Why would my energy supplier owe me money?
If you pay for your gas and electricity by direct debit, you may, at times, find your energy bill in credit.
That is because, regardless of your energy consumption in a particular month, you pay the same amount monthly. This is designed to spread out your energy costs over the year.
The advantage of spreading your costs out is that you won't be struggling to manage large bills in the winter because your overpayment in the summer months should cover the increased costs of the colder ones. However, you may find that this leaves your energy account in credit at certain times.
But you don’t need to let the money just sit there. Find out how much you could be owed and what to do about it.
What happens to my energy credit when I switch supplier?
If you’re considering switching and you're in credit with your energy company, you might be wondering - what happens to my credit if I switch to another energy provider?
Part of your switchover process includes taking a meter reading on the day of your switch. You send this to your old supplier, which will produce a final bill based on this reading. The supplier will then apply any credit you have to this charge, and either send you a bill for the remainder or refund the leftover credit to your bank account.
If you find your electricity or gas bill in credit but you haven't received a refund, you can contact your old supplier to ensure it refunds the credit to you.
Can I get a refund even if I'm not switching?
Yes, you don’t have to switch suppliers to get your credit returned to you. However much you have sitting in credit with your supplier, you can ask for it back and request your monthly direct debit amount be reviewed.
Each energy supplier will have a different process for administering refunds. Some suppliers will have an online form or ask you to put in your refund request over the phone or by mail. Either way, it’s your money and they are required to pay it back to you.
Can I claim my energy credit from a supplier I switched away from a long time ago?
If you think you might be owed money by an energy supplier you no longer use, and you think you've missed your window after switching or it's been a few years, you actually have a very good chance of getting it back.
However, it'll be trickier as you won't be able to provide a meter reading. In fact, you will need to rely on your old energy supplier's data to help you out unless you have all your statements kept handy.
Contact your old energy supplier and tell it the date range you were its customer and explain that you think you were overcharged.
If its customer service is helpful then it should be able to locate your file and see if there was an outstanding credit on the closing balance.
It's worth noting that energy suppliers are obligated to refund any money that you are owed. Ofgem, the energy regulator, has put measures in place to ensure that every supplier credits customers.
In many cases, energy suppliers have failed to notify customers of money they are owed, so you may need to chase them up to make it happen, but ultimately, it is your money.
If a supplier is refusing to cooperate and won’t give the money back that you’re owed you can take your issue to the Energy Ombudsman who may decide to take your case on.
I don’t remember the name of my energy supplier. Can I still get a refund on my energy credit?
Yes, but you might need to do some extra digging around to get the information you need.
We recommend checking your old bank statements or checking with your current supplier to see if they have a record of the supplier you switched from. If you were renting then get in touch with your landlord or flatmates and check with them to see if they remember.
How do I avoid being overcharged by my energy supplier?
Millions of households in the UK are overcharged by their energy supplier. In order to avoid being overcharged, take a meter reading regularly and send it to your supplier. It will then review your reading against the estimated amount you pay monthly and see if you are owed money or adjust your bill for the next month.
Can I get a reward for switching energy supplier?
It's possible but unlikely that an energy supplier might offer an extra reward or incentive for switching to it. Suppliers are still negotiating a changed energy market with higher prices and aren't actively trying to gain customers in the numbers they were before the market challenges began, so there is little reason for them to offer extra rewards to entice potential customers.
How do I read my energy meter?
Taking a meter reading regularly will ensure that you are not paying too much for your energy bills.
However, taking a reading is not the easiest task if you've never done it before. There are a few different types of meter and they're not always easily located on your property.
You can read more in our in-depth guide to taking an energy meter reading and learn how to locate and read your meter. Once you know how, it’s fairly simple - you just have to remember to do it regularly to avoid paying too much for your energy.
