Changing from British Gas

rgtr

I have just emailed british gas as follows:

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Some complaints

a) why was it necessary to have an interim bill, and why to two DIFFERENT dates for gas and electricity ?
why were the estimated amounts far too high ?

b) why does the "final bill" not include electricity ?
why does it not include dual fuel discount ?
why does it not include prompt payment discount ?

i await your final combined bill.

you should also rework your estimated interim bill ....

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Q so why do they do this

A so that we have got your money and you'll have to [try and probably give up] get it back from us ...

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but some questions:

what are the rules for when you change supplier ?
i would have thought one just got a bill to based on the end meter readings ... apparently not

british [we like to rip you off] gas make an over estimated bill to near the cut off date. which is issued BEFORE the cut off date
these dates were 27th november for gas and 30th for electricity

our cut off date was 6th december.
i submitted readings on 5th december.
had an email to say thank you [will i get nectar points per contract]
next an email to say cannot process readings...
i recalculated the bill using my estimated readings to the dates - as an engineer who writes software - not difficult
sent british gas my calculations
paid the "undisputed" amount

then a final bill for gas - NO electricity

then threatening phone calls - i did not say "see you in the sheriff's court" but did point out that the final gas bill payment date was 24th december.

my terms are same as british gas - 60 days after the end of the month in wheih the bill is received. money better in my account than theirs

a skint pensioner
moving to OVOEnergy.com
NO you wont find them on price comparison web sites because they dont BUY BUSINESS. but THIRTY per cent cheaper than the rip off mechants.....

Nada666

rgtr wrote: »

moving to OVOEnergy.com
NO you wont find them on price comparison web sites because they dont BUY BUSINESS. but THIRTY per cent cheaper than the rip off mechants.....

Please identify one single comparison site that does not include Ovo.

penrhyn

Energyhelpline.

macman

30% cheaper? In your dreams...

rgtr

Just had this in ...

Due to unforeseen demand, we are currently experiencing delays in responding to your query. Please rest assured that we are doing everything we can to respond quickly and will be sure to get back to you as soon as possible.

fairly soon every one will have moved from british gas and then they can close down ...

Nada666

penrhyn wrote: »

Energyhelpline.

Nonsense


and 25, 30% savings are possible off a supplier's quarterly prices. Of course, it will not be 30% less than the cheapest deal from British Gas.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Every price comparison site I've been on lists OVO. Will the OP admit that OVO "buy" business just like every other energy firm?

The "we won't appear on price comparison sites" is a myth peddled by telephone salesman. Perhaps the OP has encountered one of OVO's finest?

Furthermore, the OP mentions prompt payment discount, so we can assume is paying quarterly on receipt of bill. They then go on to say "better in my account than theirs". As has been demonstrated many times on this forum, that just isn't true. By 'allowing' BG to have the money in their account, one can achieve a 6% discount, more than any bank will pay in interest.

Top marks to the OP for saving money, but if they are achieving a 30% discount then they've clearly been paying QCC Standard Tariff, the worst possible tariff.

Nada666

To be fair to the "some firms not appearing" gripe this is a genuine problem with Ofgem's certification. It is outrageous that Ofgem allow comparison sites to by default only list some results (ie the ones the sites make money from.)

Any new user reading that last question from the input pages "show me only results we can switch you to" is entirely faultless in thinking that "Yes" is a reasonable default to accept.

rgtr

so here we go again ...

this thread really ought to be called
"How british gas chase customers away"

so here's what happened
********************

Dear xxxxxxx
Thank you for replying to our email.
xxxxxxx, under new Ofgem rules energy companies are no longer allowed to offer Prompt Payment Discount; as a result we have withdrawn this on 23rd November 2013. You will therefore no longer receive this from 23rd November onwards.
Thank you for contacting British Gas and Have a Merry Christmas.
We're listening, so tell us what you think - if you've got a moment please complete my survey to let me know how I've done.
Kind regards
Vishal More
Customer Service Advisor

We've delivered on our promise and responded to your enquiry within 24 hours.
Your enquiry ref: 9153958
Deborah

We are now away till the new year

as there is prompt payment discount normal bristish gas purchase terms will be applied. i have worked for br gas in the past on procurement

richard
Your Gas and Customer Reference Number:850039515321

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This is by way of a COMPLAINT

a) clearly your customer services personnel do not have adequate powers. i was promised a reworked bill from the end of the last quarterly bill to the change over date for BOTH fuels. this has still to be received.

b) i OBJECT to being chased for a so called overdue amount when i have a spurious bill for one fuel only with a much later payment date.

c) there is NO REQUIREMENT for you to send an interim bill using two different dates. MY COMPUTER projections indicate that "you are trying to get more money than is actually due out of me".

d) if prompt payment discount is allowed to 23rd november, as i have paid promptly the reasonably calculated amount on the unnecessary interim bill - i WILL be deducting a prompt payment discount in respect of the monies due prior to 23rd november.

e) if you wish to air the whole matter in the glasgow sheriff's court i would be delighted.

f) this comment and you email will be posted on martin lewis website. your actions indicate that you WANT to ensure that i spread the word as to how you operate and what a bullying organisation you are.

eur ing richard townsend-rose ma ceng mice

**************
and i just went back to say ...

COMPLAINT 29293909

a) previously complained
b) contacted by a lady who promised a "proper dual fuel bill"
c) have received two unacceptable items purporting to be final bills with erroneous calculations.
d) payment of the corrected unnecessary interim bill was made
e) web site says amount due is £54.21
gas bill claims £48.69
elec bill claims £54.21
f) calculation below shows £46.66 due.
this will be paid at the end of february per british gas procurement terms. i have never agreed to supply terms since change.

and included my calculations

what a shambles ...

how much effort do they go to INCREASE their administration ...

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amended following call to ov0 - DOWN to just £39.34 owing to british gas

insanegloss

A couple of things, firstly during a transfer electricity and gas rarely leave at the exact same time and have different industry processes in the background, hence why you may get a two separate bills during the switchover period. Also, they won't accept your readings around this time as they waiting for the readings from the gaining supplier, so don't expect a rebill until the accounts are finalised. Also, you should have given your reads to your new supplier.

All in all, it seems you're making a small mountain out of all small molehill as ultimately all that needs to happen is that you need to pay for your energy to a correct read for whenever your transfer date is. Any under or over payments are addressed at that point when the transfer read is agreed, it's really as simple as that.

Most importantly of all, don't post your personal details on an internet public forum, it's really not a good idea.

rgtr

Hi insanegloss

as a guy who runs many web sites and has over 100 email address's i am well aware as to what is safe and what is not. and i DO NOT give any information which can be used to my detriment ... let alone my true email address.

any way as to the next steps ....
first another complaint ...

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Your reference number for this is:
29348306

***************************
this matter is very simple. conduct by british gas is appalling

a) the final electricity bill uses an overestimated figure.

b) the final gas bill uses the meter reading supplied on 5th december 2013

c) british gas have failed to agree the electricty reading with ovo energy within a reasonable period of time. the meter reading submitted at the same time as the gas reading was 29365.

d) this figure is agreed with ovo energy. it was submitted to yourselves and acknowledged.

WARNING
if the final dual fuel gas electricity bill is NOT received by NOON on 09 January 2013, the following steps will be taken:
1) a full and final calculation will be made by myself and submitted to you.
such calculation will include prompt payment discount earned in respect of the period to 23rd November.
2) the matter will be documented and placed in the hands of the regulator

NOTE
the history of this saga as described on will be Martin Lewis' web site will be updated

SUGGESTION
you provide the dual fuel bill verbally promised by your staff by email immediately.

*******************
and to the regulator ...

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Complainant

<name and address>

Respondent

British Gas

Complaint

That on a change of supplier from them to OVO energy have failed within a reasonable time to reach agreement with OVO energy for the electricty meter reading at the point of change over.

Noted that british gas were sent the meter readings at the change over date as were ovo energy. receipt of these readings by british gas were acknowleged by email.

That british gas raised an interim invoice to cover the period from the last quarterly bill to a few days before the change over date using grossly over estimated readings, and different dates for gas and electricity.

Noted that this appears to be an attempt by british gas to extract monies well in excess of those due. Noted that a corrected calculation was made and the undisputed amount was paid. Noted that notwithstanding that british gas debt collection department made a threatening telephone call.

A complaint was raised. A telephone call was received on a sunday morning during which the lady caller accepted that bristish gas were at fault, and promised a "proper dual fuel bill from the last quarterly invoice to the cut off date using agreed readings".

all that has emerged is an erroneous final electricity bill with grossly inflated estimated meter readings.

Completion

the date for agreements between OVO energy and british gas is long past.

Correspondence

british gas have simply failed to communicate with either ovo or myself. their automatic web based system acknowledges receipt of the complaint and emails it back - removing all formatting and making the complaint almost unreadable.

this is visible here:
<link to this thread>

timings

until i receive an acceptable invoice, i will not be making payments.

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of course nothing will happen until british gas issue a summons in the small claims court ....

i have sent them in the pre-addressed envelope WITHOUT a stamp my latest calculations...

keep complaining ...