British Gas - no gas connection

Lolli101

Another huge company that surprise surprise is bad at customer service.

Lived in my flat since 1993 and have never been connected to gas supply and for about 10+ years British Gas insist on sending me estimated usage bills and every time I have call them and explain again and again that I have no gas?!

They still send out the meter reading company and for about 3 years the same guy turned up, it took him atleasst 18 months to say 'I know your meter isn't connected so I don't need to see it. I keep telling them you don't have gas but no one listens! All I can suggest is that you call them each bill period and give your reading 00000'. I didn't see him again.
I did this for a while but got fed up having to repeat myself then magically my bills said zero balance owed until now?

Yep got my bill and it states I owe over £300 for gas I don't have???

Why oh why? Now I'll get a late payment repeat bill andso on until I make yet another repetative explanatory call to them......

spiro

I suspect the issue is because you still have a meter, if you are not using gas (not sure why you wouldn't as its cheaper than elec) I would call them and ask them to remove the meter.

lemontart

spiro wrote: »

I suspect the issue is because you still have a meter, if you are not using gas (not sure why you wouldn't as its cheaper than elec) I would call them and ask them to remove the meter.

Exactly what I would say.

Lolli101

Cheers Spiro.
Appreciate gas is cheaper but I never had the money to install central heating and still don't!

Today got my 'your payment is late' bill!

When I got this once before I called them and they said it could go to court, I said I'd go to court as they'd be wasting court time which would annoy the judge.

I just find it strange getting a bill when I haven't had one for awhile now and considering how many times I've called and told them I've no gas!

Joyful

No company will block your bills as at any time you could start using gas. The company will be charged for the meter being supplied at your property and soon all companies will have a daily charge for the meter being there. If you have no plans to move then arrange to get the meter removed. Otherwise you may soon get bills not for consumption (which you can dispute) but for having a gas supply to your property.

[Deleted User]

I get it quite a lot, constant visits every quarter to meters which have been removed and capped donkeys years before. the suppliers dont seem to take any notice of any remarks or notes we make . Indeed I have several " blank screen " electric meters , digital meters, going back 4 years at least where no action is taken at all.

insanegloss

sacsquacco wrote: »

I get it quite a lot, constant visits every quarter to meters which have been removed and capped donkeys years before. the suppliers dont seem to take any notice of any remarks or notes we make . Indeed I have several " blank screen " electric meters , digital meters, going back 4 years at least where no action is taken at all.

That's because there isn't the software to "read" the meter reading (d0010) flows for that 'free text' section you're writing in when submitting the reading. I only saw the text when I'd have a reason to look at the flows, usually when the customer tells us themselves.

There are initiatives periodically to work on identifying blank screen meters, but they certainly don't pick up all of the issues.

Back on the OP's point, call the supplier, give the reading and adjust the bill. Also arrange meter removal to stop this in future. Problem solved.

[Deleted User]

insanegloss wrote: »

That's because there isn't the software to "read" the meter reading (d0010) flows for that 'free text' section you're writing in when submitting the reading. I only saw the text when I'd have a reason to look at the flows, usually when the customer tells us themselves.

There are initiatives periodically to work on identifying blank screen meters, but they certainly don't pick up all of the issues.

Back on the OP's point, call the supplier, give the reading and adjust the bill. Also arrange meter removal to stop this in future. Problem solved.

Thanks, nice to know why nothing ever gets done, Id assumed that was the case. I tell the customers to phone cust services with meter faults like blank screens, however the canny ones are happy to keep the faulty meter and make good use of the unregistered electricty on tap

chanz4

If you find the faulty ones, call the suppliers rpu they will flag it

insanegloss

chanz4 wrote: »

If you find the faulty ones, call the suppliers rpu they will flag it

Absolutely.

[Deleted User]

My RPU are nt interested in faults. We have many faults coming up to highlight, blank screens are just one of many. The system is nt set up correctly to bring to light all the various faults and dangers. Brit Gas are to blame,they are useless. why give us all a check list to highlight and add our comments if absolutely nothing is ever done about it, or no notice taken. Dangerous dogs are the worst. They all ignore every thing, that go s for Scot Power and EDF also. I would be all day on the phone if it was all up to me to ring customer services. I ve told all our managers often enough about this, but its a waste of time. Hope all the other sections of society are nt run in such a slipshod manner as the utilitys.