Request a refund

Credit balance refund process

At The Water Retail Company, we are committed to ensuring that any credit held on a customer’s account is returned promptly, fairly, and securely upon request. A credit balance may arise for several reasons, including advance payments, billing adjustments, or changes in consumption. Customers are entitled to request a refund of any verified credit held on their account, subject to standard validation checks.

How to request a refund?

If your account is in credit, you may request a refund of the balance at any time. To request a refund, please follow the below steps.

1. Contact your dedicated account manager or submit a request via our website contact form
2. Provide your account details, including account number and business name
3. Confirm the amount requested (if known)
4. Provide bank details for payment (where applicable)
5. Provide any other information that you believe is important for us to know

What happens next?

To ensure accuracy and protect our customers, all refund requests are subject to a validation process. It involves several steps listed below.

1. We will first review your account to confirm that a credit balance is available. As part of this, we also assess any unbilled consumption, pending charges, and recently issued invoices that may not yet be reflected in the current balance.
2. We will then verify your identity and your authority to request the refund. This may include additional security and fraud prevention checks where necessary.
3. If any further information is required, we may contact you to support the validation process.
4. Once all checks are complete, the refund will be approved in line with our internal financial controls. Payment is then processed via secure bank transfer (BACS), unless an alternative method has been agreed. You will be notified as soon as the refund has been issued.

We aim to handle all refund requests promptly and transparently. The initial review and validation are completed within five working days of receiving the request. Once validation is complete, approval and payment processing are carried out within a further five working days. This means the full process is completed within approximately ten working days, although in most cases we complete it in less time. If additional investigation is required, for example due to complex billing queries or recent account changes, we will keep you informed and provide updated timescales accordingly.

Important considerations

• Refund amounts may be adjusted if additional charges are identified during the validation process, such as unbilled usage or recently applied costs.
• In some cases, it may be more appropriate to retain any credit on the account, particularly where services are ongoing. If this applies, we will discuss the most suitable option with you.
• Refunds will only be issued to verified bank accounts held in the name of the business or an authorised representative. Where an account is in dispute, refunds may be temporarily held until the matter has been fully resolved.
• If you disagree with the calculated credit balance or the outcome of a refund request, please contact us as soon as possible. We will review the account again, provide a clear response and make changes if needed.

We are committed to ensuring fairness and transparency throughout the refund process by providing clear and accessible information and protecting customers against fraud and error. We aim to process all refunds efficiently, without unnecessary delay and in the best interests of our customers. If you have any questions about the process or would like further information, please contact us and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.