BG for electricy no bill for 28 months

The_Baroness

A tale of caution, and a reason to avoid using direct debits with British Gas

In February 2006 we switched electricity supplier, to British Gas. Everything seemed to work out right. We had the meter read, we set up a direct debit based on our expected consumption and we just let it run.

A year later ,we were due to get some cashback following the switch. We checked our records and discovered there had been no bills at all. By October we were starting to get worried, so took a meter reading and called BG to see what was happening. A kind lady (we have her name and details) checked out account and apologised, promised some discounts and promised to call back when it was sorted out.

On 28 December the process repeated itself. We told them there had been no bills, they promised some discounts and said it would all be sorted out. But we would under no circumstances have to pay for more than 12 months'-worth of electricity. We heard nothing more.

By Early June 2008 we we re getting more worried, but a man came to read our meter, so we thought it was all under control. A couple of weeks later a bill came through, with an estimated (far below our actual usage and well beneath the two readings we had phoned through. The bill showed that we were in credit by about £700 and was accompanied by a letter from Customer service crusader and BG managing director Phil Bentley apologising for the confusion and promising we would not have to pay for any electricity used more than a year ago.

We should have let sleeping dogs lie.

We did not. Instead, I called EnergyWatch wondering how I was going to sort this out. In fact, despite the £700 credit, BG had underestimated the amount of electricity used - by about half. Once that bill was cleared, we would be left with a large bill to account for the difference between our actual consumption and their estimate.

Energy watch confirmed that I would not have to pay for any energy used more than 12 months under the Back billing agreement between Energywatch and BG.

The kind man at Energywatch passed me on to BG. BG tried to sort it out, but said I would have to pay the full amount. I remonstrated, but they insisted, saying that they had not seen the letter from their MD and that whatever it said and whoever signed it, I would have to pay the full bill, for all 28 months. They accepted there had been serious errors on their side.

Their excuse was that the 12 month thing is voluntary and designed to prevent financial hardship. Because our account is in credit, that does not apply, so they will charge us for the full amount.

That still leaves my account about £120 in credit, but if the electricity used prior to 12 months ago is removed, then they should owe us about £900.

The only piece of paper we have had from BG since we signed up in 2006 is that letter abd bill dated 19 June 2008 saying our account is £768 in credit, and we do not have to pay for any power used more than 12 months ago.

I have records of all the conversations, the names and phone numbers of the people I spoke to, the relevant meter readngs and copies of all letters.

How should I proceed?

The Baroness

Sol00

Did you go back to Energywatch to ask for their advice on this?

Joyful

It does not matter if you have been paying or not. If you were not billed previously you should only be billed for 12months consumption. Energy Watch should ask you if you agree with BG decision. Advise them you do not.

rchddap1

Indeed....keep at them and don't give up. Explain to Energywatch and they should give BG a rocket.

chocolatechipcookies

I'll share my nightmare with BG.

I switched to them for both gas and electric. I didn't get a bill for a few months, not as long as you though. I think it was 3-6 months. But I switched to Scottish Power, and still didn't get a bill from BG. A few months went by and I called BG about this and they said the debt was written off and I would not be receiving a bill. I was fine with this, I asked the woman if she was sure I wouldn't get a bill and she said she was. One day a few months later I get a letter threatening me with court action. I never once got a bill from BG, so I went to energy watch with my concerns. I told them I am not trying to get out of paying my bill, I just never received one! I got in touch with a really nice lady at HR (or something of the equivalent) and I explained my concerns, and assured her I wanted to pay my bill. I told her I gave my meter readings, but didn't save them (I should have, I know) so they should have a record. She told me she would look into it and send me the actual bill and as a gesture of good will, she would knock off some money from the bill. I can't remember how much, but it was a really good amount. She sent me the actual bill with the updated amount, so when I got it I called BG to sort out payment. I asked how much was due and they told me the amount without the money knocked off and had to "look into it". So I called the number for the lady who sorted me out, she was on dinner but someone else helped. I told him about the letter, gave him the reference number and he updated the price of the bill while I was on the phone. I told him I would pay the bill in three payments, which I did.

It was a nightmare just trying to get a bill. I called I can't tell you how many times, not including the call I mentioned (the one where I was told the debt was written off) and got nowhere. I'm not mad I had to pay, I wanted to pay what I used, it's only fair. I'm annoyed nobody knew what they were talking about, I wanted to give them money, but nobody could figure out that I had a bill.

The_Baroness

First, thanks guys for your support and encouragement. Yes, I did go back to Energywatch, and they tutted and passed me back to BG. BG said it is sometimes possible to alter this kind of decision, but then came back and told me they refused to change it.

When Energywatch opens again on Monday I'll be on to them.

Meanwhile, BG has taken down (we are on electronic billing, so no paperwork at all) the bill with the promise that we would not need to pay for anything over 12 months, and replaced it with a non-itemised bill, saying only that we are now £120 in credit, but not outlining what they have charged us for, or how they arrived at that figure.

When I spoke to the lady at BG, she was unable to say how BG arrived at the figure, or to give me details of our usage over time.

It's not quite theft, but damn' near. They take money afer promising not to, and then they do not justify the amount they have taken, and all the time going back on written promises.

If Energywatch can't sort it out, I'll be going to the ombudsman. Unless any kind TV shows want to take it up, under the headline, When BG's managing director's promises are not worth the paper they are written on.

[chocolatechipcookies] sorry to hear about your difficulties with BG. Looks like we're at the beginning of the same process you went through. Thanks for preparing us for the effort to follow!

The_Baroness

OK, time to come clean. My husband is in the journalism business, so he used some short cuts to get through to some bigwigs at BG.

That produced the right result.

I have the name of a senior customer relations person who clearly has the authority and intelligence to work through complicated complaints.

I won't give the name in public, but if you've had a really tough time with BG, then I guess I can give the name/contact details out by private message.
Again, thanks to everyone for your help on this one. :beer:

-- Baroness