An energy company charged twice for the same month. It took two letters.
The direct debit went out twice in March. Customer service acknowledged it, then went quiet for six weeks. This is the sequence that got the money back.
The plan we used
- 01 A refund request citing the billing rule
One page, with both bank lines attached side by side so the duplicate was not arguable.
Day 1 - 02 Sent to the billing department, with a 14-day deadline
Addressed to billing rather than general support, which is where these get lost.
Day 1 - 03 One check-in: did they reply?
They had replied, but only to say it was “under review”.
Day 9 - 04 A final notice naming the escalation date
Told them exactly which body the complaint would go to, and on what date.
Day 15 - 05 Refunded in full
The duplicate charge was reversed four days after the final notice.
Day 22
Naming the escalation body and the date. The complaint never had to be filed — the final notice was answered within four days, after six weeks of silence.
Where this comes from
Published with the person’s consent. Names, addresses, dates of birth and account details have been removed; the amount and the timeline are real.