So Energy took £1300 I didn't owe.

Lakelady_2

Lived in an adapted bungalow with hubby who sadly passed away. When I moved out I took final gas and electric readings. When I went to add these to my accounts I discovered Home Group, the housing association, had closed the accounts, moving them to another provider and I couldn't add these readings. The readings they used where estimated and far too high.

To cut a long story short, So Energy took £1300 from my account. I don't owe them anything.
When I've got in touch with them they say Ovo now provide the energy and they should refund me. Ovo won't speak to me as I'm not the account holder.

The housing association are useless and say they use a switching agency who they will send the accurate readings to, but I've heard nothing.

I'm also in touch with British Gas who owe c.£800 and they are looking into it.

So I'm going around in circles and very annoyed that a HA can close your accounts without warning and create all this hassle. I should add they closed the accounts a week before I moved out, no chance of providing accurate readings.

Any advice appreciated.

QrizB

Can you ask your bank to reverse the payments under the Direct Debit Guarantee? (I'm assuming these were DD payments.)

Lakelady_2

Yes, thanks for that. I'll ask them.

Robin9

That £1300/£800  will have included the period up to when you did you final reads. HOw much do you calculate your final bills should have been  ?

[Deleted User]

Lakelady_2 said:

Lived in an adapted bungalow with hubby who sadly passed away. When I moved out I took final gas and electric readings. When I went to add these to my accounts I discovered Home Group, the housing association, had closed the accounts, moving them to another provider and I couldn't add these readings. The readings they used where estimated and far too high.

To cut a long story short, So Energy took £1300 from my account. I don't owe them anything.
When I've got in touch with them they say Ovo now provide the energy and they should refund me. Ovo won't speak to me as I'm not the account holder.

The housing association are useless and say they use a switching agency who they will send the accurate readings to, but I've heard nothing.

I'm also in touch with British Gas who owe c.£800 and they are looking into it.

So I'm going around in circles and very annoyed that a HA can close your accounts without warning and create all this hassle. I should add they closed the accounts a week before I moved out, no chance of providing accurate readings.

Any advice appreciated.

This is something that you need in the first instance to take up with the HA. When an account is closed, the supplier needs meter readings either from the person moving out (ideally) or the person moving in. Estimates are not used in this situation.

When a supplier switch is initiated, the gaining supplier will ask for meter readings.  If no reading is provided, its nominated data collector can come up with an estimate based on an industry algorithm and previous meter readings. This estimated reading is then passed to both suppliers to close and open accounts. By the sound of it, meter readings were rarely given resulting in a very high estimated switch reading. 

You could ask either SO Energy or Ovo to raise what is known as an Agreed Readings Dispute. If you have evidence to show that the meter readings were wrong, then so much the better. The two suppliers would then agree a revised switch reading - but read on.

If you are not the account holder, then who is? If it is the HA then it should be asking for an ARD. I would also be asking them why actual meter readings were not provided when the supply was switched? 

That said, are you sure that the account has finally been closed? If so, final readings should have been provided to Ovo for Final Billing. If this is the case, then despite the fact that you have overpaid SO Energy you should not lose out. Let me explain. If the switch reading was 56800 and your meter actually read 56500 then you will overpaid SO Energy for 300 units. However, Ovo will not charge you for any units consumed until the meter index passes 56800.
it follows that if a meter reading of 57000 was given when you moved out, then you would only pay Ovo for 200 units. What you lose on the roundabouts: you gain on the swings.

The important thing to check is that when you were no longer responsible for the property, that actual readings were given to the supplier for Final Billing purposes.

Lakelady_2

Thank you Dolor for the excellent reply.
I've asked the bank to look at the direct debit guarantee but I'm worried even if I get refunded they will still pursue me for money they think they are owed.
I will contact So Energy and ask for an ARD as both me and the HA have photos of the final readings.