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British Gas: I need an online tariffs but not direct debit,help!

miss_pig
miss_pig Posts: 7 Forumite
Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
in Energy
My Click Energy Tariff with British Gas just ended on June 1st.

I was happy to stay with British Gas so tried to order their Online Saver 4 Tariff as I wanted an online account, duel fuel and an alternative to direct debit ( am on a low income and prefer to pay quarterly bills by cash/debit card)

As British Gas changed my old meters in March to Smart Meters I am apparently unable to get EnergySmart and so cannot get the Online Saver 4 tariff.

British Gas's other online tariff Websaver 12 only seems to allow payment by D.D.

I now have no idea how to proceed any helpful suggestions would be most appreciated!
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Comments

  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    AFAIK there are no online accounts that accept quarterly payments, I always was under the impression that BG Energysmart required you to provide monthly online readings and pay by variable DD.

    Don't really see how paying quarterly can be easier than paying monthly, but that's your choice.

    I guess you will have to look at standard tariffs on maybe Ebiico although they tend not to be competitive unless you are a light user.
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
  • miss_pig
    miss_pig Posts: 7 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Hmmmmm, thanks for the reply.

    I guess British Gas prefer payment by D.D and are trying to cut the number of tarrifs available with alternative ways to pay....
  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Indeed its cheaper for them, and you come to that, all the big six suppliers are the same.
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
  • grizzly1911
    grizzly1911 Posts: 9,965 Forumite
    penrhyn wrote: »
    Indeed its cheaper for them, and you come to that, all the big six suppliers are the same.


    Only cheaper for us as they structure the tariff that way. If you pay on the nose there should be no penalty for how you pay IMO.

    Helps their cashflow end of and stops them having to chase so many unpaid bills/defaults.
    "If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....

    "big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham
  • miss_pig
    miss_pig Posts: 7 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    It's frustrating though.

    On another thread here a poster was telling how their D.D payments were to be almost doubled but there was no way around it as they would have to pay a penalty to get out of the tariff.

    It might appear that D.D is a better deal, but for myself I don't like the lack of flexibility or that prices can be increased and taken straight out of my bank account with a penalty for me if I don't like it and choose to switch.

    I agree that if you always pay on time it shouldn't matter how you pay.

    My previous Click tariff allowed me the freedom to choose payment options and it was online - British Gas had a happy customer and now they have a p****d off one!
  • KimYeovil
    KimYeovil Posts: 6,156 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    No, if it is the thread I think the instalment has doubled due to an increase in standing charges - nothing to do with direct debits.

    Yes it would be fairer to have a single tariff and you are charged extra when you do not pay on time - but how many customers would be happy with a charge of £45 every time they did not pay on time? This site was almost founded on protests about late charges.

    Unfortunately consumers are idiots and would rather have different tariffs than sensible penalty charges.
  • miss_pig
    miss_pig Posts: 7 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Woops, my mistake for not reading correctly!Apologies.

    I don't think I said I agreed with charging people for not paying on time, just that if you do pay on time you should be able to pay by any method you choose.

    I think my point still stands though that the D.D can be increased with relatively short notice and if you're on a locked in deal you have to pay to get out if you don't like it.

    I have tried to look at some of the price comparison sites this evening but when I try to access my account information on the British Gas website it's "unavailable".....strange that........
  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    OP states: 'As British Gas changed my old meters in March to Smart Meters I am apparently unable to get EnergySmart and so cannot get the Online Saver 4 tariff.'

    Really cant see why though, I wonder if they have talked to BG about it.


    I've found their website a bit flakey in the past, althouigh it may have been me!
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
  • grizzly1911
    grizzly1911 Posts: 9,965 Forumite
    Whilst the suppliers can recommend DDR changes I am sure that if you know your usage and are not in"arrears" I am pretty sure they would be reasonable in agreeing a sensible DDR. That has certainly been my experience to date.

    I guess some people that will have a different take on it though.

    Whilst many people will post on here there a re no doubt 1000's that do not have issues.
    "If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....

    "big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham
  • Widelats
    Widelats Posts: 3,773 Forumite
    Hi pig, try going to Ebico, they don't charge any penalties for paying however you like, you can pay quarterly with no hike in prices.
    Owed out = lots. :cool:
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