In credit with our energy supplier - how ease is it to get a refund?

[Autumnismyfavouritetime]

We’ve just discovered we are almost £2000 in credit with our energy supplier.
Ideally we would like this refunded back into our own bank account but looking online it does seem like it can be a bit of a long drawn out process.
Has anyone done this? Was it simple and quick?

Before you get a refund make sure they have up to date meter readings

It's probably easier to freeze water on a rock in the middle of the Sahara, but dig your heels in, be prepared for a fight and threaten them with the regulator.

I usually request a couple of hundred back when I get over £1000 in credit and I never have any problem (I'm with Octopus if that makes a difference)

Not sure about a refund but I found it pretty easy to just reduce my monthly payment to whatever I wanted (could do it online).

When I was with EDF they only updated the account every six months so it would look like I was in more credit than I was. Make sure you are totally up to date and they have adjusted it for new meter readings before you do anything.

Can't you just reduce your DD to £1 a month for a while? Much as I hate Shell, their online account works well in tracking energy usage and suggesting increases or reductions so you don't end up in this situation.

It took me 6 months to get a credit refunded after I closed the account (new people moved in).

In another property they refused to refund but insisted on using the credit for the bill each month.

We're with EDF. Did meter readings a few weeks ago, bill was £900 plus in credit. They automatically refunded £650 a few days later, I didn't need to do anything.

It depends on your supplier and the extent of your credit.

Nobody here can give a reliable answer for all energy suppliers and even for the same suppliers, it might not be the same for you. PP says Octopus refund was fine, but when I requested a refund from Octopus, I got no reply to my email at all and it was not possible to do online. As I pay the full bill each month (I was in credit because a double payment had been applied to my account), I didn't actively pursue this since I knew the excess would be eaten up in two months, but it was still an irritation.

Just look at what the procedure is with your supplier - either you will be able to do it online or you will have to contact them and request the balance returned to you.

Who is the supplier and have they provided an up to date bill using your meter readings? Until you do that it may not be a true credit balance.

Otherwise use your companies process to request a refund/lower your direct debit amount

When we were with Bulb we had no issues getting a refund.I can’t remember if we have with Octopus but it certainly shouldn’t be too onerous. I’d prob leave 500 still in the account.

Octopus customer here. Requested £600 back and it was in my account within a week. No issues. Easy peasy.

I had no problems with Scottish Power in a similar position last year.

im with Octopus too. Responded to my email request by return and in my account a few days later. DH said I didn’t ask for enough back, so might try again for more.
I'm also still paying the same amount as I did during the time when we were getting the Government money.

I just send EON an email and I get it back in a few days. It's always been smaller amounts though, £200 on average.

We're with octopus and it was really easy to get a refund. Just double check your meter readings.

OVO : called them and they refunded £1500 in a week

Depends on how recently you had a bill, and who you are with.

Octopus were great. Shell were horrific. So it seems like there is also an element of luck too.

I’m with Octopus. I just clicked a couple of buttons on the website and the money was back in my account within a few days. really easy.

Yes it depends how your supplier works. EDF take a direct debit every month but only bill us twice a year, so we build up £2k of credit and then our bill comes off it which is usually about £1500 so we get a refund of the remaining amount.
It sounds like others work differently though. The first time I saw our credit was almost £2k I had palpitations!

Eon and Octupus had the money put back into my account within a few days, definitely less than one week.

Octopus bills us monthly when we submit readings. Other companies only bill every 6 months so a credit balance isn't a true credit balance until they produce a bill.

My setup with British Gas is similar to how Binfire's setup is with EDF...I pay a direct debit every month but BG only bill us twice a year (June and December) so the credit that is currently building up will offset my December bill. While it's tempting to request a credit refund I definitely don't want to be in a situation where I owe BG megabucks after the next billing cycle, esp considering we'll be using the heating then and we aren't now. Just contact your provider so you can make an informed decision vs the advice from us who all have very different setups to each other.

Still waiting for a £1500 refund from Eon requested 2 weeks ago…

I never let mine go over £300 in credit. In your shoes I'd definitely request a refund.