estimated first meter read, bill 3 times as large

jaseyrobbo

hi,

i have a problem with british gas...

i moved into my house on the 1st of august, nobody had lived in it for a year due to being renovated.

i noticed a bill from british gas business saying there was a £2000 outstanding bill on the house, so i immediately filled out a moving in form on normal/standard british gas website, with my first meter reading.

meanwhile i switched to scottish power

one problem i got a letter in october from british gas saying ill have to start anew account from british gas business and give them my meter read.

i binned the envelope i put the meter read on (i know it was a big mistake). so i rang them up and found out that british gas business is nothing to do with british gas, they cant contact each other internally apparently, so i asked if they had the meter reading that i gave them.

they said they removed it because of the data protection act, so now i have no meter read from first moving in.

british gas business decided to send me an estimated start read and an actual end read from when scottish power took supply.

came out at £270 for one month! i pay maximum £100 a month at the moment so what can i do?

i dont wanna pay for a completely estimated bill witch is 3 times as much as i pay normally???

bearing in mind i share with 2 others and they didnt move in untill september, so bill is wholly mine alone, how can i have used more than 3 times as much energy by myself??

i keep thinking i should give them a reasonably low meter read,effectively my own estimated start read.. just tell them iv found the first meter read or the landlord has given me it...

Wywth

jaseyrobbo wrote: »

hi,

i have a problem with british gas...

i moved into my house on the 1st of august, nobody had lived in it for a year due to being renovated.

i noticed a bill from british gas business saying there was a £2000 outstanding bill on the house, so i immediately filled out a moving in form on normal/standard british gas website, with my first meter reading.

meanwhile i switched to scottish power

one problem i got a letter in october from british gas saying ill have to start anew account from british gas business and give them my meter read.

i binned the envelope i put the meter read on (i know it was a big mistake). so i rang them up and found out that british gas business is nothing to do with british gas, they cant contact each other internally apparently, so i asked if they had the meter reading that i gave them.

they said they removed it because of the data protection act, so now i have no meter read from first moving in.

british gas business decided to send me an estimated start read and an actual end read from when scottish power took supply.

came out at £270 for one month! i pay maximum £100 a month at the moment so what can i do?

i dont wanna pay for a completely estimated bill witch is 3 times as much as i pay normally???

bearing in mind i share with 2 others and they didnt move in untill september, so bill is wholly mine alone, how can i have used more than 3 times as much energy by myself??

i keep thinking i should give them a reasonably low meter read,effectively my own estimated start read.. just tell them iv found the first meter read or the landlord has given me it...

Thank you for your post.

A perfect example of why you should follow the advice always given here.
i.e. when you move into a property, first contact the existing supplier(s) and provide a meter reading.

When you call a supplier, they should be able to confirm or otherwise if they are the current supplier.

Failure to follow this simple advice will result in problems later as you so clearly demonstrate.

Without evidence to the contrary, the supplier will have to estimate the start reading which will probably be the same as the final reading they got supplied by the previous account holder (if supplied). Lets hope the previous person responsible gave an accurate final reading ... or even registered at all, else you may end up paying for what they used :eek:

If you rent a property, ensure the meter readings are recorded and agreed on the ingoing inventory/statement of condition.

t0rt0ise

I would call them, explain the situation and suggest a sum that sounds reasonable. If they don't agree then raise a formal complaint by letter and suggest the same.

dogshome

From your post I gather that very soon after you moved in, you were spurred by a £2000 bill from BG Business on the doormat, to register your residency and meter readings online, with BG Domestic.

BG Domestic will have a record of this and BG Business are just being difficult in quoteing Data Protection - ( Business Utility supply is a very hard nosed game and they give no quarter to retain customers)

If this dwelling is now used purely as a Domestic residence, BG Business should not be billing you, and further more it's more than likely that the rates they are chargeing you are higher than those for a Domestic supply
( Look at the 'Standard' tariff rates on BG's Domestic web-site and compare them to the rates charged on the bill you've had)

WRITE to BG Business pointing out you are a DOMESTIC customer and if they want you to pay a bill, then that bill should be charged at DOMESTIC ratesand you will not pay them until they produce a bill that is
Also
WRITEto BG Domestic giving them the date you registered your residency &
meter readings, explain the Business billing situation and ask them if they wish to bill you from the date you moved in, or from the end date of the BG Business bill