I switched my energy supply from Utility Point to Orbit in May. I had a credit of £284 with Utility Point which was never repaid. It has since ceased trading. How do I recover the money?
CM, London
Soaring gas prices have killed off 18 small energy companies so far this year, so there will be many others in your position, especially former customers of Utility Point, which had a particularly poor record for returning overpayments. When a supplier goes bust, customers are transferred to a “supplier of last resort” appointed by the energy regulator, Ofgem, and it is this company which is responsible for repaying any credit accrued with the defunct company. It can then reclaim the cost from a scheme funded by an industry levy.
Since you switched before Utility Point went under, you were not transferred to the supplier of last resort, which is EDF. However, according to Ofgem, those in your situation will still be refunded by the firm even if you are not its customer. EDF confirmed that it is contacting all Utility Point customers, past and present, who are owed money. It says: “EDF will honour any valid credit balances former or current customers have with Utility Point. We’re working hard to get refunds to customers as quickly as possible: however, this may take us a while.”
SW of London has been doubly unlucky. “I was a Green customer,” he writes, “but I had just transferred to Avro when both companies went bust and Ofgem moved my account to Shell. Shell’s welcome email refers only to Green, but I have credit balances with both Green and Avro, so how do I get both back?” Ofgem confirms that Shell will pay you your dues from both.
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