Changed from pre-paid meter over a year ago, no bill yet! Do I contact them?????

Pink_Hollie

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice with our gas bill or lack of it more like.

We moved into our house (first time buyers) last Feb and as it was rented out by the previous occupier he'd had pre payment meters installed for Gas and Electricity.

We organised for both meters to be changed and were advised to contact the suppler approx 10 days after the new meter was in place to set up a monthly direct debit.
I contacted British Gas regarding the electricity and since then we have been making a monthly payment by direct debit but when contacting BG again 10 days after the gas meter was installed they advised I should call back in a couple of days as they had no details through from the install team yet. When I called back they still had no details and with the move and new bills left right and centre we never contacted them again.

I've been keeping an eye out for an annual bill in that we have now had the meters installed for 12months but still no sign.

Some friends have advised not to contact the company and let them chase us when they eventually realise we haven't paid but obviously we're nervous of a huge bill arriving on the doorstep.

I also know that British Gas aren't the cheapest provider out there and wonder if i'm as well to contact them, pay off what we owe and move on to a new provider with a joint direct debit for both gas and electricity.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Bests to all

Hollie

Cardew

Your friends are correct that if BG are at fault, they can only back-bill 12 months.

However with new accounts it does depend on the customer making some effort to get bills. The relevant information is in the Billing Code extract below:

Under what circumstances will suppliers agree not to charge customers for
energy used?

Energy Suppliers have a responsibility to ensure Customers are accurately billed for
energy consumed. Likewise, Customers have a responsibility to pay for the energy they
consume.
The Supplier is completely within its rights to bill in full for any energy consumed where
it can demonstrate that;
a) use of supply has been made by a Customer but that no attempt has been made by a
Customer to contact a Supplier to make or arrange payment, or

Code of Practice for Accurate Bills
Frequently Asked Questions, October 2008

4

b) the Customer is wilfully avoiding payment, or
c) the Customer has not co-operated with attempts to obtain meter readings or resolve
asset queries required to facilitate accurate bill production.
Unless the above clauses (a) to (c) apply, Energy Suppliers will not seek additional
payments for un-billed energy consumed over 12 months ago if they have:
d) received the necessary industry notifications but have failed to set up a record on
their billing systems, or
e) failed to set up or maintain accurate meter and metering data, or
f) failed to use valid readings provided by the Customer or data collectors, or
g) failed to reassess regular payments within the previous 15 months based on accurate
information available to them, or have failed to communicate the need for and use of a
Customer own reading at this time, or
h) failed to attempt to obtain a valid reading during the previous 15 months, or
i) failed to send a bill to the Customer or billing address during the previous 15 months,
unless their express agreement with the individual Customer allows for this.
Where Suppliers issue a bill which has these principles applied, they will credit the
account with the value of the unbilled energy consumed over 12 months ago, taking into
consideration any payments already made by the Customer or credits applied to the
account, so that the Customer is not required to pay any additional sums towards this

previously unbilled energy consumption.

Clearly BG are at fault but you have hardly been pro-active in bringing the matter to the attention of BG.

It is really up to you to decide if a couple of phone calls and then not contacting them for a year or supplying meter readings will leave you 'in the clear'.

I would have been happier if I had written a letter or emailed; but on the other hand you are not going to be out of pocket whatever way the situation is resolved.

Gerrard_8_lfc

Why does every one think BG are the most expensive out of all the energy companies it all depends to postcode, tariff and consumption even on comparison sites websaver 3 is showing as a strong contender for best tariff along with e-on I think???

LeeSouthEast

My friend had a similar situation. Had no gas in the house at all for years but British Gas were chasing her for an imaginary bill. Finally got that resolved 3 years after the saga began.

Fast forward 3 years she decides to have central heating installed, BG come and connect her up, she fills in all the paperwork and that was that.

6 months go by, no bill. She rings, they apologise and promise to send one out.

12 months go by, still no bill. Rinse, repeat.

18 months go by, still no bill. Rinse, repeat.

She's hassling them daily by this point until someone at director level gets wind and finally sorts out the issue. As a goodwill gesture she only had to pay 3 months gas (they wiped off over £1,300!).

So yes, BG are useless.