British Gas gas credit meter headache :(

millnut

Hi all, I wonder if any of you can provide any help with the situation I'm in at present, here it goes:

I switched from pre-payment meters for gas and electricity, to both being credit in March 2013.

I received an email asking to supply my meter readings online at the middle of June, I did both electricity and gas readings. Electricity submitted fine but Gas failed 24hours later with an e-mail asking me to submit my Gas reading again online. When going to submit again the gas account from my online account had disappeared.

The first time I contacted support they said somehow the gas account had reverted back to pre-payment and said they had fixed it and set it back to a credit account.

This happened a further 12 times, with each person saying they had fixed it then upon checking my online account the next day each time the gas account had disappeared. I then logged on the beginning of July to find my gas credit account had disappeared again!, speaking to a support person again; they said they would call back. I never received a call back, so I had to ring again which then they said it had reset back to pre-payment for gas again. After explaining all of the above over and over and over.

After speaking to so many people including their so called "experts" and being bounced around departments, it finally turned out that when my gas account was changed from pre-payment to credit meters they didn't update the meter number for my gas meter which was causing the rollback to pre-payment 24hours after submitting a gas reading online.

They corrected this and I supplied the meter number, but again and again it keeps resetting back to pre-payment enough though I am on credit and the meter number gets reset as well.

They keep saying an "expert" will ring back and resolve the issue, but I get no phone call and the problem still exists. I don't understand how my electricity credit account can be fine but my gas credit account not.

It's getting to the point where I am going to have to switch suppliers due to their lack of support and customer service (I've been hung up on about 5 times now because they don't know what to do so they hang up)

Any suggestions?

Wywth

millnut wrote: »

Hi all, I wonder if any of you can provide any help with the situation I'm in at present, here it goes:

I switched from pre-payment meters for gas and electricity, to both being credit in March 2013.

I received an email asking to supply my meter readings online at the middle of June, I did both electricity and gas readings. Electricity submitted fine but Gas failed 24hours later with an e-mail asking me to submit my Gas reading again online. When going to submit again the gas account from my online account had disappeared.

The first time I contacted support they said somehow the gas account had reverted back to pre-payment and said they had fixed it and set it back to a credit account.

This happened a further 12 times, with each person saying they had fixed it then upon checking my online account the next day each time the gas account had disappeared. I then logged on the beginning of July to find my gas credit account had disappeared again!, speaking to a support person again; they said they would call back. I never received a call back, so I had to ring again which then they said it had reset back to pre-payment for gas again. After explaining all of the above over and over and over.

After speaking to so many people including their so called "experts" and being bounced around departments, it finally turned out that when my gas account was changed from pre-payment to credit meters they didn't update the meter number for my gas meter which was causing the rollback to pre-payment 24hours after submitting a gas reading online.

They corrected this and I supplied the meter number, but again and again it keeps resetting back to pre-payment enough though I am on credit and the meter number gets reset as well.

They keep saying an "expert" will ring back and resolve the issue, but I get no phone call and the problem still exists. I don't understand how my electricity credit account can be fine but my gas credit account not.

It's getting to the point where I am going to have to switch suppliers due to their lack of support and customer service (I've been hung up on about 5 times now because they don't know what to do so they hang up)

Any suggestions?

Why are you expected to input the reading online?
Surely they would have taken the reading when you called up??? :cool:

However, if the online account is not available, and it's not being resolved, raise a formal complaint in line with the supplier's complaint procedure.

millnut

Yep I have submitting readings when it was setup by telephone and was asked by email to submit online. And each time they admit that the gas account switches back to prepayment even though its credit that ask for a meter reading again by telephone and the account keeps reverting which they have admitted numerous times on the phone and have got their "experts" to look at with no response.

I have also raised a complaint in June and have had no response.

matelodave

Write a letter, marking it Complaint and send it recorded delivery.

Once you realise that you aren't getting anywhere usin a phone or the internet, then that's the only recourse. If you don't get it sorted after a recorded snottogram, then its a complaint to ofgen/ofgas or who ever to try and get it sorted.

In the meantime keep taking meter readings and recording them (ideally weekly) and make sure you are stashing the money away to pay the bill when it eventually arrives and it all gets sorted out

Joyful

Did the engineer leave a card or yellow sticker with the exchange details on it? If so call with this information and ask for this to be passed to an Advocate who will arrange to get your meter exchange updated. They will then give you a timescale for this.

If not give them all the info you have such as the date of exchange, if the meter was set to zero and what the read is on the day you call.

millnut

Yep I have done the compliant, and received the standard reply letter.

I have also rang British Gas numerous times giving them the credit meter number to update (the number starting with G4), told them it was set to zero and gave numerous readings and nothing ever gets sorted, i.e. I ring the next day and it turns out they never actually entered the meter number (the one starting with G4 that I gave) into their systems over the phone

insanegloss

millnut wrote: »

Yep I have done the compliant, and received the standard reply letter.

I have also rang British Gas numerous times giving them the credit meter number to update (the number starting with G4), told them it was set to zero and gave numerous readings and nothing ever gets sorted, i.e. I ring the next day and it turns out they never actually entered the meter number (the one starting with G4 that I gave) into their systems over the phone

It can take a couple of days, there's not just BG's systems to update, the industry metering databases have to be updated also. You should also have had a specific person looking after your case.

Additionally, it also can depend why the exchange occurred can affect the time taken to update e.g. If it was an emergency exchange, lots more work to do in back office terms.

Joyful

As above you need to check that an Advocate is dealing with this. If there is a problem it can take weeks rather than days to update so you should have the name of the person who is getting the details updated on your behalf.

In the meantime as long as you are putting aside what you would have used in the prepayment meter you can clear off any balance once it is updated and then start with no debt. If you have not done this they will add the balance to a payment plan for you. Obviously the first is better as the pyts would be lower.

millnut

there doesn't seem to be one person dealing with this at all.

So do you think it best I ring up and ask for an advocate to update my meter number and go from there?

Joyful

Yes. I know you say that you have given the details before but this time ask if an Advocate is dealing with it and if so get a timescale. If not, ask for this to happen. Give the details again so that there is no excuse. I would also insist that a complaint is raised and that you are not happy for it to be closed until you are called to advise it has been actioned.

millnut

thanks for the help Joyful, I am now past the clueless customer support and have an advocate looking at the issue, just waiting for a callback.

Will keep you updated