Energy Bills Showing Negative Figures

[OldChestNuts]

What does it means when you have a negative (-) in front of the payment figure?

Is it the energy company owes me the money or I owe them the money?

It is currently showing - £1089.

[gingejbee]

I've never seen a "-" sign on an energy statement...they usually use words eg "in credit" or "credit balance". Perhaps there's an explanation somewhere on your statement.
(Would they let you go eleven hundred pounds in the red??)

[naomi24]

I’d say that’s a credit. Could you possibly be that much in credit?

[237SJ]

It means that's what you owe them (what your bill will be)

[andres]

Maybe if you say which energy company you are with someone on here might also be with the same one and could explain it.

[naomi24]

You could be right but it’s a weird way to do it, SJ.

[237SJ]

That's how SSE display their bills on their website (effing diabolical company)

[gingejbee]

...and also whether your paying quarterly bills as they come in, or by a direct debit each month.

[gingejbee]

I'm finding it hard to believe that anybody would get into the situation where they didn't know if they were owed £1100...or they owed £1100.
It boggles my mind!

[237SJ]

^ The question wasn't about what you believe or don't believe, the OP just wanted an answer to their question. That kind of response is what puts people asking on here.

[237SJ]

Puts people "off"

[Canary42]

/// SSE ... ... (effing diabolical company) ///

Sadly, they do seem to have gone downhill since I retired at the beginning of the century.

[237SJ]

They were quite good when they were Southern Electric, then they bacame SSE and now Ovo who are just as bad.

[gingejbee]

^ and I did answer the question a few times.
I didn't realise I needed your permission to give an opinion on the matter, though.

[237SJ]

Thing is, the OP didn't want your opinion, they wanted an answer to their question.

[gingejbee]

Yes, as you've said.

[OldChestNuts]

The company in question is Scotish Power.
If I take the balance of a credit card as an example, a negative sign in front of the payment figute means I am in credit. So i think the energy company owes me the money.

Maybe I gave been using the candle for the last few months and they had taken a direct debit monthly payment of £180 may explains why I am in credit.

[barry1010]

Does your bill look like this? https://www.energyhelpline.com/help/understanding-your-energy-bill-scottish-power

[OldChestNuts]

@barry1010
I will need to log online and download the actual bill. On the online screen it doesn't say anything new t to it, just a figure with the sign in front. I will logon again when it is not so busy on the website.

[Atheist]

My statements (Octopus, direct debit) give me my current balance. If it shows minus, then it means that my balance is in the red): if it shows plus then it means that I have paid more than I have consumed and so I am in the black. It all gets adjusted at the end of the year.

[Old_Geezer]

That was some government refund you negotiated.