Why British Gas jus don't tell you to switch?It would save time.

Spark

I have been with British Gas for a long time now.
In 2004 I tried to make them change my prepayment electricity meter for a credit meter, I could only be there one afternoon a week, so I had appointments for friday afternoon, 7 times. 7 times because no one came to change my meter. At the end I was talked to like dirt by one of the BG operator, as if I was the one playing up. Strange, for anything else they had no difficulties finding my address. Later I learned that eastern electricity wich was doing the engineering work for BG then was being taken over by Siemens (I think), that may be why the engineer didn't bother to turn up.
I gave up trying to change my electricity meter but switch my Gas (which I had with BG as well) to another service provider, when I looked at the time to change my electricity as well, it showed that BG was the cheapest, so I have stayed with British Gas for my electric.
In may last year, I've received a letter from them telling me that they needed to change my electricity meter as it was 10 years old.
Good, I thought, I will ask for a credit meter and maybe this time I will have my meter changed for a standard credit meter.
That friday, the meter was changed at noon, for an economy7 meter. I was so fed up with BG by that time that I told him it was allright for him to change it, though I have not much use of night electricity as I've got central heating, but at last I had my meter changed for a credit meter.
That same afternoon, at 3 o'clock, another engineer came to change my meter, I had 2 engineer sent in one day! When I told him it was done already, he was furious!
I had £35 in my prepayment meter, I would have my money back, the engineeer told me.
I had to chase them for the first bill, which I received 4 months later, last october. My electricity bill was £63 but they wanted to make me pay £89 for some reason. I called them back and enquire. They say it was a mistake and to just pay the £63. I asked if they were sending the bills every 4 months now, they said no, every 3 months. I asked about my £35, I was told that I had used an eastern electric key while i was with BG, so that they needed to claim the money back from Eastern Electric first, then I would get my money back.
So my next bill was due mid january, I waited february then call them. I gave them my reading, and waited. Nothing. 2 weeks later, I called again, they say there was no trace of the bill they supposed to have sent. They took another reading, and this time the bill arrived one week later, and I nearly had a heart attack, because the bill was for £151, £125 for my electric for 4 1/2 months(with the latest price rises, is that why they made me wait for the bill?), and they added the difference owed from the last bill (89 - 63).
So I called, and enquire about it, I said they owed me £35, not the other way around. They ended up telling me that the last months of my payments made with the prepayment meter never registered, so the mistake was made, they would have to investigate, it will take 6 months.
If the payments never registered, how come I have my last prepayment meter bill dated the same day as my prepayment meter was changed? Is this a trick to keep customers?
i didn't say anything, but that day I made the decision to switch, I had enough. I paid the bill then gone to switch supplier.
I paid the full £151, so they made £61 extra cash out of me, I pay for the privilege to leave the worst customer service I ever had the misfortune to deal with and cannot wait to pay the very last BG bill that I'll ever have to pay for the rest of my life.
They lied to me while they said that I was the one lying, their prices are over the top, I am not sure whether they know what they're doing sometimes.
So the point I am trying to make : wouldn't it be better and less time consuming to just say to their customers to just go away somewhere else, it seems obvious to me that they do not want to keep their remaining customers.
If ever I had to write what I really think of them, this thread would be removed from the forum straight away.

caveat_emptor

BG are losing so many customers they will do anything to keep them. BTW your daytime electricity is more expensive through an E7 meter than a normal meter.
I had a call from a someone saying he was a BG sales rep (you never know) telling me that he could save me £150 if I signed up to 3 year capped deal. After the call I worked out that I would be £300 worse off if I had signed up.
Moral of these stories is to stay well clear of BG.

Spark

I know that an E7 daytime electricity is more expensive, but I had such a bad time trying to make them change my prepayment meter that at the time any credit meter would have done.
I kind of don't believe the six months investigation for the £26, I really had the feeling that they were trying to get me to stay a bit longer???
It sounds corny to me. And I know they lie, when I tried to have my meter replaced and I had to get an appointment for fridays after 12, one of them told me that it was taking an entire day to replace a meter(the after 12 was bothering him, probably), when I new that it tooks only half hour max, they take their few remaining customers for stupid idiots.

smartie1976

Spark wrote:

And I know they lie, when I tried to have my meter replaced and I had to get an appointment for fridays after 12, one of them told me that it was taking an entire day to replace a meter(the after 12 was bothering him, probably), when I new that it tooks only half hour max, they take their few remaining customers for stupid idiots.

BG don't change the meters, they are franchised out (depending on your region). And there are no set timeslots, only AM, PM or Evening, as most companies offer.
And thanks for the last bit - I'll take it as a complement.

Spark

After 12 = PM. Furthermore, maybe BG do not replace the meters, but they are still responsible for the service, and the attitude towards their customers.
Strange how, when I asked to have my meter changed, they couldn't make those engineers find my address, but as soon as it was in BG interest, 2 engineers were sent. Following my experience with BG described above, I don't think that anyone would think of staying with a company that says different things every time you call, investigate problems indefinitely, lie and make a move only when it is in BG interest.
When I call Southern Electric, it is a breath of fresh air, they are nice and willing to solve problems.
If Southern Electric can give fast friendly service, BG should be able to do the same.