Does Your Old Energy Supplier Owe You Money?

If you have moved home, changed energy supplier or closed an old gas or electricity account in the last few years, it may be worth checking whether you left any money behind.

According to reporting by The Guardian, based on figures from Ofgem, almost 2 million closed energy accounts were still holding unclaimed customer credit, with around £240 million left sitting with suppliers.

That means some households may still be owed money from an old energy account without realising it.

Why Would an Energy Supplier Still Owe Me Money?

When an energy account is closed, it is possible for the final balance to be in credit.

That can happen for several reasons:

• your monthly Direct Debit payments were higher than your actual energy use;

• you moved home before a final meter reading was fully processed;

• your supplier estimated your final usage;

• your account was closed while a refund was still due;

• your supplier no longer had your correct address, email or bank details.

Energy suppliers are expected to return money owed when an account is closed, but this can become difficult if they cannot contact the customer.

Ofgem has therefore encouraged people who have moved home in recent years to check whether an old supplier still owes them a refund.

How Much Could I Be Owed?

For some people, it may only be a few pounds.

For others, Ofgem said the amount could be more than £100.

Across all of the affected closed accounts, the total amount of unclaimed credit was around £240 million.

That is a significant amount of household money sitting in old energy accounts.

Have You Moved Home in the Last Five Years?

If you have moved during the last few years, think back to who supplied your gas and electricity at your previous address.

If you can remember the supplier, contact them and ask them to check whether the old account was closed with a credit balance.

It may help to have:

• your previous address;

• your old account number, if you still have it;

• the approximate dates you lived at the property;

• your current contact details;

• any old bills or emails from the supplier.

Even if you no longer have the account number, the supplier may still be able to trace the account using your name, old address and dates of occupancy.

Don't Forget Final Meter Readings

One of the simplest ways to reduce problems when moving home is to take meter readings on the day you leave.

I always recommend photographing the meters as well.

That gives you a dated record of the readings and can be very useful if there is ever any disagreement about the final bill.

When moving into a new property, take photographs of those meter readings too.

It only takes a few minutes and can save a lot of trouble later.

Moving Home Is One of the Best Times to Review Your Energy

A house move often means dealing with several household services at once:

• gas and electricity;

• broadband;

• home WiFi;

• mobile services;

• home telephone;

• insurance.

It can be easy simply to accept whatever arrangements are already in place while concentrating on everything else involved in moving.

But moving home is actually a very good time to review what you are paying and whether the services are still right for you.

Could Your Current Energy Account Also Be in Credit?

It is also worth checking your current energy account.

Many households pay by monthly Direct Debit, which means their account balance naturally rises and falls throughout the year.

But if you have built up a large credit balance, it is reasonable to understand why that money is there and whether your monthly payment still reflects your actual energy usage.

A healthy credit balance going into winter can be perfectly normal.

A very large balance that keeps increasing may be worth discussing with your supplier.

Check Before You Forget

The important message is simple:

If you have moved home or changed energy supplier in recent years, check whether an old account still owes you money.

It is easy to assume that everything was settled when you moved, but the Ofgem figures suggest that millions of pounds are still sitting in closed accounts waiting to be reclaimed.

And with household bills remaining high, it makes sense to recover any money that belongs to you.

Need Help Reviewing Your Home Bills?

If you live in Loughborough, Shepshed, Quorn, Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Sileby, Rothley or elsewhere across Charnwood, I can help you review your current household services and understand what you are paying.

I can look at your:

• energy;

• broadband;

• WiFi;

• mobile;

• home telephone;

• insurance and protection.

I'll show you clearly where you stand and whether there are areas where you could reduce your household costs.

Arrange Your Free Home Bills Review and Diane Will Check For You

Call Diane at CBC Home Utilities on 01509 435 122

No pressure and no obligation — just a straightforward review of your current home bills.

Source: This article was inspired by reporting by Jillian Ambrose in The Guardian, published 31 October 2025, based on figures and consumer guidance from Ofgem concerning unclaimed credit balances on closed energy accounts.