British Gas Business Fixed Price Energy Plan - want to change

AltheBiker

I'm trying to move to another supplier, but I have a British Gas Business Fixed Price Energy plan. There is no business here, it finished 5 years ago, but BG persuaded me to keep it on. Now they are saying it's a fixed price plan and I cannot change until May 2015 !
I didn't change onto this plan myself, all I can guess is that they put me on this plan when my old one ran out.
So can I get out of this ? I am happy to pay a fee to exit out, but they are saying in a letter that there is no way I can get out of this plan ? Surely that is not legal and there is some way of getting out of this ?
Anyone know how to get out of this or been in a similar situation ?

cheers
Al

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

Business contracts are far murkier than residential. Fixed does indeed mean fixed, they can insist you see it out. However, you're clearly not a business which should make the contract null and void.

Normal method would be to write a letter headed complaint, although in this case I would try social media as well.

Kitchen_Sink

AltheBiker wrote: »

I'm trying to move to another supplier, but I have a British Gas Business Fixed Price Energy plan. There is no business here, it finished 5 years ago, but BG persuaded me to keep it on. Now they are saying it's a fixed price plan and I cannot change until May 2015 !
I didn't change onto this plan myself, all I can guess is that they put me on this plan when my old one ran out.
So can I get out of this ? I am happy to pay a fee to exit out, but they are saying in a letter that there is no way I can get out of this plan ? Surely that is not legal and there is some way of getting out of this ?
Anyone know how to get out of this or been in a similar situation ?

cheers
Al

As a business, you don't get the privilege of many statutory protections offered to consumers. You are supposed to understand all about contracts, or employ someone who does and can advise you accordingly.

You need to refer to your contract.

My guess is there is no way out, and if you want to leave BG you probably have to give about 3 months notice and that will still only end the contract on the stated date.

You say you never agreed to this particular contract, so refer to the previous one you did agree to and see what the rollover agreement you agreed to says.

There's no point complaining unless you have grounds for complaint, otherwise it's just moaning.

AltheBiker

Apparently it was one of those automated rollovers, where if I didn't say anything, they automatically took out a fixed term contract. However 1) There is no business here anymore, it finished 5 years ago and 2) they have just been fined 5.6 million for doing this... so hopefully there be some wriggle room.

footyguy

AltheBiker wrote: »

Apparently it was one of those automated rollovers, where if I didn't say anything, they automatically took out a fixed term contract. However 1) There is no business here anymore, it finished 5 years ago and 2) they have just been fined 5.6 million for doing this... so hopefully there be some wriggle room.

Wishful thinking I suspect.

According to how I read the BBC article, the problem arose between 2007 & 2012 and even then only affected about 1 in 20 of the objections BG made to businesses attempting to move away.

And

Stephen Beynon, managing director of British Gas Business, said: "We're sorry these errors occurred and have worked swiftly to change our computer systems and processes, putting controls in place to stop this happening again.

and

British Gas Business has paid back nearly £1.3m in compensation to all current customers affected by the issue.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26967438


When you say there is no business, what do you mean exactly?

If you were a sole trader, you are the business and are liable for all commitments you made.

Only if you traded under the protection of a limited liability company would you be able to say there is no business now existing (assuming the limited company has been struck off). In which case, it's usual for the business energy supplier to be round and cut off the supply as soon as they got wind of such. All such struck off companies must first give official notice of such intent.

dogshome

Just a bit confused with your post -
Are you saying that these were business premises with Business Energy contracts, and that when you advised BG that they were in fact domestic premises, BG 'persuaded' you not to have them declared as domestic premises, and continue on Business contracts at Business supply tariff rates?

Please post the timeline dates of the switch from Business to Domestic premises, the date of your advice to BG of the change, and the date of the Business Contract roll-over

AltheBiker

dogshome wrote: »

Just a bit confused with your post -
Are you saying that these were business premises with Business Energy contracts, and that when you advised BG that they were in fact domestic premises, BG 'persuaded' you not to have them declared as domestic premises, and continue on Business contracts at Business supply tariff rates?

Yes, exactly.

I was in business with another person and we each used our homes as places of work, converting spare rooms into offices. I took out a BG Business contract with them. Then in approx 2007/8 I would need to check the dates, I left the company and went to work for someone else in a normal office environment. So there was no company trading out of there any longer. I rang British Gas to tell them this but they kept on saying "stay with us, we'll get you a good deal". And that's how the present situation has developed.

Al

AltheBiker

oh and I'm trying to find out the dates exactly....