Credit refund help

[Spike]

Fishies,
I changed my electricity supplier from Solarplicity to Bulb at the beginning of June. I had a small credit remaining with Solarplicity which I’ve tried to reclaim on a number of occasions with little success. Solarplicity has now ceased trading with all active accounts migrated to TOTO. My account hasn’t as it was inactive. Emails and telephone calls are fruitless in trying to reclaim my credit. Indeed today they took a further payment from my credit under “Non Statemented Invoices”!
It’s not the money it’s the principle.
Anyone had a similar situation and managed to get their credit refunded?

 

[Vinny]

It rather depends under what circumstances Solarplicity ceased trading and the conditions under which the business was acquired by TOTO, assuming that they were originally separate companies.

If Solarplicity went bust - hard luck, in all probability. If they didn't go bust, or if they did, were acquired in such as way as TOTO assumed all responsibilities, liabilities etc. (which seems likely), you are free to issue Small Claims Court proceedings against TOTO. The threat is usually ample prompt to get things sorted as it costs a company serious ££ to go to Court - it costs you peanuts as a private individual and only direct Court costs can be awarded (to you, the claimant, the other party can/will have no costs under the Small Claims system).

Small Claims is VERY simple and a claim can be issued online in 30 minutes or so. BUT - threaten them first, with a deadline - say 2 weeks from receipt of your "ultimatum".

I have been down the Small Claims route a few times and only lost once, but when a lady judge started talking about the chassis of a car, I knew that I was sunk, no matter the rights and wrongs...………. In your case it should be cut and dried as you presumably have paperwork to prove your claim.

 

[Spike]

They didn’t go bust. TOTO has no record of my as I stopped being a Solarplicity customer in June so would not be transferred across.

 

[Still]

I'd contact the Energy Onbudsman: https://www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/energy

 

[Vinny]

Sounds like the Ombudsman is your only hope.

 

[Spike]

Lodged an appeal with the Ombudsman. It is a pretty small amount, just annoyed that they promised for two and a half months to refund and then take the small non statement invoice amount for no reason. I’d be well pissed off if it was a large amount.

 

[matt j]

I went to the Ombudsman for Solarplicity and they rinsed them proper, brilliant result and they even forced them to pay me compo. Hopefully it works out for you the same.