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British Gas - DUH!
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I have been locked in battle with British Gas for months and months now!
They have completely messed up my bill - where I have gone from £240 in credit to £1600 in debit! YES £1600!!!
Basically they are arguing that in the 18 months I have been with them I have used in excess of £2000 electricity, taking into account the DD payments I have made on top! LOL.
My meter's serial number is different from the one on my bill, and they told me that didn't matter! They also told me that there is a mistake "somewhere" and they will reverse my bill = me being quite pleased (even though I've lost my credit I don't have this hanging over me). They sent me a new bill for £1500! Idiots.
I've just contacted Energywatch. Energywatch are the watchdog for energy supplies, they will investigate problems for you. They said the serial number DOES matter and that I could be paying someone else's bill! OMG!!!
British Gas didn't believe that Southern Electric (should have stayed with them) had billed me properly, and that it was them at fault. Southern Electric told them to go away obviously. BG didn't take into account the meter readings I gave them on the phone when I switched to them, or the numerous readings from the meter reading man, they said I was at fault for an estimated bill!
2 bed bungalow, well insulated (not enough room to swing a cat)
BRITISH GAS 18 months = £130 per month to supply electric to
SOUTHERN ELECTRIC 18 months = £50 per month
HMMMmmmm!
They have completely messed up my bill - where I have gone from £240 in credit to £1600 in debit! YES £1600!!!
Basically they are arguing that in the 18 months I have been with them I have used in excess of £2000 electricity, taking into account the DD payments I have made on top! LOL.
My meter's serial number is different from the one on my bill, and they told me that didn't matter! They also told me that there is a mistake "somewhere" and they will reverse my bill = me being quite pleased (even though I've lost my credit I don't have this hanging over me). They sent me a new bill for £1500! Idiots.
I've just contacted Energywatch. Energywatch are the watchdog for energy supplies, they will investigate problems for you. They said the serial number DOES matter and that I could be paying someone else's bill! OMG!!!
British Gas didn't believe that Southern Electric (should have stayed with them) had billed me properly, and that it was them at fault. Southern Electric told them to go away obviously. BG didn't take into account the meter readings I gave them on the phone when I switched to them, or the numerous readings from the meter reading man, they said I was at fault for an estimated bill!
2 bed bungalow, well insulated (not enough room to swing a cat)
BRITISH GAS 18 months = £130 per month to supply electric to
SOUTHERN ELECTRIC 18 months = £50 per month
HMMMmmmm!
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Comments
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Confused here.
Firstly, the meter number does matter - it's what defines your bill - but it's a little complicated. There are about fifteen pieces of information which all need to be transferred from one system to another when you move suppliers (all happens behind the scenes, usually) and it's likely that this just got mixed up.
I don't really understand why your 'switching' reading wasn't accepted. You have a day when your supply switches and you ring up BG on that date and give them a reading. What's their given reason for disputing this reading?Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
Beats a '52 Vincent and a red headed girl0 -
well...BG said that firstly I hadn't given them a reading (which I did in order to switch)
Then after accepting they had readings and had put the initial figures in upside down, low-high back to front, I got a new bill where I had used NO day time electricity, but £2000 of night time electricity LOL!
After dispute they sent a bill for £1200, then after another dispute £1561 - which I am at now. There is no pattern to the bills, just like they are plucking figures out of the air. I could understand if the bill was consistent, but the fact it varies each time means I don't know EXACTLY what the bill should be - if anything at all.
my meter begins S83 and my bill says for S85. I received a letter about my meter (with the proper serial S83 number on) addressed to the "occupier" - as if they don't know who I am - even though I am their existing customer!
Swalec has told BG that there were no problems with my usage, that it was average, and that my DD was enough.
Seems very strange to me...0 -
well...BG said that firstly I hadn't given them a reading (which I did in order to switch)
Then after accepting they had readings and had put the initial figures in upside down, low-high back to front, I got a new bill where I had used NO day time electricity, but £2000 of night time electricity LOL!
After dispute they sent a bill for £1200, then after another dispute £1561 - which I am at now. There is no pattern to the bills, just like they are plucking figures out of the air. I could understand if the bill was consistent, but the fact it varies each time means I don't know EXACTLY what the bill should be - if anything at all.
my meter begins S83 and my bill says for S85. I received a letter about my meter (with the proper serial S83 number on) addressed to the "occupier" - as if they don't know who I am - even though I am their existing customer!
Swalec has told BG that there were no problems with my usage, that it was average, and that my DD was enough.
Seems very strange to me...
I agree and this is exactly the sort of thing Energywatch are here to solve. In practice what I would do is keep your own readings and make a rough calculation of what your bill would be. Keep the money to one side and wait until it's all sorted.Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
Beats a '52 Vincent and a red headed girl0 -
well...BG said that firstly I hadn't given them a reading (which I did in order to switch)
Then after accepting they had readings and had put the initial figures in upside down, low-high back to front, I got a new bill where I had used NO day time electricity, but £2000 of night time electricity LOL!
After dispute they sent a bill for £1200, then after another dispute £1561 - which I am at now. There is no pattern to the bills, just like they are plucking figures out of the air. I could understand if the bill was consistent, but the fact it varies each time means I don't know EXACTLY what the bill should be - if anything at all.
my meter begins S83 and my bill says for S85. I received a letter about my meter (with the proper serial S83 number on) addressed to the "occupier" - as if they don't know who I am - even though I am their existing customer!
Swalec has told BG that there were no problems with my usage, that it was average, and that my DD was enough.
Seems very strange to me...
Hi,
The fact that your meter number is S83 but the bill states S85 may not matter. To understand this is your meter number in the format e.g. S83G12345 ?
If so, the 83 (or 85) is purely the certification date of the meter (the year it as certified by the manufacturer). In the case of that type of meter number it's the 5 digits on the end which matter. Did you know that you can call MPAS ansd ask what they hold as your meter number? If MPAS have the same number you have, then the Meter Operator also does and your Supplier should have too. That would prove it's just BGas that are incorrect though.
Could you advise on that please?
You meter number absolutely matters. The meter number detail is the responsibility of the Suppliers appointed meter operator who fitted it. However, the Supplier is legally responsible for the Agents they employ hence they have to investigate ALL potential errors in data.
Energywatch have made a poor assumption stating it's your last Supplier. If it were, you would have had just as many bill problems with them. It's more likely that it's gone wrong when you swapped over or after. I can't really advise any more on that unless you confirm back. Have you had any meter changes before you changd to BGas or whilst you have been with them?
It could just be how they have applied your readings. They have admitted messing these up before. Now if they have billed you up with these readings left uncorrected your very high bill is highly likely.
Get back to us. If you could add the readings on before they went wrong and now including those that were miskeyed it should be much easier to explain whats gone wrong.
Regards:rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:0 -
All I can say is good luck!
We moved into this property 7 months ago. After a few phonecalls to BG and Transco we established that the meter we were being billed for (the meter that Transco have recorded as coming into the house) isn't actually our meter. This was easily established by turning the gas off, looking at the meters (they are lined up next to each other as we live in flats) and seeing which one stopped then started again when we turned it back on.
7 months later, after a BG engineer FINALLY coming out 8 weeks ago to see for himself and inform Transco so they can ammend their records, nothing has been done. We have requested phone records from Virgin which shows we have made over 70 hours worth of phonecalls trying to resolve this, costing us money (i'm going to work this out today and charge BG for the calls)
This was a simple problem which could have been resolved in the beginning but because of BG's incompetant staff (I lost track of the number of people, even high level complaints who said they would call back and never did)
I'm now of the opinion that both companies have the info they needed to resolve this and if they choose not to do so then I won't continue to chase anymore. If they want their money they can have it but it looks to me like they dont.
I hope OP, that you don't have the problems I have!After 4 years of heartache, 3 rounds of IVF and 1 loss :A - we are finally expecting our miracle Ki11en - May 2014 :j
And a VERY surprise miracle in March 2017!0 -
I've had similar problems with BG for the past 13 months, I won't bore you with the details, but you'll find there are thousands with the same problem, BG have the highest level of complaints ever, much higher than other suppliers!!
What I did when I found all this out was to STOP PAYING my direct debit arguing that I didn't trust BG to know what they were doing.
Since that didn't get the matter resolved, I have written to BG complaints department (don't bother ringing them) and copied the letter to Energywatch and to BG Managing Director :
Phil Bentley
Managing Director
British Gas
Millstream
Maidenhead Road
Windsor
Berkshire SL4 5GD
(hope I'm allowed to post this here)
Seems to have done the trick as BG was on the phone asking for meter readings, etc.
Also, Energywatch checked the meter reference for my property with Transco, and they have written to BG advising them that I should get some compensation for my stress and phone calls!
I'm still waiting to hear from them but fingers crossed!
Good luck0 -
Thanks for the reply everyone.
Thanks Terry. Basically it was BG that contacted my previous supplier - they say that SWALEC made mistakes! LOL...passing the buck. Basically they can't bill me until they figure out what has gone wrong....and they can't!
I am going to phone ENergywatch now to see how things are going...
Will let you all know...0 -
Thanks for the reply everyone.
Thanks Terry. Basically it was BG that contacted my previous supplier - they say that SWALEC made mistakes! LOL...passing the buck. Basically they can't bill me until they figure out what has gone wrong....and they can't!
I am going to phone ENergywatch now to see how things are going...
Will let you all know...
Ok, let us know and maybe we can help further.
Are you by anychance in the old SWALEC region? The SWAE Agents went out of the market a couple of years ago and consequently ALL Suppliers who supplied that region had to transfer all their business. It was messy as hell and to this day, some Suppliers still haven't sorted it. Meter details were one of the bad problems.
If you do as I suggested with MPAS at least you will know if your details are correct with the Agents because they had to pass them all onto MPAS over a year ago when the industry decided that MPAS should hold your metr details so you as a consumer can check it.
So, if MPAS have the correct meter number, BGas have been swent the correct meter number but have they chosen not to record it. Maybe a typo issue.
If it's a typo, the digits themselves matter less but the readings are crucial or you bill will get terribly messed about. You supplier has access to check the data and should of but if you check MPAS you can prove that they have had the details to an extent.
BGas have caused a lot of problems in the market in 2006 with the amount of customers they lost and poor data quality with their Agents. They caused a big problem for customers in the old Siemens regions by totally messing up their meter details in the Agens they appointed. This was a big problem for the Suppliers that then took those customers off them.
Good luck!!!:rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:0 -
All I can say is good luck!
We moved into this property 7 months ago. After a few phonecalls to BG and Transco we established that the meter we were being billed for (the meter that Transco have recorded as coming into the house) isn't actually our meter. This was easily established by turning the gas off, looking at the meters (they are lined up next to each other as we live in flats) and seeing which one stopped then started again when we turned it back on.
7 months later, after a BG engineer FINALLY coming out 8 weeks ago to see for himself and inform Transco so they can ammend their records, nothing has been done. We have requested phone records from Virgin which shows we have made over 70 hours worth of phonecalls trying to resolve this, costing us money (i'm going to work this out today and charge BG for the calls)
This was a simple problem which could have been resolved in the beginning but because of BG's incompetant staff (I lost track of the number of people, even high level complaints who said they would call back and never did)
I'm now of the opinion that both companies have the info they needed to resolve this and if they choose not to do so then I won't continue to chase anymore. If they want their money they can have it but it looks to me like they dont.
I hope OP, that you don't have the problems I have!
Hi, I understand your frustration. I sat in a meeting a couple of years back to discuss energywatch complaints within 1 Supplier for gas & electricity(not BGas). What I noticed was that even though customers stated their meter details were incorrect and provided the correct ones, the Suppliers teams just ignored the request. Basicallly, the call centre would refer it over and the back office teams just wouldn't do anything!
On the electricity side, they were investigated and sorted. The gas managers just displayed incredible arrogance & incompetance.
This was causing a lot of complaints to Energywatch and we took the issue off them and changed their working practices. They explained it how's it's done and how Transco would deal with it.
It sounds to me like you are experiencing this issue. Just pathetic customer service since amending customers meter details is a very simple process once the engineer has been out.
If it's still not been done after the visit, that maybe because the engineer has lost the paperwork or the office he hands it into hasn't informed your Supplier.
Either way, your Supplier has a duty of care and it's considered as being in charge of their Agents when sorting these issues for a customer.
I would go to the Energywatch stage and let them push it forward for you as meter detail disputes are listed as in their top 10 issues for complaints.
Suppliers won't refund for phonecalls but you just argue for standard compensation instead and get what you can that way. Get it all in your complaint to Energywatch and you are more likely to receive more compensation.
Regards:rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:0 -
I've had similar problems with BG for the past 13 months, I won't bore you with the details, but you'll find there are thousands with the same problem, BG have the highest level of complaints ever, much higher than other suppliers!!
What I did when I found all this out was to STOP PAYING my direct debit arguing that I didn't trust BG to know what they were doing.
Since that didn't get the matter resolved, I have written to BG complaints department (don't bother ringing them) and copied the letter to Energywatch and to BG Managing Director :
Phil Bentley
Managing Director
British Gas
Millstream
Maidenhead Road
Windsor
Berkshire SL4 5GD
(hope I'm allowed to post this here)
Seems to have done the trick as BG was on the phone asking for meter readings, etc.
Also, Energywatch checked the meter reference for my property with Transco, and they have written to BG advising them that I should get some compensation for my stress and phone calls!
I'm still waiting to hear from them but fingers crossed!
Good luck
Nice one, they can't stop you publishing this as it's public domain stuff. Any customer is enttled to ask who the MD is.
From experience within the market, a letter to an MD will go to the complaints team often ahead of the Energywatch ones. You tend to find that middle managers don't want their MD seeing how incompetant and the Energywatch stuff is more of a report on performance and seeing who is really to blame within the organisation!!!:rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:0
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