British Gas complaint

slinga

On their website it is possible to click on a complaint button but that just takes you back to the enquiries email.

Anyway for the second time in a few months BG has deducted money from my account without informing me. Is this usual.
I am overseas at present as BG know and no energy is being used or has been used at my property for 5 months as BG know.
They have informed me that they will not send me any more bills until I return to UK but continue to do this even though I pay a monthly DD.

Is it at all possible to upgrade the complaint to someone who will actually take some action???
Now don't laugh:rotfl:

Fire_Fox

Write a letter to the Complaints Team, use the formal complaints procedure.

Are you sure they are not informing you, do you now have an online only account and are you checking it periodically? Are you on a 'no standing charge' tariff? Have you cancelled the DD with the bank now?

macman

Being billed for standing charges, or if no meter access, then being billed for estimated usage? More info needed.

Cardew

The notification that they are going to alter the amount of the Direct Debit is usually on the bill, and can be easily missed. They don't send a letter.

If you are absolutely sure that they didn't inform you(and this would be unusual) you can contact your bank and have the money refunded under the Direct Debit Guarantee. You don't have to prove anything to the bank, simply state they didn't inform you!

slinga

I'm on the Standard contract and agreed to pay 10 quid a month DD, no problem, but they have for the second time taken an amount out of my account as an estimate even though they are fully aware that no energy is being used at my property and my account is positive by a greater amount than they have taken out of my bank account.

A month or so ago they promised me they would not do this again and said they had implemented measures to ensure it wouldn't happen again.
They refunded the money last time. It's the principle that annoys me and their absolutely useless administration.

spiro

Part of the problem will stem from the fact that the meter reading will still be trying to read the meter and when they cant this triggers an estimated reading.

If you know there is abolutely no consumption it may be worth submitting a reading once a month with a 1 unit advance. If you are lucky this will pass validation and they will issue actual bills and the DD wont change.

In terms of issuing bills etc they have obligations to meet which I suspect their system wont allow them to override. If you have an online account you should be able to manage it that way.

Wywth

slinga wrote: »

On their website it is possible to click on a complaint button but that just takes you back to the enquiries email.

Anyway for the second time in a few months BG has deducted money from my account without informing me. Is this usual.
I am overseas at present as BG know and no energy is being used or has been used at my property for 5 months as BG know.
They have informed me that they will not send me any more bills until I return to UK but continue to do this even though I pay a monthly DD.

Is it at all possible to upgrade the complaint to someone who will actually take some action???
Now don't laugh:rotfl:

I think you must have misunderstood British Gas.

Whilst you are on supply from BG, they will continue to send you bills even if there has been no consumption.

If you are on a no standing charge tariff, a bill for no consumption will be £0.00 ... but they will still send you it.

How have BG deducted money from your account without informing you?
If by DD, you are fully protected from such action by the terms of the Direct Debit Guarantee. Make a claim direct to your bank who must reimburse you immediately.