Locked in to British Gas for life - Meter numbers do not exist?

malik999

I have been with British Gas for 10 years. I have tried to move from British Gas 3 times over the last few months all without success.
I've tried EON, NPower and Co-op. All 3 are unable to take me because they say my meters do not exist and refer me back to British Gas.

My home is a 5 bedroom detached on a normal housing estate. 15 years old. We have lived their since new.

The meter numbers on my British Gas bills match the numbers on my meters so i personally do not know what is wrong. My best guess - British Gas have changed/removed my details from the national database and as my supplier they are the only ones that can resolve that.

I have complained to British Gas several times phone and in writing but they never get back to me or do anything about it, presumably because I had to disclose each time i am trying to leave and the above suppliers could not find me.

I am in effect permanently tied British Gas for life I can never leave. They have the highest charges in my area and i cant leave/do anything about it.

Has anyone come across this before?. Any ideas how i could resolve this?

macman

Forget phoning. Official complaint letter to BG sent by RD, (must be headed 'complaint'), then if not resolved within the statutory period, take it to the regulator.

insanegloss

Where do you live? If it's Stornoway, then unfortunately there are meter points there that are not open to competition, as I believe they are piped propane and are a slightly different network. In which case, you are indeed correct, you can't move.

However, if it's anywhere else, then you need to find your MPRN (gas) and MPAN (elec), these are on your bill, and inform the new company of these to initiate the transfer.

malik999

insanegloss wrote: »

Where do you live? If it's Stornoway, then unfortunately there are meter points there that are not open to competition, as I believe they are piped propane and are a slightly different network. In which case, you are indeed correct, you can't move.

However, if it's anywhere else, then you need to find your MPRN (gas) and MPAN (elec), these are on your bill, and inform the new company of these to initiate the transfer.

I'm in a transfer area. My neighbours dont have this problem. Note im in a normal street/housing estate hundreds of identical homes with neighbours on either side of me. Im not in a rural/unusual area

I have given the MRPN off my BG bills and meter (they match) to the new suppliers but they say either it does exist or it doesnt match my address and therefore there is nothing they can do.

I have phoned British gas, Sent them a letter, filled in their online complaints form on their website 3 times get confirmation the complaint received will be the dealt with thin 5 days but never hear anything to all 3 methods.

I transfered to British Gas about 10 years ago from another supplier and never had this problem so something must have changed.

I will see if i can find the ombudsman info but no doubt that is a long process. Its really frustrating especially because BG is the highest charges in my area and now winters here

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

malik999 wrote: »

I'm in a transfer area. My neighbours dont have this problem. Note im in a normal street/housing estate hundreds of identical homes with neighbours on either side of me. Im not in a rural/unusual area

I have given the MRPN off my BG bills and meter (they match) to the new suppliers but they say either it does exist or it doesnt match my address and therefore there is nothing they can do.

I have phoned British gas, Sent them a letter, filled in their online complaints form on their website 3 times get confirmation the complaint received will be the dealt with thin 5 days but never hear anything to all 3 methods.

I transfered to British Gas about 10 years ago from another supplier and never had this problem so something must have changed.

I will see if i can find the ombudsman info but no doubt that is a long process. Its really frustrating especially because BG is the highest charges in my area and now winters here

Sigh.

These blanket statements "x is the most expensive, y is the cheapest" just aren't true. There are far too many permutations of tariff and consumption data for this to EVER be true.

Have BG never responded to a complaint letter? Did the letter say complaint at the top?

It's difficult to be sure who is responsible for updating xoserve in this instance - it could indeed be BG who are negligible. That said there have been long recognised problems with the service xoserve provide.

Follow the complaints procedure (always by post). If after 8 weeks it remains unresolved, you can take your case to the ombudsman. Good luck.

macman

Forget online forms, you need to write to them and head it 'Complaint'. Any other method is futile. It then has to be dealt with as such-and the clock is ticking on them to resolve it. If no resolution then you can then approach the ombudsman after 8 weeks as mentioned above.
You haven't actually started the complaints procedure yet.

insanegloss

malik999 wrote: »

I'm in a transfer area. My neighbours dont have this problem. Note im in a normal street/housing estate hundreds of identical homes with neighbours on either side of me. Im not in a rural/unusual area

I have given the MRPN off my BG bills and meter (they match) to the new suppliers but they say either it does exist or it doesnt match my address and therefore there is nothing they can do.

I have phoned British gas, Sent them a letter, filled in their online complaints form on their website 3 times get confirmation the complaint received will be the dealt with thin 5 days but never hear anything to all 3 methods.

I transfered to British Gas about 10 years ago from another supplier and never had this problem so something must have changed.

I will see if i can find the ombudsman info but no doubt that is a long process. Its really frustrating especially because BG is the highest charges in my area and now winters here

Does your MPRN start with a number 7?

If so, the likelihood is that the issue with the the IGT not having a full address, hence the new supplier can't initate the transfer, as they don't match. You need to speak to BG complaints, the number is on the back of the bill at the bottom, and ask them to check GTC to see that the address matches in full, your postal address. If it doesn't (the root cause of your problems) BG need to contact GTC to amend the address. Once done (should only take 2-3 days), check back with them and you should be good to transfer.

Hope that will help.

MK55

where do you actually live, there are 3 LPG sites I know of and as said previously these are not open to competition stornoway is 1 of 3

jelv

Against the first post it says location Leeds. Is there a Leeds on Stornoway?

chanz4

Ask bg to check that your not under a dummy postcode / plot address on ecoes and xoserve.

toolmaker54

Exactly the same has happened to me when trying to change to first utility it would not go through because there was no record on the database of my property having an electric meter. I also contacted BG who told me they had no idea why this has happened and would rectify this with the national database and issue an MAPN number.
They called me back after five days and told me all has been sorted now, so tried again and still it would not go through. Called them again and according to their records I am on the database and if I have more problems to contact my local council. So like yourself it seems I am stuck with BG, I have been in the property for 34 years