'British Gas won't pay me my money'

I moved out of my flat in August, and my final statement from British Gas showed that I was £70.05 in credit. 

Yet, as of late November, I still haven’t got the money. 

I complained in September and British Gas has since sent several letters and emails acknowledging I’m due the money, blaming a ‘system glitch’, then mentioning ‘unclear deductions’. What’s going on?

Bryce from Brighton

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'Keeping records paid off'

Sam Richardson, Which? Money deputy editor, says...

I’ve rarely seen such a bewildering (if polite) refusal to pay up. 

Industry regulator Ofgem says that when you leave an energy supplier you should receive a final bill within six weeks. If you’re in credit, this should be paid to you within 10 working days of receiving that bill.

British Gas did at least correctly identify the delay and explain to you that it owed you an additional £30 compensation (this is set by Ofgem). However, it also said it was unable to pay this sum.

We approached British Gas and within 48 hours your months-long issue had been resolved. 

A ‘work-around’ was used to pay you the original £70.05, the £30 Ofgem penalty and British Gas offered you £50 to acknowledge the shortfalls in service.

Customers shouldn’t have to contact Which? to get complaints resolved. Nor should they accept a ‘computer says no’ excuse for regulator-enforced standards not being met. 

That said, it is useful to keep records of correspondence (as you did). That way, you can easily escalate a complaint – whether that’s with the company concerned, Which?, or the ombudsman (the energy ombudsman in your case, but this also helps with the financial ombudsman).

British Gas told us it had been in touch with you to apologise and told you the cause of the glitch was being investigated.

• Find out more: How to complain about your electricity, gas or energy bill 

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