Energy firms often fail to bill properly

It found that energy firms 'go slow' when refunds are due to customers who have overpaid on their monthly direct debt or when a final bill shows them to have a credit.

In the last year, the consumer group has intervened in 6,000 cases; customers were owed on average �350.

As a result, the group has accused energy firms of "double standards", saying they are quick to chase people who owe money but delay refunds.

Long wait

If the boot was on the other foot, energy consumers would soon be receiving letters threatening disconnection or court action Ann Robinson, Energywatch

In some cases, energy firms have owed customers money for years.

According to Enerywatch, one customer, Mr T from Cambridge, spent two years chasing his energy firm for an accurate statement of account, which eventually revealed that it owed him �800.

He was still waiting for a refund when he asked Energywatch to intervene.

Energywatch is concerned that the cases they get to see are only the tip of the iceberg.

"This is the worst kind of double standards. If the boot was on the other foot, energy consumers would soon be receiving letters threatening disconnection or court action," Energywatch Chair, Ann Robinson, said.

Your comments

Every year, I overpay on my gas - I have gas heating and water, but I use so much electricity that I don't need the heating very much. Every year I call my gas provider at the start of the summer and point out that they owe me �100 or so and that since the difference is only going to get bigger over the summer, they may as well give me the refund now. Every year, they pay me back the money promptly and without fuss. I'd prefer if the bills were more accurate to start with, but I certainly have no complaint about the refund procedure. And it's always nice to get a little lump sum, even if it is a refund of money you didn't need to pay out in the first place.
Richard Cohen, UK

I have only just become a customer with Powergen who supply my Gas and Electricity to a brand new flat, in fact the first flat I have ever owned. No-one was living previously at my address, and so I was surprised when I was asked to sign up for direct debit, to be told that due to the high usage of Gas and Electricity previously recorded from my flat, I should sign up for their recommended debit amount of �30 for each account. When I said that I didn't want to do this and wanted to pay only �10 a month for each account and make up the difference, I was told that this was not possible as �30 was the minimum. Eventually I managed to get them to agree to debit only �10 only to find that I was sent letters a couple of days later, thanking me for agreeing to debit �30. I then had to phone again, and try to wrangle my debit amount down to �10. This is terrible it seems that the energy companies can do what they like when they like. Something has to be done about this.
Paul, UK

Quite the reverse. I use British Gas for both electricity and gas and they have automatically repaid me what I overpaid as at the annual anniversary and they reduced the monthly amount. I pay by monthly d/d and I always send an updated reading whenever I receive an estimated reading.
Roger Jones, England

I do not give them the chance of overcharging, when the estimate comes in I read the meter and send them the readings, and wait for the revised bill. I do notice that if you are on direct debit they can take what they want and it is always to their benefit. This why I would never use direct debit for utility payments.
H.Mactaggart, UK

I have to say that my only experience with this scenario was extremely customer service focussed. I rang in to get a refund (�50) after a year of Direct Debits and also to reduce my monthly payment to avoid going back into the black in the future. The company, Powergen, had the money back into my account within 10 days and the Direct Debit reduced for the following month. It will be interesting to see if I'm in a majority or minority.
Tom, UK

I asked my electricity supplier to send a direct debit to pay the full amount each quarter when due. I received a partially completed debit form for a fixed monthly payment at 10% above the value of my normal use. When I rang their Customer Services, I was told that they may consider sending me a cheque back once it reached approximately �75. I was astounded that the company expected me to pay them more than was due, earn the interest for themselves and then they might just decide to let me have my own money back, without the interest. I also asked why I was not entitled to an early settlement discount for paying the complete bill when due, as I do with all my other utility suppliers.
Clive Wilkins, UK

I had a consolidated Gas & Electric account with Amerada presented as a single consolidated statement. When I moved house the net balance was over �60 in credit. I owed a small amount in gas, they owed me a lot more for overpayment of electric. Despite many phone calls to receive the net overpayment, they still referred my case to a debt collection agency on the basis that the gas was in Debit. I eventually received the refund owed, but the experience left a bad taste.
Andrew, UK

I was with British Gas and I found that my direct debit increased every winter and didn't fall in the summer even though I was well in credit. After two years of trying to get a cheque out of them I asked what I had to do to get the cheque. My friendly advice from one of their telephone people was to close the direct debit and I would get the cheque almost by return. This advice was correct, I however went one step further and changed supplier and the problem was solved, I pay just about what I use.
Pauline Fearn, UK

I work for a Utility company, and generally find that you only get to here about the bad things that happen and the mistakes made. With millions of customers these things will occur. Unfortunately the public rarely get to hear about the good things energy company's do and their partnerships with charities etc.
Steve, UK