Imagine waiting over a year to get back money that’s rightfully yours—money you desperately need. That’s exactly what happened to Beth Kojder, who spent 15 agonizing months battling British Gas to refund her £1,500. It’s not just frustrating; it’s absurd. And this is the part most people miss: despite the energy ombudsman ruling in her favor nearly a year ago, British Gas dragged its feet, leaving Beth exhausted and out of pocket.
Here’s the full story: Beth moved out of her one-bedroom flat in south-east London in October 2024. Like any responsible tenant, she provided meter readings and requested a final bill, along with a refund of her £1,700 credit, minus the expected charges. But months passed, and British Gas remained silent. No bill, no refund—just radio silence. But here’s where it gets controversial: when Beth escalated her complaint to the energy ombudsman, they ruled in her favor in February 2025, ordering British Gas to act. Yet, the ombudsman has no legal power to enforce its decisions, leaving consumers like Beth in a frustrating limbo.
Fast forward to this week—just days before her case was set to go to a small claims court—British Gas finally offered her the refund. Beth, who welcomed her first baby in December, described the ordeal as ‘relentless, tiring, and completely draining.’ ‘That’s almost £2,000 I could have used,’ she told the BBC. ‘And then there’s all the admin.’
British Gas apologized, claiming they were ‘implementing the ombudsman’s remedy,’ but Beth feels they ‘completely failed’ to engage with the process. Is this a one-off case, or a symptom of a broken system? In 2024, the energy ombudsman handled 93,000 complaints, with 70% ruled in favor of consumers. While most suppliers comply within 28 days, thousands of cases—like Beth’s—fall through the cracks. This has prompted the Department for Energy to explore ways to strengthen the ombudsman’s authority, acknowledging that too many decisions aren’t being implemented quickly enough.
Ofgem’s deputy director, Jackie Gehrmann, made it clear: ‘Suppliers must act on ombudsman rulings promptly.’ But with £27 million paid out in fines and settlements last year alone, it’s evident that some companies are still falling short. So, here’s the question: Should the energy ombudsman have more power to enforce its decisions, or is it up to consumers to fight tooth and nail for what’s theirs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is a conversation we need to have.
