Can't receive refund from Octopus after more than 2 months

[angeljs]

I'm almost £700 in credit with Octopus Energy and put in a refund request at the end of December. To cut a very long story short, they have made up one excuse after another, and when I asked last week for their complaints process, I was directed to their FAQ's, which didn't help at all. They then told me they have opened a complaint on my behalf and are looking into it. I didn't have a chance to even make the complaint myself and I'm still waiting for a reply.

Has anyone else had this kind of an issue with them?

I’ve received credit back from them twice, with no problem. I requested on the app and had the money back in about 48 hours I think it was around £200 each time.

I did have a problem obtaining a refund, but mine was much less serious. I was a Bulb customer and I had a variable direct debit. When the account was transferred to Octopus, they didn't take the first month's DD and so as it wasn't clear that they had set it up in the second, I paid in the second for both months by card. Then they took the DD. I emailed them to request the refund as it was below what was accepted by the website, and never heard anything back. As it wasn't that much money, I didn't pursue it and it got eaten up in the next two months.

What are their excuses?

Do you have a smart meter or have you provided a recent meter reading? If not, I can imagine that would be a valid reason for not providing a refund as there may actually be none due.

How odd. I had a refund from them last week, refunded within a few days of my request. I did have to supply a real meter reading first but then it was straightforward.

As long as you’ve provided up-to-date meter readings, then there’s no reason for them not to give you a refund straight away. If you’re paying by DD, should be in your bank account within 3-5 working days, usually quicker. What excuses are they giving you?

Octopus are usually very good. I've had a pretty instand refund from them in the past.

The other way to sort of solve the issue would be to reduce your direct debit as far as the website will let you, and let the credit slowly decrease.

I've just received a £700 refund from them after requesting it via the process on the website. It was surprisingly very straightforward. I have a smart meter so no dispute about usage or readings

I find octopus customer service to be the best I have encountered. Just email them again and explain

Nope I find them terrible they are so slow at responding to anything. I have to chase them continuously this has been since November and issue still not resolved (thanks for the reminder!) not to do with getting credit back though but yes I feel your pain and finding customer service and the lack of being able to speak to anyone infuriating

Contact the ombudsman, it doesn’t matter that a complaint is open.

Have you requested via the app? I did that and I was refunded a couple of days later. Fwiw I didn't ask for the entire balance just a few hundred quid

Yes I had the same problem when I changed supplier a couple of years ago. I can't remember how long I had to wait, but I had to chase them. It could've easily been a couple of months before I received my credit and to add insult to injury, the amount I received back was less than the credit amount showing on my account. They explained this away, but I never really understood it how they worked it out.

Not in relation to a refund, but we have been far from impressed with their customer service. They also raised a complaint on our behalf but the issue was only.resolved about 4 months after that

No, I've had two refunds. Both requested on the app and credited a few days later.

My DD did have an issue when she signed up and they put it right over the phone. Try calling them?

Wow, thank you for all of your replies!

I do have a smart reader. They told me that there's an issue with my readings, then they said that it was sorted and I could have a refund. After hearing nothing back for a while, I asked why the hold up was...they said they needed to sort out my readings. 🙈

I've been going back and forth like this with no resolution. Anyone that replies back is obviously not going through the email chain, judging by their clueless responses.

There is no refund button showing in my account. 😕

I don't have a smart meter.

Try calling them?

Are you requesting most of the credit back - is that why it is not going through in a few days.
I have requested a refund via the website and it was in my bank after a few days but I only asked for the equivalent of one months DD back (still have 2 months worth of DD in credit).

I got my refund within days. However, they "sent" the refund multiple times, I received it once, and the rest of the credit vanished into outer space. I've only just paid off the resulting "debt".

Twice I've been told I can have a refund that leaves £100 in my account. Nothing, yet. I'm well into the 3rd month, trying to get my money back.

I'm really trying to do things correctly by going through their complaints process first, but I'm sick of being given the runaround.

You can take readings yourself and submit them online. That may then allow you to request a refund online.

I had trouble closing my account. I emailed [email protected] in the end. It says to do this on their complaints page. He's the CEO. I was given £100 for my inconvenience.

I just reduced my direct debit to £4 for the months November and December - as my balance was way to high and I die meter reading regularly so they see what I use.

Why not give a meter reading today and then reduce your direct debit to £4 and leave it like that for the next 2/3 months?

Thank you for all of your replies, I’ll definitely give it all some thought.

Submit your own readings and then see if you can ask for a refund again. Or reduce your direct debit to run the balance down gradually