Melissa Kite: Why is it easier to go mad than get a refund from a utility company? 

‘Hello, I’d like my money back, please,’ I said to the nice lady on the other end of the line.

And if the nice lady on the other end of the line had been working for anyone other than a utility company, I would probably have had my money back a few moments later. As it was, my request to be refunded the £113 that my gas and electricity accounts were in credit triggered a journey into the first circle of hell (limbo).

‘Right,’ said the lady, after I had given her my meter readings, which bore out the fact that my gas account was in credit by £88.13 and my electricity by £25. ‘I see you are due an assessment in March. If, at that time, you are still in credit, you can ask for the amount to be refunded then.’

I tried again. ‘I don’t want to wait until March. I would like my £100 back now, please.