New British Gas policy

Mr_Ted

:mad:

I have just received a phone call from British Gas in respect of an overdue bill in which the operative stated they no longer send out reminders!!!!!!!!!

The bill itself is only outstanding by about a week???

Now I cant say exactly what I said for fear of embarrassing a few with the language due to my instant anger but basically:-

I responded saying that as far as I was concerned particullarly as I had NOT had any notification of this new policy NOT to send reminders any more, that the use of a telephone call was nothing more than extortion and blackmail, particullarly as, in my opinion, there was enough extortion already with the scale of charges since de-regulation of the fuel supply industry and particularly recent costs, that these costs were already putting the elderly and at risk in danger of their lives, and that the use of a telephone call was just further disgustingly inappropriate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say that I was not able to check the call location that this call came from to verify it was who they say it was, but from the detail I was given it did seem real?

It used to be that when the fuel industries where a Nationalised Industry there was always consideration of the Consumer, NOW it is just pure GREED and BULLYING if this call was real????

My final comment to the caller was, you send me a reminder and the bill will be paid, if I have the money, which as a pensioner is tight????

I cannot express the anger i feel about this and it is about time someone got to grips with the Fuel Suppy industry to make COSTS REALISTIC, and their policies and procedures FAIR TO ALL, not everyone can pay by internet so why should those that do get fuels cheaper for one thing, AAAAARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHH

I am so angry :mad::mad::mad:

Probably because i used to work for the old industry which wasnt perfect but had scruples?????????????

HappyMJ

Why are you only paying bills if you get a reminder? I don't see the problem. If you don't want them calling you then ask them to remove your number from the system.

C_Mababejive

But they have already extended you a 3 month minimum line of credit. How much more do you want?

You will not of course have any idea as to how many millions of pounds are being lost due to unpaid bills which ultimately falls on the shoulder of other consumers.

Mr_Ted

You seem to have missed the point

They have not extended me any credit, I only received the bill just over a week ago?

And as for why it is unpaid currently ITS BECAUSE I DONT, BEING A PENSIONER, HAVE THE MONEY CURRENTLY???

I would also request that you consider the impact on many who may not be as able minded as I am of the impact of what is predominantly a threatening phone call??????????????

Why I do what I do or do not do is not your concern, or do you sit in an ivory tower being judgemental of everyone???
What is of concern is the manner in which businesses seem to operate bullying tactics, or would you be OK with your family receiving this type of call????

macman

They have extended you 3 months credit already, plus the week it's now overdue. They're entitled to chase it as soon as it's due.
Why should every other customer have to pay more because you want to be sent a bill and a reminder, which doubles the processing cost?
If you don't have the money to pay anyway, what help is a reminder?
Wouldn't it be better to use a DD if you have problems remembering to pay your bills?

insanegloss

First of all, the policy of 'no reminders' is not the case. It can be a quick phone call before you get sent a letter in some cases. However, my advice would be to be calm and rational about this and directly engage British Gas about it, discuss your options e.g. perhaps a payment scheme, a different tariff, any eligibility things such as Home Energy Care and the Warm Home Discount Scheme etc.

Suppliers do not have 'feelings' for individuals (contrary to popular opinion), they are process driven businesses based on rules, so try not to take it personally and work with your supplier to get any issues resolved. They genuinely are there to help, so be open to what they have to say and be polite, you'll be surprised how warm and helpful agents can be.

TIMMY85

This is the process which is followed.
1 - You use the gas/electricity over the quarter.
2 - you get sent a bill
3 - There are 14 days to pay the bill to receive prompt pay discount/28 days to pay the bill before the collections acticity would start. The first action would be a call.
4 - A red reminder would be sent - if you have previously had a reminder for the previous bill then you would move to a later stage in the collections action which would be a letter stating that a late payment charge will be applied.
5 - If unpaid after 42 days a late payment charge may be applied.

The ultimate result could be that a warrant would be obtained to change the meter which can be avoided with contacting BG.
Credit is extended to all customers who do not have a pre-payment meter as the energy is used before you pay for it.

As insanegloss mentions you may qualify for the warm home discount on your electricity account and it is worth asking when you call. If you did not want to pay by monthly DD you can pay quarterly meaning you get the DD discount and your bill will always get paid 14 days after it is issued.

Joyful

This is the time of year when people perhaps get larger bills than they are expecting. Can I suggest to anyone that has this situation to contact their supplier as soon as they get the bill. This can often mean a payment plan being set up to include the outstanding bill.

As others have said there are other ways to pay bills. You can set up a direct debit, pay at the paypoint by card or pay when the bill arrives.

For older pensioners that get a Winter fuel benefit add it to your account and this will mean you either do not have as much to find or a payment plan would work out cheaper.

The last thing a supplier wishes to have to do is chase up outstanding bills so talk with them and come up with a way to stop this happening.

As has been said already Mr Ted you may qualify for the Warm Home discount or free insulation so talk to BG to find the way forward.

C_Mababejive

I'm working full time and in Winterville, i know its colder and i know fuel costs a fortune so i wear a thermal vest and keep the heating down.

Mr_Ted

thanks Joyful & Timmy85
At last someone who actually understands the situation!!!

It is clear from what you say and what I already understood that this call I received was outside of the expected policies and at the very least previous to the policies!!!

Why this should be is what concerns me as it would for sure be presumed by some, as I have said, threatening and bullying and for sure NOT the best of actions to have been taken given the time of year and which would certainly scare some people into doing something that could be predjudicial to their health and welfare?

Contrary to what some on here may think I am not a person who does not pay his bills, however circumstances and experience dictate that DD is not a prefered option as they tend to be over estimated and acrue finances that are needed elsewhere.
It is also unfortunate that I have been decline the free Insulation available due to the age of my property and construction, on the grounds that it may negate any of the installers warranties.

It would appear, although this is off topic, that unless you have a perfect property of a perfect age and construction, the help that is obviouly needed by way of insulation as the property is NOT of the perfect age and construction is something of an enigma, i.e. it is specifically because of the age and construction that insulation is needed in the 1st place?

It is unfortunate that with the onset of age and the financial situation of the times money is an enigma to say the least, and it certainley does not help with there being judgemental statements being made by people of NO understanding of the situation?
Under the circumstances, being that a policy has been circumvented, I shall wait and see if I get the reminder I requested, by which time finances may have improved?

chanz4

Reminder letters are not an obligation, its a companys credit control process and only 1 letter which is the rights of entry is the only legal letter after the bill that has to be sent.