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British Gas merging gas/electricity accounts.

LesD
LesD Posts: 2,111 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
Have I missed some publicity on this?

Finding conflicting account numbers when I logged on to enter meter readings, I contacted their call centre to be told that they have unilaterally merged my gas and electricity accounts on to the same account number.

They also planned to merge the two monthly direct debits into one!

When I asked how they will separate the payments to allocate them to the usage, they said it will still be done 'as normal'! Do I believe them? Not in a million years!

Their record on billing is not good, and I can see this giving a million possibilities for them to get things wrong in the future.

It could also be a ploy to make it more difficult to switch one supply in the future.

So they've agreed to DE-merge them and reinstate separate account numbers.

Has anyone else got thoughts on this?

Comments

  • Terrylw1
    Terrylw1 Posts: 7,038 Forumite
    It might be due to their new SAP which will be built to work with both fuels unlike the older systems of all these utilities. Its usually more convenient to manage things together so perhaps they are working to tie their dual fuel customers correctly.

    In terms of switching, fuels are treated completely seperately so it won't be any worse. The only possible issue I can think of is if the stop you moving due to debt if the debt is on the other fuel...but they should have a counted for this as the industry treats the fuels as stand alone.
    :rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:
  • MK55
    MK55 Posts: 286 Forumite
    LesD wrote: »
    Have I missed some publicity on this?

    Finding conflicting account numbers when I logged on to enter meter readings, I contacted their call centre to be told that they have unilaterally merged my gas and electricity accounts on to the same account number.

    They also planned to merge the two monthly direct debits into one!

    When I asked how they will separate the payments to allocate them to the usage, they said it will still be done 'as normal'! Do I believe them? Not in a million years!

    Their record on billing is not good, and I can see this giving a million possibilities for them to get things wrong in the future.

    It could also be a ploy to make it more difficult to switch one supply in the future.

    So they've agreed to DE-merge them and reinstate separate account numbers.

    Has anyone else got thoughts on this?


    Hi,

    Certainly not new process, I've had the same merged account since late 08' early 09. Must just be a late one to move onto merged accounts?? Works good for me 1 bill, 1 email etc
  • kelpie35
    kelpie35 Posts: 1,788 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Wish they would merge my two accounts into one.
  • Terrylw1
    Terrylw1 Posts: 7,038 Forumite
    kelpie35 wrote: »
    Wish they would merge my two accounts into one.

    Why can't they?
    :rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:
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