Utility Overpayment of circa £3k and they wont refund the money.

yellowyellow_2

I have a problem that started in March 2024.
My elderly Uncle is unwell and I have a POA for him. However, I have had it for a couple of years I only now have had to use it.

I contacted British Gas after seeing that he has been paying £335pm for gas and electricity. After providing meter readings they calculated and confirmed via email that they over pennies under £3k (I received this email on May 2nd) and I STILL cannot get them to refund the money.
I have called many many times and simply cannot get anywhere.
I called and got help from a Scottish charity that helps to resolve issues with British Gas and still they will not send the money.

When I call and speak with them I am told that it's in process and they have to follow the system.
They do not give me any ETA or timeline at all.

Regarding the complaint that I raised - I have received 4 emails - I responded to each one requesting a call back to speak about this. They just sent another asking me to submit another meter reading which I cannot do as I live 460 miles away and my Uncle is in hospital so I cannot get one. I have submitted 2 already but they want more - I feel like they are just delaying the refund even more.

I have no idea what to do now.
Any advice or help would be much appreciated.

la531983

Initiate a switch of provider, any final credit balance would be refunded, rid him and yourself of this company.

It will obviously require someone nearby to give one final reading.

Robin9

Is someone keeping an eye on the house ?   Ask them to read the meter then change supplier


Edit -  when did you last supply  a reading ?  If (say) it was end March and your uncle has been in hospital since and the heating is off - just use that old reading plus say 10  and give that to a new supplier.. It woll come out in the wash as far as you are concerned.

wild666

Send them an email with the header NOTICE BEFORE ACTION giving them, say 14 days, to refund the money in credit or you take action in the county court without further notice to them. Tell them you will seek all costs incurred by taking the action and they should refund most of the money, minus a months DD. 

MeteredOut

wild666 said:

Send them an email with the header NOTICE BEFORE ACTION giving them, say 14 days, to refund the money in credit or you take action in the county court without further notice to them. Tell them you will seek all costs incurred by taking the action and they should refund most of the money, minus a months DD. 

Probably better to go to the Energy Ombudsman before doing that.

DisabledDan

yellowyellow_2 said:

I have a problem that started in March 2024.
My elderly Uncle is unwell and I have a POA for him. However, I have had it for a couple of years I only now have had to use it.

I contacted British Gas after seeing that he has been paying £335pm for gas and electricity. After providing meter readings they calculated and confirmed via email that they over pennies under £3k (I received this email on May 2nd) and I STILL cannot get them to refund the money.
I have called many many times and simply cannot get anywhere.
I called and got help from a Scottish charity that helps to resolve issues with British Gas and still they will not send the money.

When I call and speak with them I am told that it's in process and they have to follow the system.
They do not give me any ETA or timeline at all.

Regarding the complaint that I raised - I have received 4 emails - I responded to each one requesting a call back to speak about this. They just sent another asking me to submit another meter reading which I cannot do as I live 460 miles away and my Uncle is in hospital so I cannot get one. I have submitted 2 already but they want more - I feel like they are just delaying the refund even more.

I have no idea what to do now.
Any advice or help would be much appreciated.

Those poor poor energy companies who recently got an increase in Standing Charge for fooling OFGEM by saying they were owed £3,000,000,000 by customers, but OFGEM neglected to take into account that they were holding £3,700,000,000 of customers money.

The good news is that according to OFGEM they have to show any credit held in your bill and after being asked to refund it they have to do it within 28 days, again one wonders why OFGEM gave them 28 days rather that 72 hours.

You need to raise a complaint to the Ombudsman which will cost them in excess of £400, usually you have to wait for 8 weeks but if you write to them saying please pay it now or I will assume that your final position was given on June 10th 2024 and ask the Ombudsman to intervene.

I would also issue them a warning that you are going to seek interest on your money from the date the error was made or the date when they should have been aware, plus a charge of £80 for every letter you have to write to get your money.  This level of fee for an admin letter has been ratified by the Supreme Court and you may charge higher if the matter is not resolved.  

Bendo

wild666 said:

Send them an email with the header NOTICE BEFORE ACTION giving them, say 14 days, to refund the money in credit or you take action in the county court without further notice to them. Tell them you will seek all costs incurred by taking the action and they should refund most of the money, minus a months DD. 

A letter before claim should really be posted to their registered address. The OP should really understand what they are doing as well and the implications too.

Alnat1

Save all the time and effort of complaining further, just switch the account to another energy company, one that bills monthly would probably be best. As suggested above, add a few units onto the previous reads you already have, as the property has been unoccupied.