Refund Claim

Key takeaways

• A refund claim is a request to your supplier to return money you’re owed — usually a credit balance or correction of an overcharge.
• Suppliers normally have internal timelines for processing refunds; if those slip, you can complain.
• After 8 weeks without a resolution, you can escalate to the Energy Ombudsman.

What is a refund claim?

A refund claim is a formal request to your energy supplier to give back money you’re owed. The two most common triggers are a credit balance built up by direct debit payments that exceeded actual usage, and billing corrections where you’ve been overcharged.

For business accounts, refunds also come up at the end of a contract, after a billing dispute, or after a meter fault has been corrected.

How to claim

1. Check the balance and recent meter readings; document the period you believe was overcharged.
2. Ask the supplier in writing for the refund, with the calculation and dates.
3. Keep a record of every interaction — date, who you spoke to, what they promised.
4. If 8 weeks pass without a resolution, escalate to the Energy Ombudsman.

Common reasons for delay

The account is in dispute or a re-bill is underway.

There’s an outstanding balance on a different meter at the same business.

The supplier is waiting for an updated read to confirm the credit isn’t needed for ongoing usage.

Sources

1. Ofgem — Complain about your energy supplier
2. Energy Ombudsman — independent dispute resolution for energy
3. Citizens Advice — Problems with your energy supply