refund of overpayments from GB Energy & new supplier Spark Energy issues

[billy_79]

I recently switched gas and electricity (together, dual fuel) suppliers.

The switch completed a couple of weeks ago, on 13th May.

 

I was on a fixed monthly DD tariff with my previous supplier, and my account had built up to be significantly in credit

(should be over £400 after my final bill, going by my calculations).

 

I provided meter readings to the new supplier on the switch over day, and I was told (by at least one of the suppliers)

that the new supplier would forward these on to the old one, in order for the final bill to be raised.

My online account with my previous supplier isn't showing any updates yet,

 

I contacted them to be told that it takes up to 28 days from the switch to produce the final bill,

and I'll be refunded sometime after that.

 

Is this normal?

Sounds like there's nothing I can do to speed it up.

 

I did raise the issue of the relatively large credit on my account with the supplier some time ago,

but they gave some waffle about how it could be wiped out by my next bill,

even though my usage history didn't suggest that at all.

[Mr.P]

If I recall, it took about three weeks to get my final bill when I switched supplier a couple of years back. I would say 28 days is not unusual, just keep an eye on the time and escalate a complaint if they fail to issue a refund in good time.

[BankFodder]

Which suppliers are you talking about please?

[billy_79]

Switched from Spark to GB Energy.

[nottslad]

Spark is part of Scottish Power...

 

When a customer changes supplier, various pieces of information called data flows are passed from one supplier to the other, meter reading agencies, meter managers etc. The final billing process can take up to 6 weeks to complete (in extreme circumstances).

 

If it's longer than 3 weeks then it would be worth sending an email to complain.

[billy_79]

Not heard a thing about this, I chased Spark today.

 

 

The have the final meter readings that were provided electronically from my new supplier.

But the gas reading is wrong. Not a bit wrong, but by about 5 years worth of gas usage!

 

 

Spark are adamant that is the reading that came across through the system from GB Energy.

I've also spoken to GB Energy and they are insistent that the reading I provided is the one they sent to Spark

(it's also the one they've used on my first bill as the initial reading).

 

 

Spark agree that the reading they've got can't possibly be right

(it's a 3 digit number, so it doesn't even look like a proper reading,

and would mean my meter would have had to have rolled all the way over).

 

But they both say the only way to resolve it is through the dispute process,

where I give one reading now, and another in a weeks time,

 

 

then the two of them get together and decide whether to agree on it.

But that takes up to 30 days from getting the second reading.

 

 

Meanwhile, Spark are sitting on hundreds of pounds of overpayments.

[Spark Energy]

Hello

 

The info that nottslad has given is right, although we're not anything to do with Scottish Power, we're not one of the Big Six suppliers.

 

I'm sorry to hear that there's also been a bit of confusion over the gas reading.

The only readings we use are the ones that we receive from the new supplier,

but I'm sorry if there's been a mix up, and the dispute process is the right way to resolve things.

 

If you'd like me to have a look at your account and see what I can do to help,

please pop me a message, I'd just need to know your supply address.

 

Kind regards

 

 

Jenny

Customer Relations Manager

[Spark Energy]

Hi Billy_79

 

 

Just wanted to confirm I've got your message. I can't respond directly as I've got under 30 posts here on CAG.

 

 

I'm working on your query today and I'll email you a response to the email address we've got on file.

 

 

Kind regards

 

 

Jenny

Customer Relations Manager

[honeybee13]

Hello Jenny.

 

If you want to pass a message to billy, you can send it to one of the site team to be forwarded.

 

HB