Should I ask for a refund?

[LoulaJ]

Sorry it's not really an AIBU but wasn't sure where to post. My energy account is showing as £1,300 in credit. This seems like quite a lot to me, seems i'm massively overpaying them. Can I request a refund? The money would be really helpful at the moment!

Yes definitely!

Which company? That's outrageous.

Of course you should, and get them to review your direct debit amount. I thought companies did that automatically now?

Make sure you put an up to date meter ready in so that the balance is an accurate reflection of what's been used and then ask for a refund. However bear in mind that if you pay by direct debit then it is designed to accrue credit through the summer to balance the use in winter. Your annual use is calculated and divided across the year- so in September just as we come out of the low use months- you are supposed to be in credit.

@BornFreee

Which company? That's outrageous.

It's EON

Hell yeah! If they've had up to date readings, then I'd be asking for a grand of that back, which will still leave you in plenty of credit for the winter.

How long has the credit built up for and how much is your monthly direct debit? If it's over more than just this year then I'd ask for a refund. Otherwise I'd wait until after winter as it's been built up to buffer the extra usage.

It depends - how are the payments from your account made to EON? When I was with them I had periods where it looked like I was massively in credit but then it turned out it was because I was paying direct debits monthly but they were taking payments from my credit quarterly.

Course you can, get an up to date reading and ring them and ask to reduce your payments and have your credit returned to you.

My online account is showing up to date smart meter readings, so they have my accurate usage. I know you're supposed to be in credit over the summer months but by that much?! Seems a lot.

I pay £175 monthly for both gas & electricity

Ring them up and ask, you'll get the right answer from the horse's mouth

Just to point out that you’re not always supposed to be in credit in summer months; it depends when your contract started.

Say your contract started on September 1st, then by the time August 31st the following year rolls round, you should have a balance close to £0, rather than be in credit!

@LoulaJ

I pay £175 monthly for both gas & electricity

That’s a huge amount. How many of you live in your five bedroomed detached house?!

Call for a refund today and halve your DD!

Phone and Double check its right
There was an issue with my meter readings and my roughly 1,300 account credit was actually 180

@Tippexy

It's a 3 bed detached. 2 adults, 2 dc.

Ring eon

Refund for 1k and 300 left over the winter months as it will skyrocket once heating goes on

Yes, explained here: www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/lower-energy-direct-debits/

Yes you can and should and should if you need the money.

My energy supplier (OVO) pays 4% interest on credit balances so I leave it there

@LoulaJ

I pay £175 monthly for both gas & electricity

That's more than I pay for my 6 bed detached. Should be more around £80 I'd have thought to build credit for winter.

We were in credit with Eon and they said when it's £80+ they automatically refund it... clearly haven't in your case so call them and have it moved over ASAP.

Just finally got through to them- they are having technical issues apparently which means they can't access any customer accounts today but she said in theory if my bills are based on up to date readings (which it says online that they are), they can refund it later in the week when they're back up and running. Clearly £175 p/m is way over and above what we use - I need to ask them to adjust that!

There will be something that they need to take off. There always is apparently.

@Meatshake

Seriously how are your bills so low? Do you only heat one room? Only have heating on one month of the year? That seems almost impossibly low....