Large Gas Bill - Advice Welcome

Clara2141

Hi,

I got my gas bill today, it's rather larger than I hoped. £392 to be exact, I'm not disputing the bill, I believe it's right as I didn't submit my readings until recently (my own fault please do not shoot me down).

However, I plan to call British Gas tomorrow to try to get a direct debit set up to pay it off - are they likely to accept this? I can pay them, but not in that one sum. I can pay £100 for 4 months.

Anyone else had this problem and managed to solve it this way?

sassy_one

Clara2141 wrote: »

Hi,

I got my gas bill today, it's rather larger than I hoped. £392 to be exact, I'm not disputing the bill, I believe it's right as I didn't submit my readings until recently (my own fault please do not shoot me down).

However, I plan to call British Gas tomorrow to try to get a direct debit set up to pay it off - are they likely to accept this? I can pay them, but not in that one sum. I can pay £100 for 4 months.

Anyone else had this problem and managed to solve it this way?

Are you working?

If so, you may find a problem repaying such a small amount over a long period.

torbrex

In general power supply companies would be looking for at least a 50% deposit with a commitment to a DD set up to cover the balance PLUS current usage over as short a time frame as possible.

The very fact that you are talking to them is in your favour so try to keep your temper no matter what they throw at you.

The alternative is a pre-payment meter and all the extra charges that it entails.

Andy_WSM

Clara2141 wrote: »

I can pay them, but not in that one sum. I can pay £100 for 4 months.

So, how are you going to pay them for the gas you will use over the next 4 months too?

Are you going to stop using gas? If not you will need to pay a lot more than £100 a month to clear the debt in 4 months. Sorry.

Clara2141

Ouch - doesn't fill me with hope then...but thank you.

I mean DD adding the £100 a month plus the usage for the next few months on top. Sorry, it was very early when I posted and I was not explaining very well. I'm not naive enough to believe that just paying that will appease them.

If they want £200 I can give that to them as a deposit. And, well, surely that's better than chasing me for money I haven't got this month? I've started a second job recently but my other half has just gone from weekly paid to salary - however it means she's going 5 weeks with no pay which is leaving us bit short until the end of the month.

Thank you though.

Terrylw1

Sounds reasonable. They will often just add the amount to your DD's and spread over a year. You are offering to pay it far quickly, so shouldn't be an issue for them.

Clara2141

Thank you - at work today so will call them Monday, the bill is due on the 21st so whilst I would not bury my head in the sand I do have time. Once my other half is being paid again we'll be fine.

Most annoying part is the bill is due on the 21st and our paydays are the 25th.

Clara2141

Called them - paid £150 and will pay the rest off by DD. Didn't have to fight, they agreed straight away. DD will be £78 a month - £25 of which is paying off the defecit and the rest will be for the gas we are using.

Very happy - huge weight has been lifted. Thank you for the constructive advice.

sassy_one

Clara2141 wrote: »

Called them - paid £150 and will pay the rest off by DD. Didn't have to fight, they agreed straight away. DD will be £78 a month - £25 of which is paying off the defecit and the rest will be for the gas we are using.

Very happy - huge weight has been lifted. Thank you for the constructive advice.

I am pleased you manage to get it sorted out

dogshome

Hi Clara2141 - You don't list your size of dwelling, number of occupants or how long a period the £392 bill covers, but even with a big house & Family if this bill is for 3 summer months, it's puzzling.

The rough & ready rule of thumb is that in Winter you will consume 80% more gas than in Summer, so if your £392 is for 3 Summer months, you are looking at a yearly cost of around £2,000, which over twice the average..

Just check your meter to see what type it is - It will be marked on the Front as M3 if it's a Metric meter, or Ft3 if it's an Imperial meter.
Then look at you Bill and divide the number of Kw charged by the number of meter units: If the answer is app. 11 you are being billed for a Metric meter, and the answer is app. 31 you are being billed for an Imperial meter

It's not uncommon for suppliers to confuse the two Meter types when working out the Bill, so if there is a mis-match between the meter type and the Billing, get onto BG immediately

macman

The way I read it, the £392 bill was based on an actual reading, previous bills were estimates, so most of the bill is 'catch-up'.