British Gas trying to steal my supply!!!

Katyag

We are with Scottish Hydro for dual fuel and quite happy too. Paying by monthly DD and happy with what we have but today when opening our mail there is a letter from them saying sorry to hear you are leaving.

So DH called then straight away and as it turns out BG are trying to swap us over to them. We told Hydro that NO we have not asked BG for anything, had no one at the door offering, not signed anything and not started it ourselves either and NO we don not want to swap.

Can i complain to BG about this?? I hope the Hydro put a stop on it and dont let it go thru.

Stormy

Hi,

How did Scottish Hydro deal with this? It looks like BG are trying to do the same with me for my Gas supply..

ta.

Katyag

Not very well would be my answer, we called the same day we got the letter saying we dont want to move and Scottish Hydro said ok we will deal with it for you.

We didnt hear anything else until last weekend when we got another letter from Scotish Hydro saying BG wouldnt let them continue to be out suppliers so we would be swapped then they would swap us back as soon as they could. In the meantime we might get a bill from BG. Then just a few days ago we got a 'final bill' in from Scottish Hydro for 34p!!!

But in the meantime we have had no communications from BG at all, nothing to sign, nothing for meter readings, nothing. We had all this when we swapped from Scottish Power to Scottish Hydro. Find it totally bizarre as to how BG can make the change for us when we have had no contact with them at all.

I even emailed a strongly worded complaint to BG and heard absolutely nothing back!!!

We are just waiting to see now what happens. Meanwhile Scottish Hydro are still taking our monthly DD's from our account for both gas and electric!!!

Stormy

Oh great

Katyag

Id suggest you calling both the current supplier and BG and making sure they understand you do not want to swap at all. That might help. We didnt call BG but in hindsight maybe we should have.

EasilyAggravated

contact energy watch. i dont know their number but the website is
http://www.energywatch.org.uk/

theyre an independant company that has consumers interests at heart apparently.
they helped me when british gas tried conning me

Stormy

Katyag wrote:

Id suggest you calling both the current supplier and BG and making sure they understand you do not want to swap at all. That might help. We didnt call BG but in hindsight maybe we should have.

I have done just that, BG deny they are trying to take my supply even though the email says so. Maybe its an error at their end related to my Electricity account c*ck-ups.

Southern Electric have put a note on my account to monitor it and block any approach from BG to take my Gas supply over.

Cheers,

Mike

smartie1976

This sounds very curious indeed.
BG, I am sure, would have sent out some type of communication to you if they were taking your supply over.

However, mistakes happen. I have exactly the same problem with Virgin energy, although they actually said they had my signature (I should have reported them but I was harrassed because I was going abroad for 5 weeks a couple of days after I first found out).

If you haven't called BG, Katyag, I'd still call them and ask what method of sign-up was used. If it's a rogue door-knocker they need reporting.

Katyag

smartie1976 wrote:

If you haven't called BG, Katyag, I'd still call them and ask what method of sign-up was used. If it's a rogue door-knocker they need reporting.

Well if it was he must be forging peoples signature!! Im the only one in in the evenings so it would be me they would get if they came round. Even during the day DH (he works nights) is hardly ever in on his own.

Yes i think i will get DH to call them and see what they say. Its all a very strange situation!

Thanks.

smartie1976

Indeed, but if BG say a sales rep came round, then it'll be logged on the system exactly who that was. You can then (under DPA) request to see the signature, and clearly pursue a case for fraud.
However you can say you are "giving BG an opportunity to investigate the matter further before you talk to ofgem".
it'll get you results (well, works with Tesco)

browsingid

Do you live in a tenement in Aberdeen? I live in one in Edinburgh, and three times in the last ten years we have had the exact same experience as you describe.

My understanding of the problem is that someone else in my stair has switched their suppliers and the meter numbers/references have gotten mixed up when the switch has been processed, so your original suppliers stop billing you, and yet no new bills ever come, and you are left non-plussed as to the reason for the switch in the first place!

I think it is a bit strange that once the switch process starts it can't be stopped - especially as accidental or unscrupulous incorrect switches seem to happen quite a lot (in my experience anyway!).