British Gas "goodwill gesture"?

Zziggi

Hello

Does anyone know if British Gas offer you a "goodwill gesture" if they arrange to come on a set day and then fail to turn up? If they don't offer this, can anyone suggest a sum i should gently suggest to them that they should knock off my gas bill?

I'm a bit peeved that they sent me a letter stating is was imperative they come to check my meter on tuesday. I stayed in all day (having to rearrange stuff) only to find nobody turned up.

My time is worth something. The inconvenience is worth something surely?

Thanks

wigginsmum

Good luck with this.

When I had Sky not turn up for 3 appointments with me, I wrote to the Chief Exec, enclosing an invoice for my time based on my working hourly rate. I got 3 months free rental, so it's always worth asking if a company lets you down like this.

ckerrd

A good point. I have a letter from them advising that my electricity meter needs changed and that I should exepct a visit between 0800 and 2000.
Well they can whistle!

Sorry not at all a helpfull reply, but a comment in the same vein.

Zziggi

ckerrd wrote:

A good point. I have a letter from them advising that my electricity meter needs changed and that I should exepct a visit between 0800 and 2000.
Well they can whistle!

Sorry not at all a helpfull reply, but a comment in the same vein.

Oh I had this same thing happen to me about 18 months ago. They finally arrived on the 2nd appointment at about 6.30pm (!!!) The guy took one look at my meter and said he needed a special part and he couldn't do the job today. I asked him when he was going to come back and change it and he said sometime in the next 24 months. AND HE EXPLAINED HE WAS NOT JOKING!!! He said the meter wasn't dangerous it was just due for maintanence and changing.

P.S. this is not what they were due to come for on tuesday.
can anyone suggest a figure i should suggest for my inconvenience? Is £20 fair? too little?

justtoclarify_2

When I was with BG they were very keen to change both my Gas and Electricity meter. Strangely enough at my old place nPower never ever asked to come over to change either of the meters despite both being older models than the ones BG wanted to changed.

Anyway having had 2 visits from BG, one to check the Gas meter safety (accompanied threats to gain access by any means necessary) and one to change the Electricity meter, I declined the third to change the Gas meter since they refused to give before 9am or after 6pm time slot.

By default they will automatically issue a 8:00 to 20:00 appointment window, telephone and this should get reduced to a 4 hour slot, make a real fuss and you should get a 2 hour window. But don't be suprised if they turn up early if you get the 6pm to 8pm slot and leave a card at 6:01pm.

Oh yes the original purpose of this thread do BG offer you a goodwill gesture the answer is not readily. If it was a sales call then very unlikely, otherwise e-mail via the house.co.uk website and you may get some joy. I have found the customer service via e-mail far more effective than the phone, but be prepared to wait as the response is slow.

Maisie

Br Gas have failed to keep appointments on several occasions within the last year.

I complained and was told they would offer £15 as compensation. I did get it one occasion.

Another time they were unable to repair our boiler for 11 days and I got £150 from them. That was after continually complaining by phone and letter.

They don't offer compensation and it's hard to get anything but keep on at them.

Zziggi

Just an update really.

Someone just turned up today 3 days later!! At 4.55pm as well. Fortuneately i was in. Bl00dy bizzare tho'.

Cagey

I think the guaranteed service standards say that a missed appointment shou;d result in £20 compensation. Phone them up & claim it.