British Gas - Curious generosity

Loughton_Monkey

I'm looking for any comments or advice, but I'm currently just 'going with the flow'. I'd like to know if my situation is typical.

Transfered electricity from NPower to BG (Electricity) 2 years ago. Gas has always been with BG. At the time of changeover, NPower asked for meter reading, which I gave.

Come the first round of bills, I noted NPower ignoring my reading, using one slightly lower. BG used exactly the same reading as my initial one, so I was paying a few shillings to BG than I would have to NPower. No big deal.

BG Started off with £155 monthly DD. I know from my own estimation that this was a little on the light side (I use about £200 a month).

Now BG have never asked me for a reading. The nice little guy who comes every quarter to read my Gas Meter always fears my little jokes. He knows I will always ask him why he doesn't read the electricity as well? He always responds "Not on my gadget here.." or "Not my job...." or "Not on my list..."

I have therefore watched with mild amusement over the two years while (a) they have estimated lower and lower amounts of electricity, (b) the have reduced my monthly DD - most recently down to £77, with the consequence that (c) my account with them has built up a healthy surplus around £2,000

I have read the meter myself from time to time, and record the growing amount I owe them (despite the high surplus) because I still use around £200 a month.

My adrenaline reached a high a couple of months ago when they e-mailed me asking for a reading. Except that the next day, they e-mailed me to say that was a mistake. But very recently they e-mailed again, and so I gave them one, with a large grin on my face, perhaps eager to get things on a more conventional footing. As you would imagine, I got an e-mail saying they "couldn't use" my reading because it was wrong, and attached a guide (for 8-year-olds) on how to read a meter! I responded saying that it was digital and my engineering degree had been useful in cracking the challenge.

I earmarked the £1250-ish necessary to pay the arrears, and awaited bills/phone calls from BG expecting them to start wanting £500 a month or something ridiculous. I eventually received a phone call. I told them quite candidly that I knew I was 'behind' but if they are too idle to ask their meter reader to do it (or ask me) then I was also too idle to pay them money I owe. I added that they had never read the meter, even at changeover.

It seems that the bottom line is that they have "found" my original meter reading (which would have made <£100 difference), and as a consequence I owe them just under £500. Apparently, they are happy to let this "ride" while I continue to pay a DD at one of the previous figures of £139.

I expect, therefore, that little else will change. Somehow I've made £700 out of the deal, and I await with interest, now, to see whether or not they read (or ask me to) the meter, and if not, what sort of estimated readings they are going to come up with. [I have, helpfully(?) received a so-called "Annual Statment" from BG forecasting my cost of the next 12 month will be well over £3,000]. No, BG, it will be about £2,500 as usual!

Any thoughts?

Cardew

A little puzzled on a couple of points.

Firstly it is always the 'gaining' i.e. new company, that ask for a meter reading; in this case BG. Yet you say it was NPower that asked? and BG never asked.

I can only assume the 'nice meter man's device and records have not been updated to show you as a BG customer!

As accounts are usually 'untouched by human hand' if the almighty COMPUTER 'thinks' a meter reading is an error, its program rejects that reading and substitutes an estimated reading. Unless picked up by a human, it will carry on doing this time and again.

'my account with them has built up a healthy surplus around £2,000' Surplus? you mean debit balance surely?

Re the 'lost' £700, I suggest you get something in writing!!

Loughton_Monkey

Cardew wrote: »

Firstly it is always the 'gaining' i.e. new company, that ask for a meter reading; in this case BG. Yet you say it was NPower that asked? and BG never asked.

I can only assume the 'nice meter man's device and records have not been updated to show you as a BG customer!

As accounts are usually 'untouched by human hand' if the almighty COMPUTER 'thinks' a meter reading is an error, its program rejects that reading and substitutes an estimated reading. Unless picked up by a human, it will carry on doing this time and again.

Well, all I know is that NPower asked, and I gave them the correct reading to close their account. If BG had asked, I would have given it to them. I am always 'as good as gold' in these things.

Cardew wrote: »

'my account with them has built up a healthy surplus around £2,000' Surplus? you mean debit balance surely?

I'm a layman, and I call it a credit balance or surplus. Remember, I 'use' about £200 a month. I 'pay' what they ask - varies £155 down to £77, and they 'estimate' such a miserably low usage that my account looks like they owe ME money.

Cardew wrote: »

Re the 'lost' £700, I suggest you get something in writing!!

I am inclined to leave it as it is. When they finally issue the 'correct' bill, it should ahow (a) my current reading, which is 100% correct, and (b) overall, my account will be £500 in the red. This I will take to be the "correct" position; a benchmark for going forward.

My calculations show that even after the surplus, I owed them over £1,200. If they have calculated £500, then fine by me.

undaunted

You've told them, they are seemingly being incompetent for now though they will no doubt one day "wake up" as you appear to realise. I would probably put it in writing if I were you (on the basis that you may then later be able to invoke the back billing rules if they still fail to correct matters)

Thereafter as long as you can set aside what you believe the correct sum is I'd just let it ride - however long it goes on for it's money in the bank gaining nominal interest & an interest free loan for you!

Loughton_Monkey

undaunted wrote: »

You've told them, they are seemingly being incompetent for now though they will no doubt one day "wake up" as you appear to realise. I would probably put it in writing if I were you (on the basis that you may then later be able to invoke the back billing rules if they still fail to correct matters)

I still haven't got the adjusted bill. The website doesn't allow me to look at it yet, for some reason. Still locked. Although the summary shows an outstanding balance of negative £500-ish. The bill itself will surely be sufficient enough 'evidence' of our discussions, although I intend to mark it with a letter confirming the bill, and asking them formally to transfer an amount equal to the negative balance from my Gas account - which happens to have built up a credit balance despite regular meter readings.

undaunted wrote: »

Thereafter as long as you can set aside what you believe the correct sum is I'd just let it ride - however long it goes on for it's money in the bank gaining nominal interest & an interest free loan for you!

Yes, you're right. It's a miserable amount of interest, these days, but that's another story.

I have found the whole episode mildly amusing over the two years. But I can see how dreadful things can occur for others who are perhaps not as 'on top of it' as I. BG must have some pretty weird systems and procedures. To summarise:

1. How can they take on a customer, and allow it to go for 2 whole years without a formal meter reading - even from the customer?

2. It seems a bit weird that they don't particularly find it strange (or notice) an account with upwards of £2,000 surplus balance when, according to their estimated readings, I am using much less than £50 a month!

3. Again, there is surely an anomoly in their computers. Look at it this way. Ever since I have been with them, I have paid every single DD right on the nose, and exactly the amount they request. The fact that monthly payment has reduced from time to time (initiated by them) demonstrates that they 'manage' the amount of the monthly DD. So assume their estimated readings had been more or less correct, then why are they allowing their DD amounts to let me build up over £1,000 surplus a year?

I bet they would notice a negative £2,000 balance a bit more lively, and send out some sort of threatening letters.