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British Gas Woes
Smudge-Smith
Posts: 23 Forumite
in Energy
Rather than re-type everything, I'll just cut and paste my letters of complaint and you guys can form your own opinions.
24 October 2008
From the date of our moving into our property on 17 March 2005, we had problems with British Gas billing us for our electricity supply. To cut a long story short, British Gas identified our meter as an industrial consumer unit (that had no place in a residential dwelling) and arranged for the removal and replacement of the said meter in October 2006 and at the same time, agreed to ‘wipe the slate clean’ of any outstanding arrears as it was impossible to prove what electricity we had consumed due to the fact the industrial consumer unit had 5 dials on it and neither us nor British Gas could equate any of the dial movements to our electricity usage.
Earlier this year, we decided to move our electricity supply to Npower and on 18 June we received a final demand from British Gas for £21.58. At which point we thought our electricity supply had been taken over by NPower.
Several months later we received a letter from NPower stating that they were unable to provide our electricity due to being supplied an incorrect meter serial number (which didn’t exist at our property) which turned out to be an erroneous transfer error on British Gas part according to Npower investigation team. They also identified the serial number on our latest Electricity Bills as being attributed to a property based in Banbury.
After this date we have received letters addressed to both Mrs L Pugh (Now Smith on re-marriage)) and also “The Occupier” for various demands of payment ranging from nearly £1500 to £21 . Also our bill payments up to April for a meter that is installed in a property in Banbury (according to Npower).
Despite phone calls to British Gas and escalation to the PET team, we have been told to disregard letters (Very difficult to do) addressed to us as “The Occupiers” threatening to recoup payment via bailiff and most recently with threat of warrant to enter the premises and install a pre-pay meter to recoup the debt (which we insist we do not owe). On top of this we have incurred phone call costs to Bristish Gas (sometimes on hold for up to 40 minutes only to be cut off… and have British Gas insist the phone calls were free, yet still show up on itemised telephone bill as having a charge for them alongside and having our credit rating damaged by British Gas insistence that we are defaulting on payment.
When asked why the PET team had not responded to us within 28 days, they replied that they are satisfied that the information presented before them is correct (which is clearly not the case because they never sent anyone to come and check.)
During my last conversation with British Gas regarding this (Fri 24th October 2008), we finally got to speak to Keiron Young who is a member of the PET team and he said that we would have to take the problem up with Npower as they were scheduled to take over our electricity supply on 5 November. I said I found that hard to believe as Npower had tried to take over our supply in April earlier in the year and had been rejected due to outstanding bills (an erroneous transfer by British Gas was quoted by Npower.) So as the billing issue still had not been resolved, with British Gas, I didn’t see that British Gas would allow Npower to take over the supply. Keiron was insistent that the transfer would go ahead as there were no restrictions placed on the account. In the meantime, he also insisted that there would be no one arriving to disconnect/replace the meter as it was marked as ‘under investigation’. If this was the case, why are we still receiving threats and demands stating that we have failed to respond when we can prove that this is untrue?
When asked about the bills we had paid against the meter that British Gas had incorrectly billed us for( in Banbury) Keiron said it wasn’t their problem! My thought is that they installed the meter and they noted the serial numbers at the time. If they then bill us against an incorrect serial number then surely British Gas cannot absolve themselves from any blame.
To conclude, we would be elated if on 4th November our electricity supply was provided by Npower. However, what we don’t want to see is the transfer take place along with ‘supposed debt’, and then still have to deal with British Gas AND Npower for a debt that doesn’t exist. Irrespective of this, we insist all outstanding amounts due to British Gas (according to them) be dismissed as erroneous, together with compensation for telephone calls to British Gas and damage to credit rating based on threats of bailiffs visits and warrants of execution being obtained, which are difficult to ignore regardless of what British Gas say.
We would welcome an independent investigation, as British Gas are quite clearly too easily satisfied with their own results. (If the computer says so then it must be true). Obviously this doesn’t absolve the person operating the computer in the first place.
Copies of bills and demands detailing various amounts ranging from £1,500 to £21 are enclosed along with dates and times of conversations with persons at British Gas. As evidence to the contrary that ‘we haven’t responded to their demand letters.”
Yours Faithfully
15/11/2008
Dear Ms Barker
Customer Reference Number: nnnnxxxxxxxx - “The Occupier” – “Mr & Mrs Smith”
Customer Reference Number: nnnnyyyyyyy- “Mrs L Pugh- The account we have paid our bill under!
Thank you for your letter dated the 5th November 2008 advising me that my complaint is being dealt with. However, I must advise you that based on previous experience dealing with British Gas regarding this matter, I no longer have confidence that this is the case.
On 13 November 2008, we (both my wife and I) have received separately, yet another Red Letter informing us of legal action on behalf of British Gas against us for the sum of £1,421.90 plus a £14 late payment fee, despite previous assurances from the PET team that no action would be taken whilst our account is under investigation.
This is after the "Sorry you’re leaving us, can we change your mind" letter.
Receiving a FINAL ELECTRICITY BILL dated 20 Oct 2008 for £23.50 under customer reference number nnnnyyyyyyyy, which is the account we have paid all our bills under. (My wifes previous name of Pugh)
Bill shows payments of £103.50 (11 March 08) and £121.40 (30 April 08)
And also the letter from British Gas (yourself) assuring me they are looking into my complaint.
The red letter I received states this:
British Gas say that they have tried to contact us on several occasions but we have not responded. (Not true, as we have detailed all the times we contacted British Gas and whom we spoke to).
British Gas say that they have identified us as The Occupiers by contacting an external agency. (Not true as we identified ourselves to British Gas straight from the beginning of this fiasco).
British Gas say that they are obtaining a Warrant of Execution to disconnect our meter/install a prepay meter to recover the debt. Can you lawfully disconnect us when you no longer supply us?
Npower have confirmed that have taken over our electricity supply (Our Direct debit payment went out to them on the 10th NovemberBritish Gas insist we have a single rate meter. (Not true as Npower man came to look and confirmed it is a two rate meter, which is more than British Gas have done).
On receipt of this latest letter (13 November 2008) 12:50hrs, I contacted the number quoted on the letter (0845 070 0499) and spoke to Imran to ask why I was receiving these letters when the account was under investigation? I was placed on hold for 21mins and 37 secs whilst Imran went away to talk to someone. When he came back he said that there was no one available and he would contact me at 1800hrs that evening once he had spoken to someone regarding the account.
Much to my amazement, (based on failures of past promises of British Gas to call back), Imran was as good as his word and at 18:08hrs he rang me back. However, he was only ringing back to tell me that he was unable to contact anyone regarding this matter and that someone would ring me back the next evening at 18:00hrs to discuss the account.
In keeping with true British Gas tradition, this didn’t happen.
As British Gas seem incapable/unwilling to deal with this matter and are just content to keep sending threatening letters in the hope that we will capitulate to ‘bully boy’ tactics, here is where the error lies according to my own findings as British Gas seem unwilling to / incapable of working it out for themselves.
· nnnSnnnnn - Serial number of meter that British Gas removed from our property in October 2006.
· nnnFHnnnn - Serial number of meter that was provided by British Gas to NPower when we tried to move our supply to NPower in March 2008
· nnnnnnnnn8 - Serial number of dual rate meter installed in our property, October 2006 as replacement for the one removed, billed to The Occupier at our address for £1421.90
· nnnnnnnnn5 - Serial number on our gas bill that we paid direct debit to British Gas (attributable to a meter in Banbury and not at our property, according to Npower). We were unaware of this until Npower informed us when they made relevant checks when attempting to take over our supply.
Even a blind man can see that it is simply a case of substituted letters and numbers by some illiterate who is incapable of distinguishing an eight from a five and thinks and 'F' sounds like an 'S'.
Please read the following very carefully and understand it.
This means that when we initially attempted to move our electricity supply to NPower in March 2008 , not only did British Gas supply NPower with a meter serial number that had been removed from our property in October 2006 some 18 months earlier, they also got that wrong by substituting an S for an F in the serial number.
Additionally, because British Gas substituted a 5 for an 8 in our present meter serial number, they have been taking our payments that we thought were against our account, and applying the payments against a meter that is based in Banbury and nothing to do with us. (I’m sure that user of this meter is sitting quite happy knowing that someone else has been paying for his electricity usage).
Also, as British Gas insist that there is a single rate meter at our property, they have billed us as such (hence the outlandish amount of £1421.90) instead of taking into account the fact that we have a Dual Rate meter.
And the most annoying thing about this is that unlike NPower, British Gas never sent anyone round to look at our meter to see what we are saying is true. British Gas have even gone as far to suggest that we have two electricity meters, or that we have demolished our property and rebuilt it !!!
As stated in your letter to us dated 5th November 2008 that you will respond within 14 days, we look forwards to the 19th November 2008 when we expect to receive a letter from yourself, detailing findings of your investigation into our complaint.
If no such letter is received by this date then I reserve the right to escalate my complaint to Head of Complaints at Centrica as laid down within the terms of British Gas complaints procedure.
Should no response be forthcoming from that department than I will have no option but to lodge my complaint with the energy ombudsmanAlso, please be sure to let me know the date of court hearing for Warrant of Execution
We are quite looking forwards to attending where we will present our evidence to counter the claim and give me great pleasure to expose British Gas for the clowns that they are.
If you find any discredit in this letter, it is because British Gas bring it upon themselves.
Yours Sincerely
Ref “The Occupier nnnnxxxxxxx”
Also ”Mrs L Pugh nnnnyyyyyyy”
Dear Sir
Today I received a note through the door from RICHBURNS which I understand to be a debt collection agency on behalf of British Gas.
I am somewhat surprised at this since I have received numerous assurances from various departments within British Gas that this would not happen whilst our account is under review following our complaint.
I am also disappointed that British Gas has failed to adhere to its own customer complaints charter that it “will respond in writing within 14 days of a complaint, detailing its findings”. The only response I have received is a voice mail from Vannesa Jones telling me that she is ‘reviewing my complaint’, (received on the deadline for British Gas to ‘respond in writing detailing its findings’).
And a note from a debt collection agency (today) telling me that they visited to “discuss our account” which I understand to mean they came ‘to collect payment’.
I have called the number left on the card today, only to be told that we owe £1421.90 (the young lady I spoke to actually stated we owe £14,000...FOURTEEN THOUSAND POUNDS) (that was the funniest bit so far about this whole fiasco and is a testament to the employment selection process of British Gas)(what is stated from the date the meter was installed. WE DISPUTE THIS AS WE RECEIVED A FINAL DEMAND IN October 2008 for an amount of £23.50 against the account that ALL our electricity bills have been paid under reference Mrs L Pugh nnnnyyyyyyyy.
The lady I spoke to offered to recalculate our bill based on the fact that we have already made payments and said she would offset the bill by this amount. However, I am not convinced that they will come up with a realistic figure. BG insist we have a single rate meter. Looking at our previous bills we have being paying under rate 2. Now BG are asking for an outstanding amount under rate 1 that they claim we haven’t paid.
Despite us supplying BG with meter readings, all our bills have been estimated for some reason known only to BG
We accept that we owe from April 2008, the date of the FINAL DEMAND for £23.50 but this is down to British Gas incompetence due to an erroneous transfer, when we tried to switch to Npower in April and British Gas supplied them with a meter serial number that had been removed from our property by British Gas some 18 months before. During this time, April 2008 to July 2008 we were under the impression that Npower were supplying us until we received a letter from Npower stating they were unable supply our electricity. At this point we queried British Gas who actually denied that they were supplying, and shortly after we started receiving letters to Mrs L Pugh /The Occupier as per previous correspondence for outlandish sums of money in the region of £1421.90.
Therefore, I exercise my right within the terms of British Gas complaint policy, to escalate my complaint to your department in the hope that you don’t show the same flippant attitude as the rest of the people who I have been dealing with.
Hard copies of this email and attachments are supplied by post.
As stated in my previous letter, failure to respond appropriately to this letter will result in my escalation of this complaint to the energy ombudsman.
Yours Faithfully
24 October 2008
From the date of our moving into our property on 17 March 2005, we had problems with British Gas billing us for our electricity supply. To cut a long story short, British Gas identified our meter as an industrial consumer unit (that had no place in a residential dwelling) and arranged for the removal and replacement of the said meter in October 2006 and at the same time, agreed to ‘wipe the slate clean’ of any outstanding arrears as it was impossible to prove what electricity we had consumed due to the fact the industrial consumer unit had 5 dials on it and neither us nor British Gas could equate any of the dial movements to our electricity usage.
Earlier this year, we decided to move our electricity supply to Npower and on 18 June we received a final demand from British Gas for £21.58. At which point we thought our electricity supply had been taken over by NPower.
Several months later we received a letter from NPower stating that they were unable to provide our electricity due to being supplied an incorrect meter serial number (which didn’t exist at our property) which turned out to be an erroneous transfer error on British Gas part according to Npower investigation team. They also identified the serial number on our latest Electricity Bills as being attributed to a property based in Banbury.
After this date we have received letters addressed to both Mrs L Pugh (Now Smith on re-marriage)) and also “The Occupier” for various demands of payment ranging from nearly £1500 to £21 . Also our bill payments up to April for a meter that is installed in a property in Banbury (according to Npower).
Despite phone calls to British Gas and escalation to the PET team, we have been told to disregard letters (Very difficult to do) addressed to us as “The Occupiers” threatening to recoup payment via bailiff and most recently with threat of warrant to enter the premises and install a pre-pay meter to recoup the debt (which we insist we do not owe). On top of this we have incurred phone call costs to Bristish Gas (sometimes on hold for up to 40 minutes only to be cut off… and have British Gas insist the phone calls were free, yet still show up on itemised telephone bill as having a charge for them alongside and having our credit rating damaged by British Gas insistence that we are defaulting on payment.
When asked why the PET team had not responded to us within 28 days, they replied that they are satisfied that the information presented before them is correct (which is clearly not the case because they never sent anyone to come and check.)
During my last conversation with British Gas regarding this (Fri 24th October 2008), we finally got to speak to Keiron Young who is a member of the PET team and he said that we would have to take the problem up with Npower as they were scheduled to take over our electricity supply on 5 November. I said I found that hard to believe as Npower had tried to take over our supply in April earlier in the year and had been rejected due to outstanding bills (an erroneous transfer by British Gas was quoted by Npower.) So as the billing issue still had not been resolved, with British Gas, I didn’t see that British Gas would allow Npower to take over the supply. Keiron was insistent that the transfer would go ahead as there were no restrictions placed on the account. In the meantime, he also insisted that there would be no one arriving to disconnect/replace the meter as it was marked as ‘under investigation’. If this was the case, why are we still receiving threats and demands stating that we have failed to respond when we can prove that this is untrue?
When asked about the bills we had paid against the meter that British Gas had incorrectly billed us for( in Banbury) Keiron said it wasn’t their problem! My thought is that they installed the meter and they noted the serial numbers at the time. If they then bill us against an incorrect serial number then surely British Gas cannot absolve themselves from any blame.
To conclude, we would be elated if on 4th November our electricity supply was provided by Npower. However, what we don’t want to see is the transfer take place along with ‘supposed debt’, and then still have to deal with British Gas AND Npower for a debt that doesn’t exist. Irrespective of this, we insist all outstanding amounts due to British Gas (according to them) be dismissed as erroneous, together with compensation for telephone calls to British Gas and damage to credit rating based on threats of bailiffs visits and warrants of execution being obtained, which are difficult to ignore regardless of what British Gas say.
We would welcome an independent investigation, as British Gas are quite clearly too easily satisfied with their own results. (If the computer says so then it must be true). Obviously this doesn’t absolve the person operating the computer in the first place.
Copies of bills and demands detailing various amounts ranging from £1,500 to £21 are enclosed along with dates and times of conversations with persons at British Gas. As evidence to the contrary that ‘we haven’t responded to their demand letters.”
Yours Faithfully
15/11/2008
Dear Ms Barker
Customer Reference Number: nnnnxxxxxxxx - “The Occupier” – “Mr & Mrs Smith”
Customer Reference Number: nnnnyyyyyyy- “Mrs L Pugh- The account we have paid our bill under!
Thank you for your letter dated the 5th November 2008 advising me that my complaint is being dealt with. However, I must advise you that based on previous experience dealing with British Gas regarding this matter, I no longer have confidence that this is the case.
On 13 November 2008, we (both my wife and I) have received separately, yet another Red Letter informing us of legal action on behalf of British Gas against us for the sum of £1,421.90 plus a £14 late payment fee, despite previous assurances from the PET team that no action would be taken whilst our account is under investigation.
This is after the "Sorry you’re leaving us, can we change your mind" letter.
Receiving a FINAL ELECTRICITY BILL dated 20 Oct 2008 for £23.50 under customer reference number nnnnyyyyyyyy, which is the account we have paid all our bills under. (My wifes previous name of Pugh)
Bill shows payments of £103.50 (11 March 08) and £121.40 (30 April 08)
And also the letter from British Gas (yourself) assuring me they are looking into my complaint.
The red letter I received states this:
British Gas say that they have tried to contact us on several occasions but we have not responded. (Not true, as we have detailed all the times we contacted British Gas and whom we spoke to).
British Gas say that they have identified us as The Occupiers by contacting an external agency. (Not true as we identified ourselves to British Gas straight from the beginning of this fiasco).
British Gas say that they are obtaining a Warrant of Execution to disconnect our meter/install a prepay meter to recover the debt. Can you lawfully disconnect us when you no longer supply us?
Npower have confirmed that have taken over our electricity supply (Our Direct debit payment went out to them on the 10th NovemberBritish Gas insist we have a single rate meter. (Not true as Npower man came to look and confirmed it is a two rate meter, which is more than British Gas have done).
On receipt of this latest letter (13 November 2008) 12:50hrs, I contacted the number quoted on the letter (0845 070 0499) and spoke to Imran to ask why I was receiving these letters when the account was under investigation? I was placed on hold for 21mins and 37 secs whilst Imran went away to talk to someone. When he came back he said that there was no one available and he would contact me at 1800hrs that evening once he had spoken to someone regarding the account.
Much to my amazement, (based on failures of past promises of British Gas to call back), Imran was as good as his word and at 18:08hrs he rang me back. However, he was only ringing back to tell me that he was unable to contact anyone regarding this matter and that someone would ring me back the next evening at 18:00hrs to discuss the account.
In keeping with true British Gas tradition, this didn’t happen.
As British Gas seem incapable/unwilling to deal with this matter and are just content to keep sending threatening letters in the hope that we will capitulate to ‘bully boy’ tactics, here is where the error lies according to my own findings as British Gas seem unwilling to / incapable of working it out for themselves.
· nnnSnnnnn - Serial number of meter that British Gas removed from our property in October 2006.
· nnnFHnnnn - Serial number of meter that was provided by British Gas to NPower when we tried to move our supply to NPower in March 2008
· nnnnnnnnn8 - Serial number of dual rate meter installed in our property, October 2006 as replacement for the one removed, billed to The Occupier at our address for £1421.90
· nnnnnnnnn5 - Serial number on our gas bill that we paid direct debit to British Gas (attributable to a meter in Banbury and not at our property, according to Npower). We were unaware of this until Npower informed us when they made relevant checks when attempting to take over our supply.
Even a blind man can see that it is simply a case of substituted letters and numbers by some illiterate who is incapable of distinguishing an eight from a five and thinks and 'F' sounds like an 'S'.
Please read the following very carefully and understand it.
This means that when we initially attempted to move our electricity supply to NPower in March 2008 , not only did British Gas supply NPower with a meter serial number that had been removed from our property in October 2006 some 18 months earlier, they also got that wrong by substituting an S for an F in the serial number.
Additionally, because British Gas substituted a 5 for an 8 in our present meter serial number, they have been taking our payments that we thought were against our account, and applying the payments against a meter that is based in Banbury and nothing to do with us. (I’m sure that user of this meter is sitting quite happy knowing that someone else has been paying for his electricity usage).
Also, as British Gas insist that there is a single rate meter at our property, they have billed us as such (hence the outlandish amount of £1421.90) instead of taking into account the fact that we have a Dual Rate meter.
And the most annoying thing about this is that unlike NPower, British Gas never sent anyone round to look at our meter to see what we are saying is true. British Gas have even gone as far to suggest that we have two electricity meters, or that we have demolished our property and rebuilt it !!!
As stated in your letter to us dated 5th November 2008 that you will respond within 14 days, we look forwards to the 19th November 2008 when we expect to receive a letter from yourself, detailing findings of your investigation into our complaint.
If no such letter is received by this date then I reserve the right to escalate my complaint to Head of Complaints at Centrica as laid down within the terms of British Gas complaints procedure.
Should no response be forthcoming from that department than I will have no option but to lodge my complaint with the energy ombudsmanAlso, please be sure to let me know the date of court hearing for Warrant of Execution
We are quite looking forwards to attending where we will present our evidence to counter the claim and give me great pleasure to expose British Gas for the clowns that they are.
If you find any discredit in this letter, it is because British Gas bring it upon themselves.
Yours Sincerely
Ref “The Occupier nnnnxxxxxxx”
Also ”Mrs L Pugh nnnnyyyyyyy”
Dear Sir
Today I received a note through the door from RICHBURNS which I understand to be a debt collection agency on behalf of British Gas.
I am somewhat surprised at this since I have received numerous assurances from various departments within British Gas that this would not happen whilst our account is under review following our complaint.
I am also disappointed that British Gas has failed to adhere to its own customer complaints charter that it “will respond in writing within 14 days of a complaint, detailing its findings”. The only response I have received is a voice mail from Vannesa Jones telling me that she is ‘reviewing my complaint’, (received on the deadline for British Gas to ‘respond in writing detailing its findings’).
And a note from a debt collection agency (today) telling me that they visited to “discuss our account” which I understand to mean they came ‘to collect payment’.
I have called the number left on the card today, only to be told that we owe £1421.90 (the young lady I spoke to actually stated we owe £14,000...FOURTEEN THOUSAND POUNDS) (that was the funniest bit so far about this whole fiasco and is a testament to the employment selection process of British Gas)(what is stated from the date the meter was installed. WE DISPUTE THIS AS WE RECEIVED A FINAL DEMAND IN October 2008 for an amount of £23.50 against the account that ALL our electricity bills have been paid under reference Mrs L Pugh nnnnyyyyyyyy.
The lady I spoke to offered to recalculate our bill based on the fact that we have already made payments and said she would offset the bill by this amount. However, I am not convinced that they will come up with a realistic figure. BG insist we have a single rate meter. Looking at our previous bills we have being paying under rate 2. Now BG are asking for an outstanding amount under rate 1 that they claim we haven’t paid.
Despite us supplying BG with meter readings, all our bills have been estimated for some reason known only to BG
We accept that we owe from April 2008, the date of the FINAL DEMAND for £23.50 but this is down to British Gas incompetence due to an erroneous transfer, when we tried to switch to Npower in April and British Gas supplied them with a meter serial number that had been removed from our property by British Gas some 18 months before. During this time, April 2008 to July 2008 we were under the impression that Npower were supplying us until we received a letter from Npower stating they were unable supply our electricity. At this point we queried British Gas who actually denied that they were supplying, and shortly after we started receiving letters to Mrs L Pugh /The Occupier as per previous correspondence for outlandish sums of money in the region of £1421.90.
Therefore, I exercise my right within the terms of British Gas complaint policy, to escalate my complaint to your department in the hope that you don’t show the same flippant attitude as the rest of the people who I have been dealing with.
Hard copies of this email and attachments are supplied by post.
As stated in my previous letter, failure to respond appropriately to this letter will result in my escalation of this complaint to the energy ombudsman.
Yours Faithfully
0
Comments
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WOW! If that is "cutting a long story short" I wouldn't like to see the unabridged version!
Correct me if I am wrong.
From what I can understand the crux of the problem is that you paid nothing for Electricity from March 2005 to October 2006?
You say it was decided to write this sum off. Did you get that in writing?
It would appear that the £1421 in dispute is for that period?
What is not clear is the sums you have paid since October 2006? or the bills you have received in that period?
Against what meter and meter readings were those payments made?0 -
Correct me if I am wrong.
From what I can understand the crux of the problem is that you paid nothing for Electricity from March 2005 to October 2006?
Incorrect: We paid £40 pm from March 2005 against old meter till the account went to dispute in Jan 2006 when we received a bill for nearly £2000 against five different dials on the meter.
You say it was decided to write this sum off. Did you get that in writing?
Can't find anything in writing. Usual telephone scenario.We just have the womans name who we spoke to. When new meter was installed 11 Oct 2006, it was set at zero and BG billed us £15pm from that start date. When we told BG we were leaving in Feb 2008 we recieved Final bill on 18th June 2008 from 21 march -6 April showing our previous bill payment of £121.40 and a final balance in debit of £21.58
However, the serial number on these bills (and all previous) show an erroneuous serial number of nnnnnnnn5 whereas the serial number in our property shows nnnnnnnn8.
It would appear that the £1421 in dispute is for that period?
No, the bill we recieved was addressed to "The Occupier" From 11 October 2006 to 28 July 2008 showing the correct serial number on the bill as matches the meter in our property.
What is not clear is the sums you have paid since October 2006? or the bills you have received in that period?
Previous bill Dated October 2008 shows billing period 22 Dec 2007 to 6 April 2008 FINAL Electricity Bill to Mrs L Pugh
Last Bill £103.50 in debit
Payments recieved £224.90 (£103.50 11March08) (£121.20 30April08)
This bill is against serial number nnnSnnnnnnnn, which was removed from our property according to myopic meter reader who misread 'S' and substituted 'F'. The same meter reader who misread the new serial number and misread 8 and substitued 5. ( I have the card in front of me that he completed with the meter removal/fitting details.
Effectively it appears British gas want to bill us twice. £23.50 outstanding for electricity to date as Mrs Pugh on our standing account that we have always paid.
And £ 1421.0 from the date the meter was installed as "The Occupiers"
Despite sending meter readings, all BG bills are estimated so we have know way of knowing how they are going to calculate usage.
It seems that BG gas billed us as Mrs Pugh under Rate2 usage and now want to bill us as the Occupier under Rate1 usage. This is despite BG stating that we have a single rate meter but they can pick and choose which rate to bill us?0 -
I have just spoken to Consumerdirect and they advise I go straight to the energy obudsman with this as BG don't seem to have any interest in resolving the complaint, they appear just intent on re-couping money that they alledge is owed to them.
Not only that, BG are in breach of their own complaints charter as they have failed to respond in a timely and approriate fashion and Consumerdirect see no reason why escalting the process to the head of compliants will bring about a resolution other than drag the process out for another 8 weeks.0 -
When changing supplier British Gas dont give NPower your serial number.. NPower take your serial number off the central database, ran by a company named ecoes, on behalf of who ever your local electricity distributer is, (who also own the meter). meter exchanges are carried out by the local meter operater (united utilities are the most common) and they sometimes dont do the correct work in order to get your meter exchange updated correctly. BG seem to have to handled this case poorly, to say the least. Quite surprised that Adrian has seemed to have not taken responsibility for this, the guys in the PET team normally take on cases and deal with them quite efficiently, from what I gather they are targeted on the number of cases that they complete effectively in the 8 week timescale. No doubt Adrian will be in for a slap on the wrist if OfGem do step in.Sunny in Southampton.0
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Well,to name and shame people here and prove BG apathy towards their customers, I shall quote Keiron Young of the PET Team whos response was " It'll be Npowers problem when they take you over on the 5th November".
I have lodged my complaint with the energy ombudsman and am now waiting for their response.
Anyone comes knocking at my door can get to the back of the queue.0 -
Smudge, remove or adjust the account numbers and meter serial numbers as these can be used to trace you in the real world.
I agree with ltt that this case has been handled poorly, but rest assured that your payments won't have been redirected elsewhere - they don't rely on your meter number.
Did the readings on the bill match the readings on your meter? if so it doesn't matter that the serial number was wrong, just leaving the issue of the 2 rate vs 1 rate which is relativley easy to fix (or at least calculate the diference).
It's been said elsewhere, but seems to need to be said again, insulting the people (not company, the individuals) who you are asking for help is rarely productive.0 -
Advice taken but why would anyone want to trace me? I'm not hiding anything.
Hard to say whether the meter numbers match cos they are all estimates despite us submitting meter readings.
As BG insist we have a single rate meter then which rate am I supposed to compare them against?
Final Bill to Mrs Pugh for £23.50 shows readings for meter that was removed from property in Oct 2006 !
All readings are estimates from Dec 07 to April 08, when we thought we left BG hence the final bill.
The bill to The Occuppier shows daily usage of around 14 KWh per day based on estimated reading but shows the correct serial number and the correct date of installation.
So, if BG are gonna re calculate the bill, will they calculate at the price of supply when the units were consumed, over the last two years? or will they just make a calculation based on todays inflated prices (which don't seem fair to me). Why should we pay todays prices for something we used two years ago.
BG tell us (after we have supposed to have left them) that we owe nearly two years worth of electricity consumption and will recalculate at todays? prices?
Who is insulting who here?
If BG had got their act together in the first place then I wouldn't be asking for 'their help' in the first place...not that they have actually provided any so far.0 -
Try emailing the top brass at British Gas that will probably get you quicker results of what sounds like a tremendous muck up!
You have my sympathies, I have dealt with B gas before on 2 separate occasions (though I was not a customer - very long story) and their internal procedures definately leave a lot to be desired...I always wanted to be a procrastinator, never got round to it...0 -
This sounds like it may be a meter exchange which did not update correctly. The BG systems after one month will go into the name of the occupier if no other name. This would also account for the Final bill after the old meter taken out. I am surprised that this has not been resolved as yet. I agree the problem may be compounded by moving suppliers.If part of the problem is the meter operators having the wrong information on their systems it takes a few weeks to update so would not be able to be action by the supplier being left.
Erroneous Transfers happen usually when the wrong Meter point reference number (not meter serial number) is requested by the new supplier. The first the current supplier is aware of this is when an external company(data collector) advises the supply is leaving them. This is where things can go wrong if the Meter operators have the wrong info on their systems as it their info that goes to the new supplier.
If you are not happy and have been advised that the Escalation team think this is resolved call them back and ask for a deadlock letter.Self Employed, Running my Dream Jobs0 -
I agree with icefall, actually, email the top brass at BG. Yes, before any BG employee says it, Phil Bentley (MD) himself won't deal with it personally, but either his PA or member of his team will take ownership of the complaint and you can bet it will be resolved in double quick time. Loads of details you will need in this thread:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1234191&highlight=high+level+complaintCall me Carmine....
HAVE YOU SEEN QUENTIN'S CASHBACK CARD??0
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