British Gas failing to set up DD

The_Jester

I moved in to a new home in September and set up a British Gas Click Energy 6 account and direct debit. This evening I arrived home to find in the post a bill for £227 for gas! It's obvious to me the direct debit wasn't set up and now I find I'm unable to pay this amount in one go.

I telephoned BG customer services and spoke to a very truculent representative who basically told me I should have checked my account to see whether I was being debited. He is right of course but I'm one of those people who sets up a DD and then forgets about it. Why would I check my account? perhaps I've put to much faith in BG?

I was basically getting no where with this representative so I asked to speak to a manager and I got the old chestnut "there's no manager available. Now I'm waiting on a call back which I probably won't receive!

Has anyone had a problem like this with BG? I'm concerned that I can't pay this large amount in one go. Secondly I obviously haven't received the DD discount also.

Any advice appreciated.

Joyful

If this is only one bill ask for it to be included in a direct debit. If it is a second you would need to pay off the first then can include the latest in the DD.

This happens frequently and does have faults at both ends. I personally do not trust any companies and always check my bank account monthly ( if not more often) to make sure payments are taken.

hamstercheeks_2

The_Jester wrote: »

I moved in to a new home in September and set up a British Gas Click Energy 6 account and direct debit. This evening I arrived home to find in the post a bill for £227 for gas! It's obvious to me the direct debit wasn't set up and now I find I'm unable to pay this amount in one go.

I telephoned BG customer services and spoke to a very truculent representative who basically told me I should have checked my account to see whether I was being debited. He is right of course but I'm one of those people who sets up a DD and then forgets about it. Why would I check my account? perhaps I've put to much faith in BG?

I was basically getting no where with this representative so I asked to speak to a manager and I got the old chestnut "there's no manager available. Now I'm waiting on a call back which I probably won't receive!

Has anyone had a problem like this with BG? I'm concerned that I can't pay this large amount in one go. Secondly I obviously haven't received the DD discount also.

Any advice appreciated.

i moved homeon 20th june 2008. Transferred old utility to new address.... or so I thought.

Later on about Sept i received a bill from Eon - apparently British Gas have been supplying and charging my neighbour and vice-versa for Eon.

cut a long story short, after numerous calls back and forward to British Gas I have decided to go with Npower - after comparing them on a website to try and save money.

In my opinion (and also awaiting a humungous bill from Eon as I haven't bn debited in months) waiting 7 months is extreme and utter incompetence on their part. If this was America I'd be suing them by now so time to move on.

If they aren't capable don't give them the business IMHO :rotfl:

Vestra

The_Jester wrote: »

I moved in to a new home in September and set up a British Gas Click Energy 6 account and direct debit. This evening I arrived home to find in the post a bill for £227 for gas! It's obvious to me the direct debit wasn't set up and now I find I'm unable to pay this amount in one go.

I telephoned BG customer services and spoke to a very truculent representative who basically told me I should have checked my account to see whether I was being debited. He is right of course but I'm one of those people who sets up a DD and then forgets about it. Why would I check my account? perhaps I've put to much faith in BG?

I was basically getting no where with this representative so I asked to speak to a manager and I got the old chestnut "there's no manager available. Now I'm waiting on a call back which I probably won't receive!

Has anyone had a problem like this with BG? I'm concerned that I can't pay this large amount in one go. Secondly I obviously haven't received the DD discount also.

Any advice appreciated.

I got told that when I asked to speak to a manager at British Gas because I was genuinely getting nowhere at all, when I was told that no manager was available and one would call me back, I just said it's ok I'll just wait on the line, surprise surprise a manager just became available.

Also if you phone them close to closing time say at 19:55 they will be wanting to get off the phone as soon as possible and want to argue less, so you are more likely to win.

Joyful

hamstercheeks wrote: »

.

Later on about Sept i received a bill from Eon - apparently British Gas have been supplying and charging my neighbour and vice-versa for Eon.

In my opinion (and also awaiting a humungous bill from Eon as I haven't bn debited in months) waiting 7 months is extreme and utter incompetence on their part. If this was America I'd be suing them by now so time to move on.

If they aren't capable don't give them the business IMHO :rotfl:

Unfortunately this shows why you have to check your bills- to make sure you are being charged for the correct meter. The Energy companies go with the information the industry gives them when people change supplier. Until a customer raises the issue they will be unaware of a problem so it's not incompetance. It's called deregulation. Once a company is aware of the problem they should work with all the other companies including Meter operators to correct all the systems.

hamstercheeks_2

Joyful wrote: »

Unfortunately this shows why you have to check your bills- to make sure you are being charged for the correct meter. The Energy companies go with the information the industry gives them when people change supplier. Until a customer raises the issue they will be unaware of a problem so it's not incompetance. It's called deregulation. Once a company is aware of the problem they should work with all the other companies including Meter operators to correct all the systems.

it was a direct debit with my old bank account that i had a small amount in and i noticed that dd's were not coming off - then in August got a bill from Eon. Then British Gas were alerted. This is now January 2009!! Come on they should have sorted it by now.

Just 4/5 weeks ago I got a phone call from british Gas apologising for taking so long but that they would endeavour to sort it out.

Still nothing...

which I would class as incompetence

lauren123210

The same thing happened to me when I moved house last year! I rung British Gas and told them I couldnt afford to pay such a large bill all at once and they said that I could just set up a direct debit now and set it at say £10 more a month for the time being until I gradually paid it off - they were actually really helpful! Plus if you set up a direct debit in the summer you wont be using much gas anyway so in the long run it will even itself out. I would ring them again, sometimes you find different customer service people tell you different things!

soul619

lauren123210 wrote: »

The same thing happened to me when I moved house last year! I rung British Gas and told them I couldnt afford to pay such a large bill all at once and they said that I could just set up a direct debit now and set it at say £10 more a month for the time being until I gradually paid it off - they were actually really helpful! Plus if you set up a direct debit in the summer you wont be using much gas anyway so in the long run it will even itself out. I would ring them again, sometimes you find different customer service people tell you different things!

i did the same it took 18 months to pay off but they were fine about it, after all it was there incompitence i had a huge bill!

Gassedoff

They have you which ever way, its always our own fault, everything is our own responsibility. Like you I left the DD alone thinking that at least it was ongoing and all sorted...........I didn’t reckon with BG, the call centre is a customer hell hole, 49 mins of getting no where fast. Try this number i got from consumer direct today 0845 6070870 (might be 670 at the end!! V poor hand writing) its one step up (or down if you like) from the call centre. You may get someone who can help get it sorted rather than just call handling.
All the best with it.