Capped Gas Watch your Direct Debit Renewal

zeroamp

I had a letter the other day from British Gas congratulating me on being a customer and having capped my tariff this year there would be no increase in my gas prices. This morning I had a settlement letter for my direct debit and on their review they would be putting my monthly subscription up a massive 63%.

I rang British Gas who straight away apologised telling me I was quite right and they reduced the amount back without question telling me I shouldn't have been charged. The operator when pressed seemed to indicate that they had lots of calls but more worrying if I hadn't rung nothing would have been done about it.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO watch for your settlement bill and if you are capped chase 'em up!

Cardew

However it is your tariff that is capped not your Direct Debit.

If I start using ,say, 20% more gas or electricity then my Direct debit will rise by 20%

It is perfectly feasible that someone could have been paying an incorrect amount(too much or too little) on their Direct Debit over the period when they capped their prices. Thus their Direct Debit will need to be adjusted.

I am on a Fixed tariff to April 2010 and I fully expect my DD to vary over that time.

zeroamp

Yes of course it will alter, however, my account was already in credit and as I should not have a rise in my tariff a rise of 63% is obviously quite ludicrous. The fact of the matter is that British Gas is not properly identifying those customers who have capped their rate and therefore you may end up paying a monthly amount far in excess of what is necessary - in my case 63% more.

Cardew

zeroamp wrote:

Yes of course it will alter, however, my account was already in credit and as I should not have a rise in my tariff a rise of 63% is obviously quite ludicrous. The fact of the matter is that British Gas is not properly identifying those customers who have capped their rate and therefore you may end up paying a monthly amount far in excess of what is necessary - in my case 63% more.

Obviously if you are in credit you should not have any rise in your Direct Debit.

However as you hadn’t mentioned the crucial point of a credit balance (and we do not possess physic powers) it was, with respect, a pretty meaningless post. Most certainly it was not "obviously quite ludicrous" to anyone reading your original post. I suggest if you read it again the only message is capped rate = capped DD.

As BG have apparently made an error in your individual account I fail to see how this leads you conclude:

The fact of the matter is that British Gas is not properly identifying those customers who have capped their rate and therefore you may end up paying a monthly amount far in excess of what is necessary

What evidence to you have to support that sweeping statement?