Caution urged on gas bill credit
Consumers should be cautious about reclaiming credit on their gas bills, Confused.com has warned.New research from moneysupermarket.com has revealed that nearly six million homes in the UK are in credit to their gas company by an average of £79.However, Confused.com's energy expert Gareth Kloet said that customers should find out about their energy consumption from their supplier first.He explained that customers who pay by direct debit will have their total yearly consumption divided by 12, which explains the current surplus."In many circumstances, this build-up will see consumers through the winter, when their consumption increases," he said."Therefore before asking for a refund, it is recommended that customers have a chat with their supplier and provide an up-to-date meter reading."If the customer is not paying the right amount then a refund may be available, but Mr Kloet warned that, because of the price rises recently, it is just as probable that the amount being paid is correct."In some circumstances, [the amount] may actually need to be increased further if their monthly payments are simply not high enough to get them through the winter months," he added.
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