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Original poster

Energy refund

27 replies

greenjojocat · 20/10/2022 08:14

Can something help me get my head around this please?

I've had £66 refund on my energy bill but I've also had £66 in my bank account from energy company. If they're giving the money back to me how is this helping to pay my bill??

OP posts:
cakeorwine · 20/10/2022 08:32

That's strange.

Mine appeared on my energy statement. I usually pay monthly by variable direct debit - I used £65 of energy in September and got £66 credit - so currently I am in credit by £1 on my statement. I don't know if they will return that to me this month - it's usually next week it goes out.

LovedFedAndNoonesDead · 20/10/2022 08:39

It’s all down to whoever your energy company is. Some are deducting it from monthly bill and reducing the DD coming out of the bank; some are taking the full month’s DD and then refunding the payment a few days later; and the rest are adding the amount to your account as well as taking your full DD amount.

The theory behind refunding it to you is it leaves you in the position of deciding whether to use it for energy bills or other cost of living needs

ToadSmall · 20/10/2022 09:25

If they're giving the money back to me how is this helping to pay my bill??

What do you mean?

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Cost of living
dubyalass · 20/10/2022 09:34

Are you saying that they've both credited your energy account with £66 and refunded your bank account with £66? So you've had £112 back? That's not right if so - it should be one or the other. I'm just getting the credit on my bill, no refund to my bank account.

Caterina99 · 20/10/2022 09:48

Ours (Scottish power) is asking us to pay our normal direct debit amount and then paying the £66 into our bank account a week later.

I think it’s a bit of a weird way to do it, and I’d prefer the money off my bill personally, but the net result to me is the same.

Sparklingbrook · 20/10/2022 09:50

We had a £66 credit into our bank account the same day that our direct debit went out

Shinyhappyperson22 · 20/10/2022 09:51

ovo credited our bill with it and then removed it so presuming it’s gone to other half’s bank account but he hasn’t checked. They say it’ll be a bank refund.

instantpotnoodle · 20/10/2022 10:00

British Gas are the same. Just repay your supplier the £66 and it’ll be credit on your account if you really want to make sure it’s going to be spent on your energy bill. Obviously just the way their billing processes work.

BordoisAgain · 20/10/2022 10:04

Caterina99 · 20/10/2022 09:48

Ours (Scottish power) is asking us to pay our normal direct debit amount and then paying the £66 into our bank account a week later.

I think it’s a bit of a weird way to do it, and I’d prefer the money off my bill personally, but the net result to me is the same.

Same.

And I'm sure it's a total coincidence, but SP have also just raised my monthly DD by £70 (despite us being over £800 in credit from the previous increases they also said were necessary 🙄)

PeskyRooks · 20/10/2022 10:15

I just wanted to share how much I hate Scottish power and their disregard for their customers.

I have phoned them 14 times so far at all different times of the day and their operators are always too busy to answer. They don't even put you on hold they just say try again later and cut you off.

I can't self serve on their website, I actually need to talk to a person and their chat bot doesn't cover the subject I need to ask about.

No one gives a toss about their customers these days!!

Caterina99 · 20/10/2022 10:17

Scottish power are a nightmare to deal with. I have them for my home and I also deal with them at work and I just know it’s going to be hours of my life and probably an unsatisfactory conclusion every time I have to phone them

PinkButtercups · 20/10/2022 10:17

We are with SSE and although in credit our monthly DD has gone up by £50. Once the DD is taken out we get a refund of £66 into our bank.

Just keep it aside if you can.

Losethename · 20/10/2022 10:27

I've not actually had a £66 credit yet, is anyone else still waiting? Just checked account and bank and nothing, although this month's full dd has been taken this week.

BordoisAgain · 20/10/2022 10:44

Caterina99 · 20/10/2022 10:17

Scottish power are a nightmare to deal with. I have them for my home and I also deal with them at work and I just know it’s going to be hours of my life and probably an unsatisfactory conclusion every time I have to phone them

Yep, they are shit. They say they are raising our DD based on our consumption last year. I've explained to them constantly that our usage was unusually high over the last couple of years because of various reasons (lockdown, wfh, flooding which needed dehumidifiers, heaters, etc.) to dry it out. They reduce the amount when I email them but then put it up again a few weeks later. 😒

Original poster
greenjojocat · 20/10/2022 21:45

I think I'll just pay it back in because that what it's there for. Surely if I've had my bill reduced by £66 and then I've had £66 refunded to my bank account then I've had £132?

Our energy bill will be £400/500 per month in the winter due to just using electricity and having a very inefficient ASHP so I have been keeping a keen eye on the account so this has just confused me.

OP posts:
Trying81 · 21/10/2022 08:24

Is it EDF? Mine shows as £66 credit, then £66 refund to bank - it’s definitely only one amount they just show it very oddly

I’ve increased my DD to offset it

Original poster
greenjojocat · 21/10/2022 21:45

Trying81 · 21/10/2022 08:24

Is it EDF? Mine shows as £66 credit, then £66 refund to bank - it’s definitely only one amount they just show it very oddly

I’ve increased my DD to offset it

It's OVO but glad you've had the same!

OP posts:
sosickofthisshit · 21/10/2022 21:49

We're with Scottish Gas, who are doing the same thing. Crediting it to your electricity account then deducting it and paying it into your bank account. It makes no sense. I'd rather it just stayed on my electricity account 🤷‍♀️

dementedpixie · 21/10/2022 21:49

OVO seem to be keeping your direct debit the same and then refunding £66 to your bank account

Other companies are reducing the direct debit and applying the £66 to the energy account

Energy refund
FrankTheThunderbird · 21/10/2022 21:50

I haven't had mine at all (should be credited straight to my meter).
When I web chatted earlier to ask where it was I was told that "if you refer to the faq page it explains that the payments will be made within 30 days of the 1st October"
Which isn't true. It actually says they'll be made in the first week of the month!

Original poster
greenjojocat · 21/10/2022 21:51

But this way we seem to be getting it twice.. No wonder the country is fucked!

OP posts:
Nearlyadoctor · 21/10/2022 22:26

greenjojocat · 21/10/2022 21:51

But this way we seem to be getting it twice.. No wonder the country is fucked!

No you’re not getting it twice , it shows as a credit on your bill and then a debit as a refund to your bank account +£66 / -£66 = 0.
I believe OVO, EDF and possibly BG are all doing it that way.

BattenburgDonkey · 21/10/2022 22:30

You don’t get it twice. It gets credited to your account… and then refunded to you, so the credit is no longer on your account because it’s been refunded to your bank.

cakeorwine · 21/10/2022 22:47

This sounds like one of those maths questions

pointythings · 21/10/2022 22:56

I'm with Octopus and they're taking it off my DD starting with the October one. As a result I've paid full whack for September, then had the £66, and my October DD will be only £68 and a bit. My credit with them has gone up by £100.

I have also cut down on what I use especially heating, and for this winter at least it's looking manageable. After April - who knows?