Where do I stand?

[smurfchops]

I had a letter from my utility company saying "Good news, we're refunding �140 to you" as apparently I had built up this credit balance. However my credit balance was �10 which they did refund. When I rang, they said they had made a mistake, they don't owe me �140 . As they made the mistake, should they send me the money anyway? What are my rights? They refused, by the way, as they said that money isn't my credit balance. I have a Direct Debit with them.

[wolf63]

I've given up believing the letters that they sent - they are never right. I use Scottish Gas (or is it British Gas?) and I once got three letters in one day with totally different amounts.

It is annoying to be told that you have a credit balance and then find out that you don't. In the meantime you have mentally spent all the money.

Just make sure your readings are up-to-date and accurate and that they have credited all the payments that you have made.

You haven't a hope in heII of getting more money out them than you are due.

Bah!!

Susan

[Skyline D]

If you dropped �50 in the street by mistake and someone else picked it up would you be ok if they kept it even if they knew fine well you had dropped it?

If you accidentally use a �20 note in a shop instead of a �10 one would you be ok if they kept the additional tenner because it was your mistake?

If the answers to those question are "no, of course not" (which they should be) then I've no idea why you think you'd be entitled to �140 that isn't yours just because in error you were initially told it was.

[smurfchops]

Skyline, if you go into a store and there is an item on sale for �9.99 and you go to the till and they say - oh it should have been �99.99 - that is their fault and they have to honour the price of �9.99. I just wondered if it was the same with my utility bill. No need to bite my head off .....

[hc4361]

You are wrong about the mis-priced item in a shop. The shop can refuse to sell it at the wrong price and there is no offence unless they continue to advertise it at the wrong price.
http://www.consumerrightsexpert.co.uk/common-c onsumer-misconceptions.html
In this instance the gas company is correct and you have not lost anything, you hadn't overpaid by �140.

[Hazel104]

I don't think a shop does have to honour that price.
They can just refuse the sale as they are not obliged to sell you anything, they can then rectify the mistake.

[magicmerlin]

I can recall at least 4 occassions where the price showing at the till was greater than price ticket on goods and I paid the lower price as advertised. They were all well known 'high street' retailers. It does not cost anything to try and get the lower price. What would people say if the reverse happened and the till price was lower than advertised price, would you all pay the higher price, I think not.

[flip_flop]

The 'price' on an item in a shop is merely an invitation to treat (invitations to make an offer) - they are under no obligation to honour that 'price'.

[wolf63]

I agree with flip_flop.

Some shops 'will' honour the lower price but they are under no legal obligation to do so.

[Skyline D]

No they don't smurfchops.

And about two minutes researching this site would have found the same question coming up again, and again, and again......................

The number of urban legends people take as gospel would be hilarious if it wasn't so damned stupid!

[BertiWooster]

It all depends on the retailer , as has been said already .

I remember going into a well known high street retailer - choosing a suit and bringing it to the till , only to be asked for a higher price than what was displayed on the rack .
When I pointed it out to the till assistant , after a quick word with her supervisor , It was sold to me at the price displayed .
I dont think that would have happened if the retailer wasn't a big player on the high street
I certainly did not feel sorry from benefeting from the mistake , especially since the owner was one , Philip Green . I dont suppose a few pounds less towards the company profits would particularly concern him .

Now , the strange thing is that when I passed the store later ( out of curiosity ) I popped back in to see if the displayed price had changed - to my surprise , it hadn't .