REFUND

[Deleted User]

franco_c said:

I have not long had a new smart meter fitted, previous one was electric only, I logged into my account today to find I am £5k in credit! Looked at my account and there was a £3.8k refund in August, checked the bill and I had been overpaying from 2015 apparently!

This is with Shell Energy and I haven't even been with them all that time so I don't know what has gone on, the website recommended I reduce my DD from £205/pm to £20/pm which should see me in parity in 2024 so they say, am I better doing this or asking for the money to be refunded?

As its a windfall in a way I'm thinking to just leave it where it is and pay £20pm for the next year or so, what do you guys think?

Do you think that the meter readings are correct through all that time?  As in, do you agree that you were overpaying based on actual meter readings?

If you are dead sure about this, do what you like with the cash.  If you are not certain, then think about what would happen if they suddenly found there had been a mistake and ask for some (or all) of that refund back.

franco_c

Deleted_User said:

franco_c said:

I have not long had a new smart meter fitted, previous one was electric only, I logged into my account today to find I am £5k in credit! Looked at my account and there was a £3.8k refund in August, checked the bill and I had been overpaying from 2015 apparently!

This is with Shell Energy and I haven't even been with them all that time so I don't know what has gone on, the website recommended I reduce my DD from £205/pm to £20/pm which should see me in parity in 2024 so they say, am I better doing this or asking for the money to be refunded?

As its a windfall in a way I'm thinking to just leave it where it is and pay £20pm for the next year or so, what do you guys think?

Do you think that the meter readings are correct through all that time?  As in, do you agree that you were overpaying based on actual meter readings?

If you are dead sure about this, do what you like with the cash.  If you are not certain, then think about what would happen if they suddenly found there had been a mistake and ask for some (or all) of that refund back.

A lot if it was estimated readings and I'm wondering of the old smart meter wasn't actually working at all, I'm not going to question it with them obviously but I think I will just reduce the payments and see what happens rather than ask for the lump sum back.

EssexHebridean

franco_c said:

I have not long had a new smart meter fitted, previous one was electric only, I logged into my account today to find I am £5k in credit! Looked at my account and there was a £3.8k refund in August, checked the bill and I had been overpaying from 2015 apparently!

This is with Shell Energy and I haven't even been with them all that time so I don't know what has gone on, the website recommended I reduce my DD from £205/pm to £20/pm which should see me in parity in 2024 so they say, am I better doing this or asking for the money to be refunded?

As its a windfall in a way I'm thinking to just leave it where it is and pay £20pm for the next year or so, what do you guys think?

Were you SOLR'd to Shell or was this a voluntary switch when you joined them? I have a feeling that may well indicate whether their assertion that you've been Overpaying since 2015 is correct, or likely to be an administrative error...

A couple of notes on the smart meter thing too - your current SM will also be electric only - although you may also have a separate one for gas. they're not combined gas & electric, however.  Also - even with a SM it is good practise to continue to take your own readings at least a few times each year just to check that everything looks like it's working as it should. If anyone reading is unsure why, imagine if the difference in payments/use had been the other way round and the OP was suddenly hit with a BILL of £3800(And yes, before anyone says it, I'm aware that the timescale here means back billing rules would have applied!)

franco_c

i was automatically moved to shell when they took over first utility so hopefully it is correct as i assume they will be using the system from there, i have both electric and gas on my new smart meter with its little screen telling me how much im using etc, before it was just electric and had no digital screen etc.

Alnat1

That isn't a smart meter, it's the In Home Display (IHD).

The smart meter is in the cupboard/garage or on the wall outside your house.