Argggggggggh British Gas

ladela

I moved into our home 18 months ago. Our landlord changed the gas/electricity to BG just before we moved in (don't know why). Anyway BG came out and read both meters and off they went. Months passed and we received an elec bill (which we paid straightaway) but no gas bill. We phoned them, and they said they would sort it.

Months passed and we received a gas bill for £10. We knew this couldn't possibly be right so phoned them again. They said they would send someone out, which they did, but again, after that visit we heard nothing. About 6 months ago we received another bill for £35. Again, we knew that couldn't be right so phoned them again and this time made a complaint on the 'complaints line'. We were told we would be phoned back - we are still waiting.

Anyway, I now get another bill for £600 but the meter reading on the bill wasn't anything like our actual meter reading. Phoned them again, turns out they have no idea what the meter reading was when we moved in, they've lost it, so they are just guessing what we have used and charging us accordingly. They said they would go on the national average. BTW the £600 ISN'T the full bill - they had no idea what that was for, I'm yet to receive the 'national average' bill!!

Are they allowed to actually do this? I'm fuming at how incompetent they are - I don't want to spend hours of my life waiting for them to answer their bloody phone - its so frustrating dealing with them. As far as I am concerned we have gone out of our way to get this sorted but they just haven't bothered. I don't see why they should be allowed to just guess how much gas we have used!!

To top it all off I have received a threatening letter off them this morning saying they are strating legal proceedings against me for the £600

Gawwwwd they are SO annoying!!

Edit: On the £600 gas bill it says its our FIRST gas bill (it isn't) and that we had a new meter installed last year (we didn't)

tripled

They can legally persue estimated bills I'm afraid, and £600 seems they have charged you below the national average. However you do have a strong case for complaint.

I'd would recommend sending in a written letter of complaint saying you want a proper up to date bill (include a current reading even if you have already given them one), that you dispute the estimate and also want some compensation for the problems you have had. Also point out it's not a new meter and provide them with the serial number and the date it was installed. If they don't reach a satisfactory resolution go to energywatch.

It may also be worth contacting Transco/Xoserve (0870 608 1524) to find out who the previous supplier was - if the supply was transferred only shortly before you moved in, they should have a final meter reading on their records, so you can provide this to BG too to help get a more accurate estimate. If the switchover read was an estimate, ask them what the last confirmed reading was.

Good luck!

StuA1964

Although I had a different complaint with BG, I contacted energywatch - https://www.energywatch.org.uk - detailed my complaint to them and they then wrote to British Gas. Within hours I had two calls from BG telling me what they were doing to rectify the situation. They promised resolution within 72 hours which they did.
I had been trying to resolve the issue myself for 7 months.
As energywatch use complaints to rate suppliers they seem to be able to get issues resolved quicker than Joe Public pursuing themselves.

ladela

Thanks to you both for your advice, I really appreciate it. I am going to follow your advice and send in a letter of complaint today. Stupidly I've only phoned them to date, I wish now I'd put it all in writing!

The letter I got today threatening legal action has a helpline form in it so I'm gonna fill that in to and ask for a prepayment meter so this can't happen again (I assume ). They are just soooooooo frustrating to deal with I'd rather have the inconvenience of popping to the shop to top a key up rather than spend in excess of an hour each time on their phonelines.

Thanks again - gonna check out energywatch's website now

Chesnut1

Err do not want to be the prophet of doom Ladela but be careful of prepayment meters. I am wrangling with BG for my mum, she had a prepayment meter up untill Aug last year. As it was so expensive on charges she changed to a credit (dry) meter. We have finally after many phone calls got her bill now which there is an argument about but thats another story. Anyway while they were sorting out her 10 month bill they gave her a electricity payment card. In this interim period she paid £160 to it as she is a pensioner and was worried about the bill ( Aug 06 to 6/607) On the phone today they could not find this payment eventually they said it was used to pay part of the debt she owed on the prepayment meter a wopping £381.00. Now when she changed to the normal meter we checked there was no outstanding balance!!!! After much arguing the pre payment department have said they will write this off as they had never adjusted her meter for current price hikes so her electriciy had been very cheap. Since this I was called later on and told they will probalbly write it off but it now has to be refered to a differant dept and her £160 if frozen while this is ongoing so can not be used against the current bill. SO PLEASE BE VERY CAREFULL AS THEY CAN STILL DEMAND HUGE SUMS EVEN WITH PR PAYMENT.