need some advice with BG please....

newcook

Background: moved into house in August 06 and signed with British Gas rep mid aug for duel fuel but have never had a bill!
Everytime me or OH call BG we get the same reply of 'we cant find you on the system for gas, we can see the details for electric but we cant send the bill because it states duel fuel'
Anyway, I got energywatch involved as suggested on here and they wrote to BG and told them to get it sorted and to write to me within 10 days. 3 weeks later we had a letter from BG basically saying 'sorry we cocked up, we dont know what we are doing, we dont know how long it will take to sort out or if we can sort it out so we suggest you find someone else to provide your gas and electric!'
Anyone got any ideas what we can do?!?!!? If we go to another supplier we are going to need to get BG to provide the details but they cant find them!
Also, if it is possible to switch, am I in any right to send BG a letter saying that as its their !!!! up they can write off the bill if and when they finally get it sorted as a goodwill gesture???
Any ideas welcome!!!!

Thanks in advance

olly300

You can't switch unless you know who your gas is supplied by, and if you switch and owe the old supplier money they can come after you for it.

Your gas meter has a meter reference number so I suggest you read it and write them down. Alternatively you can find these numbers on your old gas bills from the supplier you had before BG.

Transco's Meter Helpline on 0870 608 1524 and ask them who is registered to supply gas to your property. (You have to give them the meter ref number and your address). Make detailed notes of the conversation i.e. who you talked to, date and time.

Then you are going to have to contact the registered supplier and ask them to send a bill using the readings you gave BG. (It may be the last company who supplied you.)

However if your gas supplier is registered as BG:
1. Then take a gas meter reading with the current date and find a new supplier, giving them the registered supplier details as BG.

2. I would write a firm letter to BG via recorded delivery stating what you found from Transco and demand a gas and electricity bill within 14 days otherwise you will you take the matter further. (Recently BG didn't bill me when my meter was changed I asked for a bill within 14 days and I got a response within 5 days and a bill appeared within 20 days.)

They won't give you a bill so contact energywatch again stating you know BG is your registered supplier and you have asked them to bill you for gas and electricity but they refuse to give you bills and you have been trying to sort this out for xxx months, what can you do? If energywatch refer you back to BG again keep making a fuss in writing (less hassle then phone calls where you have to recorded details of your call) until BG either bill you or agree to write some/all of the bills of.

(Years ago I managed to get an electricity bill written of because a supplier refused to give me a bill. )

tripled

All you need to switch is your MPAN and MPR (and usually your new supplier can find these). It doesn't matter if BG haven't billed you as they can't object unless there is a bill that has been outstanding for more than 28 days (which there isn't, because they haven't issed one). Put some money to one side and keep a record of meter readings, then if a bill ever does come through you won't be caught out.

There is a limit on how long they can back bill for (1 year as of next month) so the longer it takes them to sort it out the less you'll have to pay!

I'm quite surprised by that response though as BG are very unlikely to recommend you switch to another provider and also they can send electricity bills even if there is no gas account on the system.