British Gas Reviews: Give your feedback

datlex

My personal experience of BG has been positive. I joined them in 2012. When I moved in here there were prepayment meters linked to another supplier. I changed from them to BG because the customer service of that company had been very poor. Researching online showed at the time only two companies with devices which you could use to top up your energy account. BG were more efficient at answering the phone. After a year I changed to credit meters, it was slightly challenging to get them. Initially they were not keen to but it was not too difficult to sort them. I regularly change tariffs with them and when possible take advantage of their reward tariffs. I have had a couple of hundred pounds worth of amazon vouchers from them over the past 4 years. I currently have plans to change to the smart meter, it is booked for later this month. As someone who works during the week, my energy usage is higher at weekends. I will be taking advantage of the free electricity on Sundays. I may review this as I know I can rearrange any time prior to that.

Regarding management of my account. I use the app on my phone for readings. I give monthly readings, have a monthly bill and give monthly readings. I am told that my smart meter will give 30 min readings and that I can still pay monthly. Bills will be quarterly (not sure why).

Blackavar

I really regret moving to BG in the Collective Switch in October 2016. I moved from OVO who were absolutely fine for 2 years but decided to save a few pounds. So 3 months in and no readings have been taken from my OVO installed smart metres (working towards this apparently) and not been asked to provide any yet. So no energy monitoring device so no idea how much energy I am using on new devices e.g. Radiators, slow cooker, phone charger. My complaints have generated calls from BG who tell me how they lead the field in smart metre installations but I was in a far better position 2 years ago with automatic smart metre readings, energy monitor to check usage 'on the fly' and monthly graphical update I information on my usage.
I appreciate that I wrongly made the assumption that the tools and automation would be similar to OVO so basically my fault. This has taught me that there is a lot more than saving a few pounds when choosing an energy provider and look forward to switching again in October or may even bite the bullet and pay the £40 early exit fee.

victor2

Presently, smart meters don't work after switching supplier. The new SMETS2 standard ones will support that and are supposed to start being rolled out later this year.
It's back to reading your meters yourself now. You can enter them into your BG account online as suits you, you don't have to wait for them to ask.

bruckshaw1

For those on fixed tariffs ending soon it is worth checking "Extra Spend" column of the BG Personal Projection page. I have reason to suspect that the extra spend figures suggested for changing tariffs are understated by a factor of 12 i.e. quoted as per year rather than per month. I have challenged BT on this and await their response.

martyp

I found their responses to e-mails quite quick but my transfer last year with the collective switch wasn't without hiccups. I did have to chase things a few times and was told there was a problem and delay. It took a couple of months before my online account actually made sense as there was all sorts of odd details on there as one fuel switched before the other.
This might be quite normal as this is the first time I've ever switched and Scottish Power were no end of nightmares with much assistance from the ombudsman being needed (they were insistent I'd just moved house when I'd lived in the same place for 10 years - I'm glad they know more of my whereabouts than I apparently do!)
I did also suffer with the duplicate direct debit issue late last year which was resolved quickly (thought I'd see if any other compensation was due as it hit me at my lowest financial point, the weekend just before pay day but no...)
I've also submitted meter readings when asked and then got asked for them again shortly after so their ability to administer meter readings provided didn't seem that good but generally they have billed me fine.
They were also slow sending me my tariff ending notification letter (after the 42-49 days period - other thread about this).
I've not had to really escalate anything otherwise, bills have gone through on correct readings and the DD has been managed ok so not too bad on that part.

Kath72

Changed to BG dual fuel fixed deal after link from MSE energy club. 1 year later deal ends, huge price hike, so found another deal on MSE.
2 very confusing emails sent to me today from BG following submission of final meter readings last week.
First 00.54:
"Your electricity bill is ready to view online. Your latest bill is ready for you to view online. Your account balance is £313.73 in credit."
Second 01.39:
"Your gas bill is ready to view online. Your latest bill is ready for you to view online. Your account balance is £21.25 in credit."
Phone call to ask for refund to be paid by cheque, rather than returned to account where Direct Debit paid from,as I have changed supppliers following the huge price hike, only to be told only £21.25 is due!
I have been on fixed rate deal for past year, yet operator kept talking about quarterly bill.
Had to stop call to collect daughter from school. Would be grateful for explanation please. Thanks

victor2

It sounds like the person you were talking to was only seeing the credit on the gas account. Even though you're on a dual fuel tariff, they still account for each utility separately, despite you making a single direct debit payment each month against an account covering both. If you speak to them again, you'll probably get someone who will explain the whole picture better and agree that both credits are due.
You do get quarterly bills on an annual deal. It is then that you'll see what the balance is when your usage is costed against the amounts you have paid. When you look at your account balance just before a quarterly bill is due, you will normally see a credit balance, as they have logged your payments, but not yet accounted for your usage.

British_Gas_Rep_Matt

Kath72 wrote: »

Changed to BG dual fuel fixed deal after link from MSE energy club. 1 year later deal ends, huge price hike, so found another deal on MSE.
2 very confusing emails sent to me today from BG following submission of final meter readings last week.
First 00.54:
"Your electricity bill is ready to view online. Your latest bill is ready for you to view online. Your account balance is £313.73 in credit."
Second 01.39:
"Your gas bill is ready to view online. Your latest bill is ready for you to view online. Your account balance is £21.25 in credit."
Phone call to ask for refund to be paid by cheque, rather than returned to account where Direct Debit paid from,as I have changed supppliers following the huge price hike, only to be told only £21.25 is due!
I have been on fixed rate deal for past year, yet operator kept talking about quarterly bill.
Had to stop call to collect daughter from school. Would be grateful for explanation please. Thanks

victor2 wrote: »

It sounds like the person you were talking to was only seeing the credit on the gas account. Even though you're on a dual fuel tariff, they still account for each utility separately, despite you making a single direct debit payment each month against an account covering both. If you speak to them again, you'll probably get someone who will explain the whole picture better and agree that both credits are due.
You do get quarterly bills on an annual deal. It is then that you'll see what the balance is when your usage is costed against the amounts you have paid. When you look at your account balance just before a quarterly bill is due, you will normally see a credit balance, as they have logged your payments, but not yet accounted for your usage.

Hi Kath72, sorry for any confusion this has caused. As victor2 mentioned, although you're on an annual deal you'll still be sent quarterly statements for your gas and electricity.
It sounds to me as though your gas and electricity bills have been issued slightly apart, which is what’s given the different balances. This is because as any credit would be used to cover the bill issued first, leaving less credit to cover the final bill for your other fuel. However it’s difficult to say for sure without your account details.
Please give our Collective Tariff Team a call on 0800 975 9712 and we'll take a closer look at your account to explain exactly what's happened. Thanks, Matt

sue6067

I have two queries
The first is with regard to a post in early January saying that MSE was negotiating a new switch for those of us who are living in Scotland and Wales and that we would be notified during the first week of February. I haven't seen anything yet has a deal been struck and who with?
the second query is with regard to Scottish Gas, who I have accounts for both my gas and electricity. I have heard a rumour that if I switch from Scottish Gas to another supplier, my service contract with them for boiler and other appliance maintenance and for electricity and plumbing repairs will be cancelled or not renewed or will cost me a lot more per year. I wonder if there is any point switching if I lose this service
Can anyone advise me please
Thank you

British_Gas_Rep_Matt

sue6067 wrote: »

I have two queries
The first is with regard to a post in early January saying that MSE was negotiating a new switch for those of us who are living in Scotland and Wales and that we would be notified during the first week of February. I haven't seen anything yet has a deal been struck and who with?
the second query is with regard to Scottish Gas, who I have accounts for both my gas and electricity. I have heard a rumour that if I switch from Scottish Gas to another supplier, my service contract with them for boiler and other appliance maintenance and for electricity and plumbing repairs will be cancelled or not renewed or will cost me a lot more per year. I wonder if there is any point switching if I lose this service
Can anyone advise me please
Thank you

Hi Sue6067, sorry for the late reply.
Just to confirm if you left Scottish Gas for your gas or electricity, your boiler cover wouldn't be cancelled.
You do get a discount of £12 from your boiler cover for having your energy with us, so there would be a small impact at your renewal but you wouldn't lose the service. Cheers, Matt