25 signatures reached
To: Government and regulator of utility companies
Utility Companies to refund credit balances much quicker
Force utility companies (electricity, gas, phone companies etc) to refund credit balances to customers within 3 working days when requested by customers, either in writing, email, online or by phone.
Why is this important?
Currently they get away with not doing so and it can take more than 4 weeks to get monies owed from them. I know this as this is my experience. Banks can transfer monies instantly and credit payments quickly so why not utility companies. Here is my experience:
When I switched from Scottish Power to Ovo (gas & electricity) I discovered that Scottish Power owed me over £600. I requested they pay this back but was told it would only happen once my final bill was done. I switched on 29th January and gave meter readings on that day to both Scottish Power and Ovo. However, its now March and they are still charging me on my bill (reducing my credit balance) even though they have closed my account (it says so online)!
I spoke both with Scottish Power and Ovo and was told that even though I had submitted readings for gas & electricity to both companies, it could take 2 weeks for the network (presumably Transco etc) to confirm the readings. Only then could Scottish Power do my final bill and only then could OVO know for sure what starting readings to use.
Scottish Power said once my final bill was confirmed they would then refund my credit balance but it could still take up to 4 weeks! This is a scandal. I made an official complaint to Scottish Power but they said it could 10 working days for someone to get back to me! yet another unacceptable delay.
I tried speaking to the regulator but their automated telephone service cuts you off if you say you haven't given the utility company 8 weeks to resolve the situation!
Why can't utility companies be made to speed the whole process up like banks have? An example is that when I pay salaries at work via BACS I get a text from my bank (the receiving account) within 10 seconds that the money is in my account! yes, I said 10 seconds, not 10 hours, days or weeks!
Its time the companies were brought to account and made to reform. In my opinion the big companies should be split up as well. Scottish Power admits it receives around 75,000 complaints every quarter! Its on their website at https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/service-and-standards/complaints/complaintsperformance
Please support this campaign
When I switched from Scottish Power to Ovo (gas & electricity) I discovered that Scottish Power owed me over £600. I requested they pay this back but was told it would only happen once my final bill was done. I switched on 29th January and gave meter readings on that day to both Scottish Power and Ovo. However, its now March and they are still charging me on my bill (reducing my credit balance) even though they have closed my account (it says so online)!
I spoke both with Scottish Power and Ovo and was told that even though I had submitted readings for gas & electricity to both companies, it could take 2 weeks for the network (presumably Transco etc) to confirm the readings. Only then could Scottish Power do my final bill and only then could OVO know for sure what starting readings to use.
Scottish Power said once my final bill was confirmed they would then refund my credit balance but it could still take up to 4 weeks! This is a scandal. I made an official complaint to Scottish Power but they said it could 10 working days for someone to get back to me! yet another unacceptable delay.
I tried speaking to the regulator but their automated telephone service cuts you off if you say you haven't given the utility company 8 weeks to resolve the situation!
Why can't utility companies be made to speed the whole process up like banks have? An example is that when I pay salaries at work via BACS I get a text from my bank (the receiving account) within 10 seconds that the money is in my account! yes, I said 10 seconds, not 10 hours, days or weeks!
Its time the companies were brought to account and made to reform. In my opinion the big companies should be split up as well. Scottish Power admits it receives around 75,000 complaints every quarter! Its on their website at https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/support-centre/service-and-standards/complaints/complaintsperformance
Please support this campaign
