We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Britsh Gas £5 fine for late payments

Options
roger56
roger56 Posts: 478 Forumite
in Energy
Just heard on BBC news - British Gas are proposing a "fine" of £5
if users don't pay bills on time.

Energywatch "not impressed"
«13

Comments

  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,060 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Rampant Recycler
    The 'on time' is defined as 28 days after payment due.

    Seems fair enough to me.

    Pal of mine with a small business says the very few late payers he has, cause him more expense in clerical effort than all the rest.
  • tripled
    tripled Posts: 2,883 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Currently chasing up late payers costs BG £21 million per year, so they are simply trying to recoup that cost.

    Anyone on the energycare register (elderly/disabled) is exempt from the charge.
  • Xbigman
    Xbigman Posts: 3,915 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Its ok saying this charge will help recover the cost of late payers but there are plenty of people, me included, who have recieved a red bill in the post never having recieved the first. And what happens when you call in your own readings and wait for the second bill, do you have 28 days from the first or the second?

    I see this as just another attempt to push people into direct debits. On the subject of which, why don't they use the interest they earn on DD over payments to offset the cost of chasing late payers...
    Regards


    X
    Xbigman's guide to a happy life.

    Eat properly
    Sleep properly
    Save some money
  • elektra
    elektra Posts: 1,361 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Cashback Cashier
    or when they regularly produce bills of amounts like £700 (which are complete works of fiction) to elderly people (who are probably not on enerycare register but should be). This is despite many phone calls from me since July to try and sort problem out. Also they can't even apply winter rebates correctly.

    I think I'll charge them for all the phonecalls I've made trying to sort it out.

    I'm in the middle of switch away from BG anyway and will switch parents when problem sorted.
  • Spark
    Spark Posts: 817 Forumite
    As I recall, when I was with british gas I had to call them to have my bill sent, I even asked them if they were billing every four months as it was a regular thing. I am so glad to have got away from them, another proof of how they regard their customers, and one more reason not to send bills on time!
  • tripled
    tripled Posts: 2,883 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If you call in your own readings, it is 28 days from the new bill.

    Yes, British Gas are trying to push as many people as possible onto DD, It is cheaper to administer, less chance of bad debt and apparently people who pay by DD are less likely to change supplier.

    The 'interest' from directs debits is probably used giving you the 10% discount...

    You receive a red reminder after 14 days - it is not at this stage you are charged, only if they issue a disconnection notice which is the 28 day point.

    All new customers over the age of 60 are automatically registered at the point of sale or if moving into a property with BG. Otherwise people have to call up and register.
  • dc
    dc Posts: 2,547 Forumite
    Cardew wrote:
    The 'on time' is defined as 28 days after payment due.

    Seems fair enough to me.

    I take it you are a satisfied customer? :rolleyes:

    Not fair when the bill does not arrive at all or on the website you continually get "your bill is not available" .

    Not fair when bills and reminders arrive regularly 12 days after it is printed?

    It would be fair if British Ghastly got its terrible customer service act together.
    ac's lovechild
  • dazza190574
    dazza190574 Posts: 26 Forumite
    There is an easy way around it. Change suppliers. I am currently looking at new electricity suppliers as my central heating is part of a communal scheme and I have no power over how much it costs.
  • marcellep
    marcellep Posts: 1,695 Forumite
    Why not avoid the £5.00 late paymnet fee and save money by paying via DD
    If I have been helpful - Hit the Thanks button
  • elektra
    elektra Posts: 1,361 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Cashback Cashier
    marcellep wrote:
    Why not avoid the £5.00 late paymnet fee and save money by paying via DD

    That's all very well until BG change the amount and timing of taking direct debit ( see my post on BG changing from monthly to quarterly)
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 244K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.
Update Your Picture