Customers are owed £3.7 billion by energy companies. The money has built up from overpayments of direct debits and should be returned. Companies err on the side of overcharging when they set up the amounts we have to pay for direct debits. A small buffer is sensible, but all too often customers are owed hundreds of pounds and more.

We need to get our money back and after a 12% price reduction in April and another cut due to start in July it is time to contact our energy companies if they have not volunteered a reduction in monthly payments or a refund.

It can take time to get through to the call centres and then to get a refund agreed. If you are owed money and the company is refusing to make a refund the Energy Ombudsman should help you and if the company still refuses to hand over your cash you can move to a rival energy company and then the old one will have to give you your money in 10 working days or pay a penalty of an additional £30.

Once you have got your refund it is worth checking if elderly relatives, neighbours or friends are due a refund.

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