British Gas prepayment meter woes

t0rt0ise

spiro wrote: »

The golden rule is NEVER use someone elses key unless instructed to do so by the supplier (very rare if not never).

They did tell me to. They said it would be fine. They said they'd transfer the account for me. They didn't. When a guy came to fix the meter when the key broke just prior to them actually removing it, he said that the tariff was wrong. When I told the CS guys this they ignored it.

Unfortunately I had never come across this sort of meter before and didn't know until the engineer had fiddled with it that information could be read on it so I didn't read the tariff on it. I really wish I could go back now and do that!

Luckily I only had the meter for just over 7 weeks so I have suggested that if their literature is correct and the tariff is 35.5% more expensive than standard, that they owe me about £25. So we're not talking high amounts here but still.

t0rt0ise

SwanJon wrote: »

Even if you used the old tenant's key, it is entirely possible to have the meter set your way. Does the bill you opened have readings and dates on it?

No, the letter just says what the total usage is from December 2009 to last week. So they still think the meter is there and it's still her account. Interesting when they come to read it!

chrism_scotland

t0rt0ise wrote: »

No, the letter just says what the total usage is from December 2009 to last week. So they still think the meter is there and it's still her account. Interesting when they come to read it!

Ah so its not really a bill then, its an Annual Statement, due to an OFGEM ruling all Energy Companies have to send Prepayment Customers a letter each year to let them know what their annual energy usage is, thats the letter that will have been sent out so I wouldn't worry about it,

How long did you have the PP meter for before it was changed to a Credit Meter?
Also when was the Credit meter installed, its possible the meter exchange has not yet been reflected on the British Gas billing system yet.

t0rt0ise

Yes, I said it was a letter. And of course I'm worried about it as it shows that the meter was on an expensive tariff when I took it over and as it was never put into my name even though they said it would be at every turn, I was paying the expensive rate. As the engineer who came to change the meter a week after I moved in said that the meter could not be changed, I had the meter for over 7 weeks. It was changed when I found out that the engineer had just been incompetent.

In contrast, the gas meter account was put into my name prior to my moving in and one week later was changed for a credit meter. So they can do it right if they try.

Oh and there are two accounts now as I have my own credit meter account with which I have just moved to EDF while the previous tenant is still getting letters about the use on the PPM up to the 3rd December, when it was removed on 13th October.

WhiteHorse

I've just had an electric meter replaced as I found that it was set for Economy 7. The catch is, there's been no storage heaters in the property for 10 years! The previous owner of the house hadn't noticed that they were paying over the odds.

t0rt0ise

Think of the refund they could claim if they had got their act together.

mattcanary

spiro wrote: »

How do you know what a letter addressed to someone other than you said? You should have just put it back in the post marked 'Return to sender, no longer at this address'.

Good job Tortoise did open the post - otherwise he/she would be no further with resolving the problem.

KimYeovil

t0rt0ise wrote: »

Think of the refund they could claim if they had got their act together.

Why would they receive any refund?

t0rt0ise

KimYeovil wrote: »

Why would they receive any refund?

Just a jokey aside, Kim. For those with a sense of humour. It shouldn't concern you.

paulsad

Its a big complicated world out there - unfortunately EDF, Eon, BG et al. are all about the same with problems like these - they are big companies with lots of people moving addressess, changing names etc. often without telling them before they do (maybe to try and save a few quid - who knows?) so leaving behind trouble for the new occupant. They are in a complicated position in that they have to verify what we tell them before they can act - we may be as honest as the day is long but they don't know that - so I do have some sympathy with them.