Help with an massive bill from bg!!!!

Barnestock2010

Hi

I own a flat above a shop which sells lights ( you can imagine its just like Blackpool illuminations, and nice and toasty all the time in there!). I'm with British Gas for gas and electricity and have been since I moved into my flat about 3 years ago. No problems until last winter 2009, when inside a 6 month period I received a bill for Gas alone which was about £1000. At which time I contacted BG thinking that this bill just seemed way too much, especially as myself and my partner both work full time and are never here in the day. I had no joy with BG, so after much communication which was failing, I contacted the OFGEM, who said not to pay this bill as it was too much and that they would help me... and still no joy.

I also got a meter reading guy from BG to come and look at my meters to check the MPAN and Supply numbers where the right one's set up for my flat and not the shop below. And according to him, they were right (we even switched everything off and checked if the meter changed). So even this didn;t work. My gas meter is outside the shop, but the gas pipes go into the shop and up into my flat, and the elec meter is inside the shop. I've asked OFGEM if the meter could be moved to my flat, and nothings happened with that either.

I've now just payed the bill as i was getting no where, and was threatened with a court warrant. So obviously don't want it to go to that.

What I really want to do now is switch suppliers and get a better deal as BG have been no help what so ever, neither has OFGEM (the company which is set up to help us normal folk). However my concern is that if I put in the MPAN and Supply numbers which are on my bills from BG, the same thing will happen with a new supplier, as I'm almost convinced that the shop below my flat is on the same meters as my house and this is the reason why I'm getting such massive bills.

Does any one know how I can find out what my supply and MPAN number is without getting them off the bills from BG, as you can imagine I don't trust a thing that comes from that company - who are apparently according to their latest advertising campaign 'Looking after my world' - what utter RUBBISH!

Please can any one help with the MPAN and Supply number search, and then even better, any ideas for how I can get that £1000 back for a 6 month winter bill, because that just seems way too much - especially as I've just done a check on U switch and with another company I could saver over £500!!!

Thanks

spiro

Is the start readiing of you latest bill an A'ctual' reading or an E'stimated reading? If it is an estimate then this could well be a catch up bill, also look at previous bill and see what date the last actual reading was used. Some people go for a coupld of years with no reading then get a massive catch up bill because the supplier has under etsimated and they have not bothered to check there bill.
Also contacting OFGEM is pointless unless you have raised a formal complaint with your supplier. But reading your post it looks like the wiring/pipework has already been checked to confirm its connected to your flat and not the shop.

Andy_WSM

Barnestock2010 wrote: »

any ideas for how I can get that £1000 back for a 6 month winter bill, because that just seems way too much - especially as I've just done a check on U switch and with another company I could saver over £500!!!

Thanks

COULD have saved over £500.

I filled the car up with petrol the other day and then drove past a garage selling it 5p/litre cheaper. Can I get a refund? No!

You have already used the fuel at whatever rate you agreed to pay for it...

Sorry, but it is imperative that EVERYONE checks their suppliers rates and make sure you are not on a "standard" tariff which can, as you know, cost a whole lot more.

lindann_2

can your meter be wrong, do you have most of your bills what you paid for over the same period.
eg, 2007, 2008,2009. even with price raises, you would find an average bill

say these dates you had a bill of 300 a month, not going over the 500, then you get this big hike in your bills, something does not seem right, unless it is a catch up bill, you been estimated
have you done bills on line, dual fee will save you money, also budject type of bill, which Eon, works out what you use over the coming year, then divides it, etc.. save in summer, towards winter, good customer service. I would not have british gas if they paid me, horrible to deal with.
Talking about 1978ish moved house get bills from past tenant, for 6p, we kept getting letters, so sent them back. Saying we are new tenant, bill is not in our name, we are all electric. etc. Next minute, at 8.20 no warning, BGs man came him saying we disconnecting you, take the meter out, we was all electric, from previous address, we could not use gas hazard in flats. OH the man charged in, not given me chance to refuse him. how rude. It also caused problems when gas meter had to be put in place when we left, 2002 brrr best of luck x
we found out we were in charge of the meter, we had to pay for that meter. so l heard.

Mankysteve

1. Did you submit a meter reading when you moved in?
2. Have you been submitting meter reading or have you been relying on estimates?

SwanJon

Barnestock2010 wrote: »

I also got a meter reading guy from BG to come and look at my meters to check the MPAN and Supply numbers where the right one's set up for my flat and not the shop below. And according to him, they were right (we even switched everything off and checked if the meter changed).
Does any one know how I can find out what my supply and MPAN number is without getting them off the bills from BG

You bill will also have a meter serial number on it - check this matches the meter you think is yours.

If the wrong meter has been on your bill it will have been there all along - is there anything else apart from this winter bill that makes you think it is wrong?

Barnestock2010

The estimated bill was something I had thought of, so went back and checked and although hadn't sent them every month, had sent them in.

I'll have a look on the meters to see if I can get the number off of their. I know I'm not entitled to the money back for what I've used, and I'm happy of course to pay this (and I have), however what I can't understand is why I've got a bill for my gas only for £1000 for a 6 month period. I've been in the flat for 3 years and last winter was the first time this had happened... it just doesn't add up.

Thanks for the tips and advice.

p.s comment about the petrol station prices was a little harsh - I'm new to all of this so just looking for some help and advice.

KimYeovil

As you are benefiting from ambient heat from below it is possible that you would see a large increase in useage this winter. Previous mild winters the warmth from the shop could well have been enough to keep the heating from kicking on too much whereas this freezing winter that secondary heat was not enough and the heating has had to heat your flat itself.

Although it could be that you have just not paid attention to the readings on your bills. And being on an expensive tariff doesn't help.