british gas fixed till 2009 - thr truth

Cardew

lynneandrea wrote:

I am also a BG price fix customer until April 2009. I was not advised when I fixed that I would have to pay a cancellation charge if I left although when looking at the information they sent several weeks later & someone told me of the charge, it was there in the small print (very small print). I was also not aware that my prices wouldn't fall and I have in fact got an email from a member of BG staff dated 05/10/06 confirming that if prices were reduced, mine would also be reduced. However, after sending three emails regarding various issues without response, I sent a fourth one threatening to make a complaint if I didn't hear from someone. I then received a phone call and was advised that my prices wouldn't fall despite the email and all he could do was appologise. So even if you get it in writing, it means nothing from British Gas. I will change supplier as soon as Martin gives the go ahead & after doing a comparison, NPower is looking good & as they have just announced they are reducing their prices. Even if I loose out, I will be glad to leave BG. Their online billing is a joke and customer service is non existant, not to mention them having been the most expensive supplier for several years.

Firstly how did you expect to be advised?

Did you expect BG to ring up several million customers and say "we have written down all the terms & conditions of the offer and given you a copy, but in case you can't be bothered to read them, we will go through them with you"

Secondly what do think the term BG price fix customer means?

The terms and conditions were sent out before people applied. You still could have cancelled in a cooling off period.

As stated above, a crystal ball was needed to have made the correct decision on the tariffs to chose. With respect to Martin his crystal ball has been no better than a lot of other peoples. He weighed up all the factors and still got it wrong; and there is no guarantee he won't get it wrong again. I say that not as a criticism, it's just there are so many unknown factors that you can only make an educated guess.

If you have got an email stating exactly what you state(and not something like you can leave the scheme for cheaper prices) then you will have a claim for compensation from BG - so go for them; most of us will be happy for you to expose their poor service.

BG certainly have been the most expensive supplier for gas if you were on their Standard Tariff, but not for electricity. However you have not been paying high prices, in fact you had one of the cheapest tariffs available for gas and electricity.

Lastly if you want to leave the penalty charges have been waived. However
if gas/electricity prices do increase again next year, might you have been better off remaining on the 2009 tariff?

I am all for people criticising BG, but let it be balanced.

ollyk

tiger_-_lilly wrote:

we were with british gas initially, and read this site and use Uswitch to find a cheaper provider. We switched, but actually found it wasn't any cheaper. Then out of the blue we get a call from Britich gas asking us to go back adn they would assure us our rates will not go up before 2009, and that we should sign up - they were very pushy this was in 2006. The only problem is there is a fee to leave the service early - but why would you if it is assured that the prise wont rise- i mean it had 3 times that year?

Today i get a letter saying "you still have certainty over your energy rates"

On March 12th 2007 the price of gas will drop - but this will not affect you -due to the 2009 price promise!! But if the cost of the fule goes up, this will not go up for you! I was fuming

basically if your a loyal customer and sign up to this you get Fuc*over!!

I think this is wrong, and i have written to british gas and bbc watch dog as i am so annoyed.

is anyone else in this boat?

:mad:Emma:mad:

If the US decide to bomb Iran, might turn out to be a good move

lynneandrea

Reply to Cardew.

There is no need for sarcasm!!!

I did not expect BG to telephone all of their customers but they could have made it clear on their website where I signed up.

BG also confirmed to me last Friday that the penalty charge has not been waived and they appologised about the email which quite cleary said my prices would be reduced.

You like taking a dig at people don't you. You seem to do it quite often.

stevos_2

I've read what everyone has said above.

Yes you are right in saying when you sign up to these price fix you have to take the rough with the smooth.

I have also signed up and feel a liitle miffed. What troubles me is that BG were really pushing people to sign up to this yet they must have had a good idea that prices were going to fall soon, so my feelings are they may have acted a little underhand...

A 17% drop is a fair old decrease so I simply dont believe they had no idea about this when we all signed up the price 'fix'

What does anyone else think?

tripled

I can now confirm Cardew's comment, the cancellation fee is definately being waved for those on PP2009. They are also backdating this to 2nd February.

So if you go back to the standard tariff you won't be charged, but remember if prices go back up next year, tough.

The premium on PP2009 above the new rates is approx 6%.

If I remember rightly Cardew said in another thread BG announced this on Saturday, so if you called on Friday they would have given you the correct information at the time.

space_rider

i`m sure all of the power companies knew there would be a price reduction this year because of the excess amount of gas that is stored. Remember not that long ago they couldn`t even give gas away. I believe BG played on customers fears of further price increases to introduce even more capped products.

lynneandrea

tripled wrote:

I can now confirm Cardew's comment, the cancellation fee is definately being waved for those on PP2009. They are also backdating this to 2nd February.

So if you go back to the standard tariff you won't be charged, but remember if prices go back up next year, tough.

The premium on PP2009 above the new rates is approx 6%.

If I remember rightly Cardew said in another thread BG announced this on Saturday, so if you called on Friday they would have given you the correct information at the time.

Have you any idea where this was announced? I have searched BG website and the BBC and i can find no mention of the cancellation fee being waived and as for prices going up, as there is now a new pipeline I don't think that this will happen, but I'm willing to take the risk as BG have consistently been the most expensive over several years. As space rider has said, all companies must have been aware that cheaper gas was on the way and BG took advantage by getting us to fix.

Cardew

lynneandrea wrote:

Have you any idea where this was announced? I have searched BG website and the BBC and i can find no mention of the cancellation fee being waived and as for prices going up, as there is now a new pipeline I don't think that this will happen, but I'm willing to take the risk as BG have consistently been the most expensive over several years. As space rider has said, all companies must have been aware that cheaper gas was on the way and BG took advantage by getting us to fix.

At the risk of being accused of having another 'go' at you; You seem so intent on having a ‘go’ at BG in all your posts that you totally miss the point.

Firstly, you have had an excellent deal from BG with prices lower than any available tariff; so you have saved money.

Secondly, you can now leave that tariff, without any penalty, and move to a new tariff with BG or any other company.

Thirdly, the terms of the offer, which they have now relaxed, were spelt out in the paperwork – which you didn’t read - but apparently expected to be explained to you by means unknown.

So just exactly what is your complaint?

How have BG "taken advantage of you"?

Just tell us in precise terms what you expect BG to have done?

Please inform us because your post makes absolutely no sense at all to me - even less than your previous post, and that took some doing!

Don't tell me(again) I am having a go at you, because that is quite obvious to all who read this.

tripled

In all fairness, when gas was being traded negatively (was it -4p a therm?), that was after the price rise, so after PP2009 had finished.

According to BG's figures, if you use average gas and ele you have saved £50 so far (seems a little convinient being the same as the cancellation fee but still).

Although (according to Cardew) the announcement about waving fees was made last Saturday on the BBC, there has been nothing official on the website. However it has been released internally. I will see if I can get hold of the details and post them on here tomorrow.

Edit: You got a free thanks there Cardew, I was trying to edit my post when it vanished and your thankyou button appeared instead.

Cardew

tripled wrote:

In all fairness, when gas was being traded negatively (was it -4p a therm?), that was after the price rise, so after PP2009 had finished.

According to BG's figures, if you use average gas and ele you have saved £50 so far (seems a little convinient being the same as the cancellation fee but still).

Although (according to Cardew) the announcement about waving fees was made last Saturday on the BBC, there has been nothing official on the website. However it has been released internally. I will see if I can get hold of the details and post them on here tomorrow.

Edit: You got a free thanks there Cardew, I was trying to edit my post when it vanished and your thankyou button appeared instead.

It was no doubt a Freudian slip!!

I have thanked you for your thanks!

P.S. It was announced on BBC 'Working Lunch' on Friday 23 Feb.