Can I get a refund on in credit Scottish Power account?

[KJD]

This time last year I was being billed by Sainsburys for my combined gas & electric, paying by d/debit and paying £46.50 pcm. I'm in 3 bed detached about 20 years old, dbl gl etc etc, myself and 2 teenage boys. Gas central htg / combi boiler. D/debits always paid on time = good girl!

 

During 2008 Sainsburys wrote and informed me they were no longer going to be supplying me and my account would now be handled by Scottish Power. Since then, my d/debit has been steadily increasing and the latest satement has now left me paying £104.50 pcm. In September my account was £187.44 in credit. Once I'd picked myself up off the floor, I did some checking. The current meter reading on both gas & elec was correct, so I went on line to check if I could get a better deal. nPower was the only one based on my projected use supplied by SP and that was only a saving of about £200 pa. Around this time Martin lewis was popping up everywhere I looked, saying don't swap tariffs yet as the energy prices are supposed be coming down in early 2009. So I haven't done anything. I did compare my consumption with same period last year and it's actually gone down. My older son spends more time at his dad's now which probably accounts for some of that, plus being at work for longer hours etc.

 

But now it's the New Year, I have spent far too much on the kids over Crimbo, the world and his wife are sending me bills and so this evening I've been reading around, getting tips on how to save money etc. One suggestion is to take regular meter readings and inform your utility supplier say once a month. Good idea, I thought, so I've just gone online to SP's site to register. And now I've got a couple of questions, one of which has got me really fired up...

 

Has anyone registered online with SP before? Before I can enter any meter readings it seems to be trying to force me to sign up for a new tariff. I don't want to do that, just register, get a discount for paperless billing and be able enter my readings. I'm not too au fait with utility agreements - if I just click on the one I'm already on, does that 'tie' me in to a new contract with them? I'm on a very basic rate ie not capped.

 

But my main question = whilst I was filling in my details, a screen popped up showing my current tariff, payment method etc and shouting at me from the centre of the screen is "Your account is in credit by £644"

 

I recall hearing a bit of hoo-ha about this a while ago and people being advised to ask for these credit balances to be repaid. Has anyone done this? Is it a bit of a battle? An MP was involved I think.

 

This money would sooo come in handy right now and quite frankly I'd rather it was in my account and not theirs.

 

Any advice on what to say when I call them tomorrow?

 

And I'm thinking I should be asking (demanding?) that they lower my monthly d/debit?

 

Help

[KJD]

Having had a shuffle around the SP site, I've come across this...

 

 

I'm in credit, is that my money?

Any credit on a customers account belongs to the customer. At your annual payment plan review date we will obtain actual meter readings and if the account is still in credit, this balance can be refunded as a cheque or incorporated into future payments to help manage your future monthly instalments.

 

Guess I've answered my own question then except..

 

"My annual review"? How do I stand with this? Is this strict ie I have to have been with them exactly a year? or does the fact that I didn't actually ask to be with them make a difference? Could I argue that my arrangement with Sainsburys, then them just handing me over to SP negates the need for a year to pass?

[Clare_L]

I think I would call SP, cancel the DD and request the money be sent back to you in full then set up a standing order for what YOU think you should be paying.

[KJD]

Thanks for replying Clare.

 

I decided to forearm myself with a bit more info before phoning them this morning. So at midnight I was running around outside in my pj's with a torch, reading meters! After working out the cost of what I've used to date (giving myself a mild heart attack when working out the gas wrong @ over £2k! Decimal point in the wrong place!), I've actually worked out that as of today I'm actually £180 in credit. However, I know that when I call them they are going to say that my monthly dd is in fact correct, if I carry on using elec / gas the same all through the year. But of course I won't - it's become a lot milder now and we're back to work / school after being at home contstantly for a fortnight over Christmas.

 

So plan is to call them with new readings, discuss things with them - telling them the above and see what they suggest. If I get no joy, I'll take another reading same time next month and see what difference it makes then.

 

Mission for today - majorly adjust timer & thermostat on c/h, extra linings on curtains and energy bulbs throughout!

 

Will keep thread updated in case any one else is experiencing the same...

[hightail]

I'm with Scottish Power and was over £400 in credit when they wanted to put my DD up by 20%. I put up with the usual patronising explanations from the kid on the end of the phone and then asked how much they expect my next bill to be - they must have an idea as how else would they know I need to pay more. I tried this twice and they just put the phone down both times once I asked this simple question. Third phone call was to tell them I had cancelled the DD and they may send me quarterly bills. Any supposed discount for paying by DD can't possibly be worth the £400 of my money they were sitting on.

[hallowitch]

i was paying British gas £85 monthly my last bill November/December was £195 in credit. When i phoned them they said the were reducing my monthly payment to £5. I let him waffle on then politely told him Never have i herd so much rubbish come out of one persons mouth in such a short space of time .And that my sister works in the para legal department of Scottish power manweb this is my money my account and i want £150 returned to me thus leaving my account in credit by £45 and payments of £25 result refund paid directly into my bank account with in a few days and monthly payments of £25

[KJD]

Well, I read my meters, called the readings through and yesterday got 2 seperate letters from them. The first was telling me they were going to put my monthly DD up by £25 per month. The second said thanks for the readngs, we're putting it down by £25 pr month (back to what I was paying anyway).

 

I've decided to read the meters every two weeks and have set up to enter these figures online. That way at least I know the bill will be pretty acurate.

 

Now if I could just educate the kids to turn off the lights / tv / xbox ...

[Novision]

Has anybody had any success getting interest paid on credit balances? Just reviewed mine to find I am £3k in credit with EON and have been in credit for 18 months ! They are stonewalling me - all my fault, I could have called at any time, they don't earn interest (!), etc - but I think this is outrageous. Anyone had any experience with this?

[Clare_L]

Their answer will be that you are getting a discount if you are paying by direct debit plus you get your statements so could have requested the money back at anytime. highly unlilkely you will get any interest...

[Novision]

You got it in one so far. But ask yourself this:

 

Should my a/c been that much in credit?

Who made the erroneous calculations?

Who collected the money?

Who had the benefit of the incorrect collections?

Who gained interest on the extra cash?

Did EON act in accordance with their declared procedures to review and check the payments?

Who lost interest due to funding the incorrect collections?

 

I think it's a no-brainer that I should be re-imbursed. It's not like it's £100 for a couple of months....

 

But we'll see.

[Novision]

They called and offered £40. Told them to try again and they have just come back to offer £80 and £10 refund of fees for bounced DD. Took a lot of arguing though - but I'm satisfied now.

[nafen1978]

this time last year i was being billed by sainsburys for my combined gas & electric, paying by d/debit and paying £46.50 pcm. I'm in 3 bed detached about 20 years old, dbl gl etc etc, myself and 2 teenage boys. Gas central htg / combi boiler. D/debits always paid on time = good girl!

 

During 2008 sainsburys wrote and informed me they were no longer going to be supplying me and my account would now be handled by scottish power. Since then, my d/debit has been steadily increasing and the latest satement has now left me paying £104.50 pcm. In september my account was £187.44 in credit. Once i'd picked myself up off the floor, i did some checking. The current meter reading on both gas & elec was correct, so i went on line to check if i could get a better deal. Npower was the only one based on my projected use supplied by sp and that was only a saving of about £200 pa. Around this time martin lewis was popping up everywhere i looked, saying don't swap tariffs yet as the energy prices are supposed be coming down in early 2009. So i haven't done anything. I did compare my consumption with same period last year and it's actually gone down. My older son spends more time at his dad's now which probably accounts for some of that, plus being at work for longer hours etc.

 

But now it's the new year, i have spent far too much on the kids over crimbo, the world and his wife are sending me bills and so this evening i've been reading around, getting tips on how to save money etc. One suggestion is to take regular meter readings and inform your utility supplier say once a month. Good idea, i thought, so i've just gone online to sp's site to register. And now i've got a couple of questions, one of which has got me really fired up...

 

Has anyone registered online with sp before? Before i can enter any meter readings it seems to be trying to force me to sign up for a new tariff. I don't want to do that, just register, get a discount for paperless billing and be able enter my readings. I'm not too au fait with utility agreements - if i just click on the one i'm already on, does that 'tie' me in to a new contract with them? I'm on a very basic rate ie not capped.

 

But my main question = whilst i was filling in my details, a screen popped up showing my current tariff, payment method etc and shouting at me from the centre of the screen is "your account is in credit by £644"

 

I recall hearing a bit of hoo-ha about this a while ago and people being advised to ask for these credit balances to be repaid. Has anyone done this? Is it a bit of a battle? An mp was involved i think.

 

This money would sooo come in handy right now and quite frankly i'd rather it was in my account and not theirs.

 

Any advice on what to say when i call them tomorrow?

 

And i'm thinking i should be asking (demanding?) that they lower my monthly d/debit?

 

Help

hi all got sp with gas and electric paying them weekly plan received a cheque for £960.oo for being in credit with both gas and electric and when i cashed and spent it got a letter 6 months later u weekly plan is going up due to the fact im was in dept of £1200 so they are now taking 30.00 electric a week and 20.00 on gas and now nov 2010 sent them my meter reading for gas and electric now im in credit again £304.88 and £360.00 on the other so this time im just going to send the chque back

[nottslad]

It's a wise idea that if you want to pay the same to your utility supplier all year round that you leave any credit on the account until Spring arrives and your energy usage begins to lower after the winter.

 

Obviously by doing this you won't receive any interest from the bank, but with rates as they are at the moment that would be a negligible amount, also if like me you'd be too tempted to spend the cash, at least it's already gone