to receive final bill or refund (which I think will be around £100). I understand guidance that process should take 21 days (not clear if working days?), but not found a legal maximum.

I have phoned old supplier a few times and keep being given excuses and promised in a couple of days

brewerdave

Normally the quoted time to produce a final bill ,is up to 6 weeks after switch - but return of credits is a bit difficult to pin down!!

bristolleedsfan

brewerdave wrote: »

Normally the quoted time to produce a final bill ,is up to 6 weeks after switch - but return of credits is a bit difficult to pin down!!

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/how-switch-energy-supplier-and-shop-better-deal/compensation-if-there-s-energy-switch-problem

"Credit refund Supplier fails to refund an owed credit balance within 10 working days of sending a final bill. £30 by former supplier"

brewerdave

bristolleedsfan wrote: »

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/household-gas-and-electricity-guide/how-switch-energy-supplier-and-shop-better-deal/compensation-if-there-s-energy-switch-problem

"Credit refund Supplier fails to refund an owed credit balance within 10 working days of sending a final bill. £30 by former supplier"

Just wish the Utility Cos. would obey OFGEM'S instructions:(

Biscuit_Tin

I-W wrote: »

I wondered if there is a legal time limit for refunding credit following switching energy supplies? If so can someone please post me a link proving this?

I switched at start of June and have confirmation new supplier passed over meter readings 22nd June, but yet to receive final bill or refund (which I think will be around £100). I understand guidance that process should take 21 days (not clear if working days?), but not found a legal maximum.

I have phoned old supplier a few times and keep being given excuses and promised in a couple of days

Suppliers are generally permitted up to 6 weeks to produce a final bill.
(If not achieved, then follow the suppliers complaint procedure)

You won't get any refund until the final bill is produced, but suppliers are expected to then settle within 10 working days. Failure will result in a £30 automatic penalty
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2019/04/energy-customers-to-get-p30-compensation-for-delayed-credit-refu/

brewerdave

Reading the MSE article ,there is now automatic compo. if the due credit isn't refunded 10 working days after the final bill is produced - but the 6 weeks is still not "legislated" by OFGEM , so the losing supplier can still drag it all out - and they will!!

spiro

First check that you new supplier has a start reading for your account. It is their responsibility to produce the switch reading and send it to the old supplier.

Floretti

spiro wrote: »

First check that you new supplier has a start reading for your account. It is their responsibility to produce the switch reading and send it to the old supplier.

The OP indicated in their first post that they have confirmation new supplier passed over meter readings 22nd June.

Haarlem

spiro wrote: »

First check that you new supplier has a start reading for your account. It is their responsibility to produce the switch reading and send it to the old supplier.

H'mm
I moved from Tonik to Yorkshire Energy August 2018. Went through mid August and YE account set up. Tonik emailed me to say they had not received opening reading from Yorks Energy to finalise my account. Asked me to contact YE to send again. YE said they had sent an opening reading. Tonik said they had not received it.

To settle Tonik asked me to send copy of my first from YE to finalise my account., which I did not receive until January 2019.

What should happen and what actually does is so often not the same.

Floretti

Haarlem wrote: »

H'mm
I moved from Tonik to Yorkshire Energy August 2018. Went through mid August and YE account set up. Tonik emailed me to say they had not received opening reading from Yorks Energy to finalise my account. Asked me to contact YE to send again. YE said they had sent an opening reading. Tonik said they had not received it.

To settle Tonik asked me to send copy of my first from YE to finalise my account., which I did not receive until January 2019.

What should happen and what actually does is so often not the same.

What should happen is that the customer provides the new supplier with the opening meter read (as it is very rare for a supplier to send someon out to take that meter reading).

The new supplier then sends that to the independant meter reading agency for validation. The independant meter reading agency then sends* both suppliers the meter reading to be used, either the validated one or a revised one if not validated by them.

That's why suppliers are permitted up to 6 weeks to produce a final bill, as this all takes time.

*To carify, where I say 'sends', the independant meter reading agency actually provides the reading via a common system available to all licenced energy suppliers, known as a 'data flow'. Neither supplier should be billing without the meter reading from the independant meter reading agency, else there is a risk they will have to re-bill later using the agreed reading.

Haarlem

Floretti wrote: »

What should happen is that the customer provides the new supplier with the opening meter read (as it is very rare for a supplier to send someon out to take that meter reading).

The new supplier then sends that to the independant meter reading agency for validation. The independant meter reading agency then sends* both suppliers the meter reading to be used, either the validated one or a revised one if not validated by them.

That's why suppliers are permitted up to 6 weeks to produce a final bill, as this all takes time.

*To carify, where I say 'sends', the independant meter reading agency actually provides the reading via a common system available to all licenced energy suppliers, known as a 'data flow'. Neither supplier should be billing without the meter reading from the independant meter reading agency, else there is a risk they will have to re-bill later using the agreed reading.

Just did not happen and YE just would not pass reading back to Tonik as they said once was enough and it was Tonik's problem.

I had to sort it with a copy of YE's first account which took six months.