British Gas Reviews: Give your feedback

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  • tillycat123
    tillycat123 Posts: 971 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    My switch update so far

    BG account still has the swirling thing and no metre readings visible.
    Anyone else still have this?
    Also now says see your statement but when I click on it I just get an error message.

    First D/D collected the end of March, final bill from EDF now issued and paid. Though electric reading was not what I had given BG, EDF estimated it. I called both suppliers and both said it was for each other to correct, in the end the EDF man just issued me a small credit to allow for the incorrect reading used.

    Just would like the BG account to be working properly now, then I think I'm all switched and good .
  • British_Gas_Rep_Matt
    British_Gas_Rep_Matt Posts: 179 Organisation Representative
    My switch update so far

    BG account still has the swirling thing and no metre readings visible.
    Anyone else still have this?
    Also now says see your statement but when I click on it I just get an error message.

    First D/D collected the end of March, final bill from EDF now issued and paid. Though electric reading was not what I had given BG, EDF estimated it. I called both suppliers and both said it was for each other to correct, in the end the EDF man just issued me a small credit to allow for the incorrect reading used.

    Just would like the BG account to be working properly now, then I think I'm all switched and good .

    Hi tillycat123, it can take 28 days after you switch to get everything fully & running online but if you've already received your first statement, you shouldn't be having any trouble viewing your readings.

    Please call our Collective Tariff Team on 0800 975 9712 and we'll find out what's going on. Alternatively if you'd prefer, you can email your details to talktous@britishgas.co.uk, including your MSE Username in the subject heading. Thanks, Matt
    I am the official company representative of British Gas. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • British_Gas_Rep_Matt
    British_Gas_Rep_Matt Posts: 179 Organisation Representative
    Chrishazle wrote: »
    Looked at my bank account this morning, cashback had arrived - lovely - but what's happened to the direct debit that should have gone out a couple of days ago?? Log onto my BG account, it's set to quarterly cash/cheque! One online chat, one 20min call to BG and a similar length call to my bank (thankfully both freephone numbers), turns out my "new" BG account reference is the same as the one I had in 2014, and as that DD had not been used for about 16 months my bank refused the DD! Hopefully aall now corrected - but yet another page in the saga of the switch!

    Hi Chrishazle, it sounds like your bank's been a bit over cautious as it's not unusual for Direct Debit's to be cancelled and set up again at a later date.
    However I do get this could've been avoided had we used a brand new account number and I'll pass feedback to our Sales Team to look into ways this could be prevented in the future. Thanks, Matt
    I am the official company representative of British Gas. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • ahs1953
    ahs1953 Posts: 10 Forumite
    A big thanks to Martin Lewis. A few weeks back I joined the MSE Cheap Energy Club with British Gas. Today I had a free Smart Meter fitted, which is great. The fitters couldn't believe how cheap my tariff is. They wondered if I worked for British Gas or something. When I told them I'd recently switched, they said they would follow it up themselves! That's a good testament if ever there was one.
  • BassBunny
    BassBunny Posts: 26 Forumite
    edited 13 April 2016 at 10:36AM
    Well this is proving to be even more of a joke. I contacted the dedicated team, (again), and was told my Gas would be moved over on 13th April and that a complaint had been raised. I was also told that I now had my own "dedicated complaint handler", who would be in touch within 5 working days. Guess what "nix, nada, nothing".
    I have just had a look at my on-line account and now find I have 2 Gass accounts, neither of which has a start date. I really want to go back to OVO.
  • p5x
    p5x Posts: 380 Forumite
    I've had my first bill through from BG and it says i'd be better off on the fixed price may 2017 tariff.

    Does anyone know if the exit charges would still apply if I just changed tariff?
  • p5x wrote: »
    I've had my first bill through from BG and it says i'd be better off on the fixed price may 2017 tariff.

    Does anyone know if the exit charges would still apply if I just changed tariff?

    According to BG terms and conditions they do not charge an exit fee unless you are switching from a collective switch contract in which case they will charge you.
  • Ellie2758
    Ellie2758 Posts: 2,848 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Matt

    I rang B Gas on 21st April to ask that the correct details be sent to my old supplier.

    On 22nd April they gave my new supplier the correct Gas reading but again the Estimated Electricity reading - which strangely enough was higher than the actual reading.

    My old supplier wants their payment but they still have the incorrect electricity reading, despite my doing everything in my power to sort this out with British Gas. I have now emailed the address you have given me but I have to take issue with your comment that the readings should be given through a specific online journey. I have lost count of the times I was assured by representatives of B Gas that they had the correct readings. Why would they say that if they didn't? I gave them so many times and certainly within 5 days of changeover.

    I am hoping that the correct reading will now be sent to my old supplier so that this whole sorry tale can come to an end.





    Hi Ellie2758, we need to receive your opening readings within 5 days of your switchover date and they need to be submitted through a specific online journey at https://www.britishgas.co.uk/OpeningMeterRead/Anonymous-read/Entry/.
    If you've submitted your readings correctly, there's no excuse for us not using them but please try not to worry as they're not set in stone and we can agree new readings with your old supplier.
    I hope this has been sorted but if you need any help, please call our Collective Tariff Team on 08009759712 and they'll be happy to lend a hand. Alternatively, you can pop your details on an email to [EMAIL="talktous@britishgas.co.uk"]talktous@britishgas.co.uk[/EMAIL], including your MSE Username in the subject heading. Cheers, Matt
    Ellie :cool:

    "man is born free but everywhere he is in chains"
    J-J Rousseau
  • It’s that time of the year again when my Gas and Electricity supply contract has expired and I need to fine the latest ‘best deal’ for me. Finding the deal is relatively easy using the comparison sites. What I have come to dread is the actual switchover. This is supposed to be quick and easy but my experiences are far from it. My last 3 switchovers have taken way, way longer that they should have and I needed to constantly chase the new supplier to get their act together and make it happen. On 3 occasions my application has been automatically cancelled and no one has bothered to tell me. Apparently there is an issue with my meters on some national database that no one seems capable of resolving.

    I’m guessing that the issue was partially caused by OVO energy talking me into having (definitely not) smart meters installed. The man who installed them couldn’t tell me how to read them, and neither could OVO’s customer (anything but) services. It took OVO 6 months to send me a bill.

    Then came First Utility. At first they automatically cancelled my application and didn’t bother telling me. When I got them to find out why they told me that there was a problem with my Post Code on a national database. Then they couldn’t read my meters and I finally managed to get them to replace the electricity (definitely not) smart meter (they wouldn’t replace my gas meter) with a sensible and readable meter. Before they replaced the Electricity meter it started accumulating all my kWh used as night usage (the only good thing I can say about energy suppliers).
    During my year with First Utility I could not: -
    1. View my Electricity or Gas usage online
    2. Submit the Electricity and Gas meter readings online, or by the automated telephone system
    3. Change my tariff online
    4. Get a bill based on the actual meter readings that I submitted (every time that I asked which day I should submit the reading I was told a different day)
    5. Use the Android App

    Extra Energy came next. Well not actually. After they too automatically cancelled my application and didn’t bother telling me; I told them what they could do with their company.

    My current torturous and stressful expedition into changing suppliers is with Scottish Power. On: -
    25 April. I signed-up using their website.
    27 April. I phoned to confirm that everything was progressing well. I was told that my application had been automatically cancelled because of a problem on a national database. The customer services agent told me that he’s fixed the issue and I had to spend the next 20 minutes listening to him start my whole application again.
    29 April. I received an email telling me that my transfer to Scottish Power has been cancelled ‘We’re sorry that you’ve changed you mind’. I phoned them and was told to ignore the email and that my transfer was scheduled for completion on 13 May.
    16 May. I phoned asking why I couldn’t access my online account and was told that my electricity transfer had gone through but my gas transfer had failed and that I’d have to re-apply. Yet another 20 minutes listening to the same old garbage.

    Xx May (or June or July). Who knows what the next episode of this woeful saga will bring.


    My main points of this post are: -

    Don’t believe anyone who tells you that switching is quick and easy; and secondly, is there an organisation out there that you can sign-up with and they will take on the painful process of switching for you; and take responsibility for monitoring your supplier the switching you again when a better deal becomes available?

    This sounds like a business opportunity to me, but I am too old cope with all the stress.

    P.S. Sorry that my post is so long.
  • victor2
    victor2 Posts: 7,581 Ambassador
    I'm a Volunteer Ambassador First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Your story illustrates the "fear" many people have regarding switching, and partly explains why so many are still on company's standard (most expensive) tariffs.
    In my experience switching, which I have done quite a few times, it has been completely painless, although I have always avoided suppliers with dubious customer service records. I have spent a year with OVO, with no trouble, but haven't been offered smart meters and have no experience with them, apart from managing a relative's account with E.On, who have provided smart meters there. As a regular "switcher" smart meters are of no interest to me, until a standard that works across all suppliers is in effect.

    There is no organisation that I am aware of who will handle changing suppliers for domestic customers. In a majority of cases it is easy to do, but I can see how elderly and more vulnerable people, who have never used a computer, would have difficulty switching and prefer the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach, even if you can convince them they'd save money by switching.

    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the In My Home MoneySaving, Energy and Techie Stuff boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. 

    All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.

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