Trouble with gas billing

sk065

Hi all

I'm having trouble with my gas account and wondered if you could advise.

I moved into a new build property in jun 2012. At that time meter readings for both gas and elec were taken by Taylor Wimpey however this was done by the sales rep and NOT in my presence. I was told that british gas were my supplier and that it would take approx 16 weeks to setup an account and receive my first bill.

9 months have now passed and I have yet to receive a bill for gas. During that period I made every effort to setup an account, contacting Brit gas, national grid, ombudsman, Taylor Wimpey, SSE etc and no one has been able to provide an mpr number. I was told that I was not registered.

I requested paperwork from Taylor Wimpey and discovered that they had provided wrong meter serial numbers to british gas. I suspect that the meter reading numbers are wrong too as I calculated I was due double the average amount during the 9 month period.

I had not signed the paperwork from Taylor Wimpey to verify that these readings were correct on move in.

British gas have now managed to set up an account and are asking for initial meter readings, which Are clearly wrong. I feel I have been tied into an account with british gas that I was not in agreement with. I have been unable to change tarrifs or suppliers while wholesale gas prices have risen during this period. During that time I tried to switch suppliers but without an mpr no I was told that I couldn't. My elec account was setup in dec but i have been billed for my elec as a single account and not as duel fuel and its not even the cheapest tariff.

Do I have a case for complaint?

Thanks

Wywth

sk065 wrote: »

Hi all

I'm having trouble with my gas account and wondered if you could advise.

I moved into a new build property in jun 2012. At that time meter readings for both gas and elec were taken by Taylor Wimpey however this was done by the sales rep and NOT in my presence. I was told that british gas were my supplier and that it would take approx 16 weeks to setup an account and receive my first bill.

9 months have now passed and I have yet to receive a bill for gas. During that period I made every effort to setup an account, contacting Brit gas, national grid, ombudsman, Taylor Wimpey, SSE etc and no one has been able to provide an mpr number. I was told that I was not registered.

I requested paperwork from Taylor Wimpey and discovered that they had provided wrong meter serial numbers to british gas. I suspect that the meter reading numbers are wrong too as I calculated I was due double the average amount during the 9 month period.

I had not signed the paperwork from Taylor Wimpey to verify that these readings were correct on move in.

British gas have now managed to set up an account and are asking for initial meter readings, which Are clearly wrong. I feel I have been tied into an account with british gas that I was not in agreement with. I have been unable to change tarrifs or suppliers while wholesale gas prices have risen during this period. During that time I tried to switch suppliers but without an mpr no I was told that I couldn't. My elec account was setup in dec but i have been billed for my elec as a single account and not as duel fuel and its not even the cheapest tariff.

Do I have a case for complaint?

Thanks

The readings should be in your welcome pack provided by Taylor Wimpey

You can easily check if the meters are yours. If it does prove to be incorrect, of course you should advise your supplier.

If there has been a mix up, then one of your neighbours will have your readings

Your MPAN (or at least whoever's meter they are billing you for) will be on your bill

sk065

The readings are wrong IMO. The sales rep has transcribed the gas serial number wrongly by missing a digit. She has prob added an extra zero or two to the readings as I'm due double the amount as I said.

I have not signed the paperwork to verify because she took the readings when I wasn't there.

I don't have an MPR number because I've never been billed

Wywth

sk065 wrote: »

I don't have an MPR number because I've never been billed

sk065 wrote: »

My elec account was setup in dec but i have been billed for my elec as a single account and not as duel fuel and its not even the cheapest tariff.

Where's that confused smiley when I really need it?

Oh well, I suppose these will have to do...


:doh: ..... :think:

sk065

mPAN is elec
MPR is gas

I've never been billed for gas. My elec isn't the issue other than I'm probably paying over the odds as i only have an elec account and haven't been able to utilise duel fuel.

Hope this makes sense

Fire_Fox

Why haven't you taken your own readings and supplied those if you were not present to check the meters? The sooner you took them after occupation and the more often the easier it is for British Gas to estimate backwards accurately. As the householder reading the meters when you take occupation and at intervals thereafter is your responsibility, suppliers only have to do it every two years.

TBH I am confused as to whom you think you have a complaint against? You've posted on the energy board but it seems to me the problem is between you and Taylor Wimpey, BG haven't done anything wrong. Have you written to both TW and BG using their formal complaints procedure?

spiro

Have to checked around the gas meter to see if the engineer recorded the date of the installation and the reading?

Also as you have now learnt always read the meter yourself neven trust anyone else to do it.

sk065

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Why haven't you taken your own readings and supplied those if you were not present to check the meters? The sooner you took them after occupation and the more often the easier it is for British Gas to estimate backwards accurately. As the householder reading the meters when you take occupation and at intervals thereafter is your responsibility, suppliers only have to do it every two years.

TBH I am confused as to whom you think you have a complaint against? You've posted on the energy board but it seems to me the problem is between you and Taylor Wimpey, BG haven't done anything wrong. Have you written to both TW and BG using their formal complaints procedure?

I have written to both TW and BG and the ombudsman and I am currently going through the complaint procedure. My main issue is because of bad admin from TW or BG (who knows) I have been unable to change supplier since move in.

Surely if I have not signed a contract with BG and have paperwork to prove that I have made every effort to leave them, I should not be entitled to pay the price I have not agreed upon for the last 9 months?

I take your point about meter readings but this isn't going to stop TW providing their readings to BG and in the end it would have been my word against TW's.

Wywth

sk065 wrote: »

I have written to both TW and BG and the ombudsman and I am currently going through the complaint procedure. My main issue is because of bad admin from TW or BG (who knows) I have been unable to change supplier since move in.

Surely if I have not signed a contract with BG and have paperwork to prove that I have made every effort to leave them, I should not be entitled to pay the price I have not agreed upon for the last 9 months?

I take your point about meter readings but this isn't going to stop TW providing their readings to BG and in the end it would have been my word against TW's.

As already has been explained, it's your bad admin

sk065

Thanks for all your help guys....

sk065

Wywth wrote: »

As already has been explained, it's your bad admin [/

We will have to disagree on that I'm afraid. Put yourself in my shoes, if you were fixed with a supplier you didn't want I'm sure you would believe there was a case to answer. I made enquiries with both companies after 16 weeks (when I was told I would receive the first bill) and it has taken until now to setup an account....and that is my fault?