Seven in ten households overcharged by around £200 in household bills last year Study shows over two thirds of consumers overcharged on bills last year Average overpayment cost £196 - and only a quarter got their money back More than two thirds of consumers were overcharged on at least one bill last year - with a third being overcharged more than once, research has revealed. Households were overcharged by an average of £196 and had to wait almost two months to get their money back again, the report by uSwitch.com said. The findings suggest companies responsible for essential bills, such as utilities, telecoms and mortgages, may have overcharged customers by as much as £6.7 billion in the last year alone. Cost: More than two thirds of households have been overcharged by an average of £196 in the last year Crucially, 95 per cent of cases were spotted by the customer themselves. The comparison website warned this figure highlighted the importance of checking bills for mistakes. The survey of more than 1,000 people said that one in ten had been charged by over £400 or more. Nearly half of the cases of overcharges were due to erroneous charges, while 32 per cent were because the customer had been put on the wrong tariff or product and 25 per cent because a special offer or discount had not been applied. 'Check your bills': Ann Robinson, of uSwitch, warned customers to 'keep their wits about them' and watch for any overcharging More than one in ten people are still trying to resolve their overcharging issue and 6 per cent never received their money back. Customers have spent an average of eight hours and £23 on phone calls and correspondence trying to sort out problems with overcharging on their bills in the last year, the survey showed. Only 7 per cent of these costs were refunded by the company. Just a quarter of people successfully received their money back, although one in ten did also received a 'goodwill gesture' from the supplier as an apology. Ann Robinson, director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, said: 'Overcharging on household bills is rife and yet it still seems to be down to the customer to spot it. Consumers have to keep their wits about them and ensure that they check all their household bills carefully - if you are not checking then the chances are that a mistake will have slipped through and this could be costing you dear. At the same time I would urge companies to do as much as possible to help their customers by making household bills simpler, clearer and easier to understand. This is a foundation stone in building trust and confidence, and a vital step towards putting consumers in control. 'With 95% of overcharging spotted by customers rather than the bill provider, it's imperative that people are able to spot and resolve any mistakes quickly - nobody can afford to be left out of pocket because a company didn't quite get its sums right.' Always complain directly to the firm first. If after eight weeks you have no resolution, you can go to the relevant Ombudsman.Different companies are signed up to different Ombudsman schemes. Alternatively, go to the small claims court. This will cost you a fee which you get back if you are successful in winning your case.