British Gas can't lower direct debits - is this true??

mprice1988

jonnyw wrote: »

Most meters are outside nowadays, particularly on houses built in the last 20 years. With their market share every fourth house on a road is one of theirs.

If they employed their own meter reders I would estimate 5 minutes a house that would be less than a pound a house in wages, £10 million a year to read once a year, £40 million to read once a quarter.

£40 million a quarter is an extra cost that the energy companies would have to pay to implement such a system - in business terms...its just not going to happen. Energy companies rely on customers to supply them with actual readings so bills can be accurate every quarter. Its far cheaper to get someone to read their own meter than is spending millions reading their own meters?

Cardew

jonnyw wrote: »

I think its acknowledged that utility companies commit fraud to win new customers (by misleading them into believing there is a monthly saving). Is it such a big step to accept they continue with their fraudulent system after they have gained a new customer

We can hypothesise as much as we want about estimated bills, but as I understand it there is no data to show that more meter readings are over estimated, than under estimated, either deliberately or accidentally. That more people have debit balances than credit balances would indicate(but not prove) that companies are not making any money that way.

Without getting into a semantic discussion, I disagree with your definition of ‘fraud’ in relation to luring customers to join their company by offering low DD payments. Immoral – possibly; sharp business practice – certainly; but not fraud. In fact one could argue they gain by a low DD; they get in effect an interest free loan.

The culprits in this are largely the comparison companies and the marketing agencies who canvas on doorsteps and in supermarkets. They are driven solely by the need to maximise their commission and accurate objective advice will not earn commission in many cases.

These parasitic organisations, with their £30 cashback and ‘free’ champagne are an unnecessary overhead that we all pay for in the end in increased bills.

If one company uses the unfair/immoral/unethical(but not illegal) tactic of a too low DD to persuade customers to swop, then it is inevitable that the other companies will adopt the same tactics.

BBB

Are you seriously suggesting that BG sack call centre staff?! We don't have enough as it is

BBB

Thing is, yeah I do sympathise with the elderly/disabled that don't have their meter read, however it takes TWO seconds to read a meter and call the automated service, legally we are only required to read the meter every year (gas) and 2 years (electric)

tripled

BBB wrote: »

legally we are only required to read the meter every year (gas) and 2 years (electric)

Legally suppliers are only obliged to read the meter once every two years for gas, when the meter should also be visually inspected.

Stormy

Cardew wrote: »

Anyone who stays on BG's Standard Tariff doesn't understand Utility prices, is silly, or lazy as you put it..

May I suggest it would have been more helpful if you had done a little research first before offering firm advice.

Agreed and Agreed, too many people on here shout "get rid and switch to x" with little thought.

The "only" way you can be sure you are paying the lowest prices is to do a comparison yourself on somewhere like energywatch and use accurate unit usage.

Too much FUD on this forum tbh....

Mike