British Gas.... another one!

cat_saving_expert

We have been with British gas for about 3/4 years, on a card meter for most of it because of a bill we were unable to pay (about £200), they set the meter to take the money weekly and we worked out it would take about a year to clear it.

About a year and a half ago they changed the card meter to the key meter, then sent us a bill for £1468.58, phoned them up and they said it was because of the new meter and the difference in the readings, that sounded right and they said they would just take it to zero - no problem at all.

Didn't hear anything from them about that again, it was all sorted.

Thanks to Money saving expert we chose to switch to Ebico last October, then we get a letter from Britsh gas saying sorry your going bla bla, you can't leave until you've paid us the £1564.62 you owe us!

Phoned them up, got through eventually, they didn't know why I had that bill but they would look into it and call back...... they never called, I phoned them again, again they don't know why I got the bill but would call back... they didn't.

Then I got someone who told me it looked like I was still paying for the old bill (£200 from 4 years ago) and they might owe me that money :T , they will phone me back, guess what ... they didn't!

Then I spoke to someone who told me I'd been using someone elses card to buy electric (no way thats true), someone else said it was there computer error, someone else said the meter hadn't been updated, so I was undercharged and I do owe them the money, that person did actually try and sort it out and said she would phone back and DID, but just to say they still don't know whats going on and she would call me back this week... she didn't call back either!

Is this some kind of way to trap customers into British gas or what! I'm stuck with them while they sort all this out, I will save money on Ebico once I actually make it over.

Then I come here and read all your stories about them and I'm just wondering how long this is going to take to sort out really, its already been nearly 3 months and all we have found out in that time is that no one at British Gas knows anything, and if I don't keep phoning them nothing will happen at all, well actually even if I do phone them nothing happens either....:think:

masonic

Write a letter of complaint. If they don't resolve the problem in a reasonable time, you can then go to the Ombudsman or Energywatch and see how fast the problem goes away.

maypole

I agree with Masonic NEVER phone them, they just ignore you and there is no proof you rang. Always write a letter and start with
Dear Sir/madam
This is a complaint.

and write it to the top man/woman. A complaint will always trickle down the ranks but never up! Send recorded delivery. Always be polite but firm.

Good luck