Yeh, the credit amount is based on real meter readings. The credit built up because the community centre used to be the home of a full time youth project, but several years ago they re-located to larger premises but the nPower payments continued because no-one had responsibility for them. I immediately canceled the DD. Once the refund is made we shall be instantly swapping suppliers I will probably get in touch with energywatch, however I suspect all they'll do is ensure we get the refund. I really think nPower should make some other kind of recompense (the refund isn't the only think they've cocked up) and the small claims is the only way I can think of ensuring I get some interest and compensation.

I took over the position of secretary at my local church in February this year. Discovered that our community centre had an £850 CREDIT :o Long story short ... numerous letters & phone calls and I still haven't received a penny of it back yet!! Last week sent them a letter before action notification - gave 7 days to make full refund plus interest at the statutory rate plus appropriate compensation else I would revert to court action. Guess what ... 10 days later ... nothing Can anyone help me with the actual wording I should use on my moneyclaim complaint. Also what do you think might be an appropriate amount of compensation to ask for given that I have made at least 6 phone calls and 2 comprehensive letters and have been promised refunds on each occasion but have had nothing forthcoming ... probably taken the best part of a working day in total. Appreciate anyone's experiences in similar situation

I wrote the letter to DG. Read it in this thread. Anyway, all seems immaterial now. Just heard from Bradford Court that my the rescheduling of my hearing that I requested wont happen til after the result of the test case and that all cases being stayed. So near yet so far. More patience now required.

Well, no-one will be surprised to know that I didn't get a response in any form from DG. Which is a real shame coz the OFT test case has now meant everything is now on hold. Would have been nice to have had it all done & dusted!

Just found this letter on another thread, which encouraged me that mine was along the right lines. I seem to be answering all my own questions!! Hope someone else might find the answers useful.

OK, just drafted my own. Would appreciate any comments from those with a bit more knowledge and/or expertise ... Dear Kate Eaves Claim # 7QZ 57568 (Shields v First Direct Bank) With reference to the above case, you will no doubt be aware that there is a court hearing scheduled for 10:00am on 22nd August 2007 with District Judge Lawton presiding. As my actions so far have indicated, I am fully resolved to pursue this matter for the full amount claimed together with interest up to the date of settlement and court fees, through the county court if necessary. Based on the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations, I believe the bank’s default charges are unfair and not proportionate to the bank’s costs, and I am therefore confident that the court will rule in my favour. Being mindful of the time and irrecoverable costs that court proceedings will cause the bank to incur I am contacting you to see if you would like to take the opportunity to settle this case before court proceedings. In accordance with the schedule sent to the court and yourselves on 19/06/2007, the amount currently outstanding, including statutory interest & court fees is £294.54 (increasing by 5.61p daily). For the reasons mentioned and in order to facilitate a speedy and mutually beneficial resolution, I am willing to forgo interest accrued since the date of my initial request (21/02/07). On receipt of the sum of £285.96 I will be happy to inform the court that regarding these particular charges, I have received a full & final settlement. I look forward for a full response to this letter and a speedy & satisfactory resolution to this matter within 7 days from the date of this letter. After this date I shall allow the matter to go through due process with the courts where, upon receiving a positive outcome, I shall also be claiming for out-of-pocket expenses and case preparation costs as well as full statutory interest. Yours sincerely What's the likelihood of it getting any response, let alone a full payment? Could I word it stronger? If so, how? Intend to fax it to them (0121 455 2771) and email it to Kate Eaves (kateeaves@hsbc.com)

I've got the date for my preliminary hearing. Thought it might be a good idea to contact DG and let them know I've got a court date (shan't tell them it's a prelim!) and invite them to settle. Anyone got a good example of a letter they've written? Don't want to write anything that could be counter-productive!

Same thing happened to me (see my thread). Just rang the court and they said it should be no problem to reschedule for another date but that I need to put it in writing. I just read in another thread somewhere that it might be worth contacting the bank (or their solicitors) to tell them that you've got a court date as this is often the point at which they choose to pay up!

Need to make a written request to change the date of the hearing ... which I'll be doing. Just wondered if I ought to request that the preliminary hearing be treated as a final hearing (as it says it can be at the foot of my court notice). Anyone else got done that? dar£n, I noticed in another threat that you recommend contacting DG and just telling them you've got a court date - not mentioning it's a preliminary one - to see if that prompts them into some action. Do you do that in writing or is a telephone call sufficient?

Hi APC, As you can probably tell from reading a few other peoples threads, FD seem hell-bent on taking things as far as they possibly can. I'm only claiming £280 and am currently trying to pursuade the court to scrap with an unnecessary preliminary hearing and just go straight to a final hearing ... that seems to be the only point at which FD pay-up. I'm going to try and contact FD's solicitors and tell them I've got a court date (won't tell them it's just a prelim hearing) and see if that speeds them up. It must have cost FD 10x as much in solicitors fees as it would have been to pay up. But I guess that's why the solicitors are doing it!

OK, received the letter from the court. They have indeed siad that there is to be a "preliminary hearing" on the 22nd August. 2 questions which I hope someone can answer for me ... 1) What's the need for a preliminary hearing? 2) What's the likelihood of me being able to change the day coz I've got my summer hols booked for that wk

The deadline for me to respond to the Court Motion has been and gone (6th July). I've just phoned the court to see if FD had also responded on time. Turns out that FD weren't issued with a court motion, just me. Is that normal? Anyhow, apparently I've been allocated a 20min preliminary hearing and they'll be writing to give me the date. Is a preliminary hearing the same as a proper hearing? Will FD be expected to attend? Can't believe how far they are dragging this out for £255!

OK ... edit made. Not quite sure of the difference but I will listen to the advice of those who do!

Aren't the solicitors meant to copy the claimants in on the correspondance, like we do with them? I've never received anything from them. I assume they must have completed an AQ because a couple of weeks after I sent in mine in to the court, I received an order from the court asking for infomation that seemed very biased towards the bank ... almost as if it was the banks draft order. But of course I have no way of knowing that because I've never received any correspondance from them. Is this normal? Has anyone else received copies of things from them? How do I find out what they put in their AQ?

Thanks for advice damjef ... it put my mind at ease. Got to keep reminding ourselves these charges are UNLAWFUL, that's why we're entitled to them ALL back! Wrote the letter in post #8 of this thread, and copied FD's solicitors in. Wait and see what comes of it. Question ... are the solicitors meant to copy me in with all their correspondance with the court because I never received a copy of their AQ to the court? (I assume they will have had to fill one in too).