BG prepayment meter taking money off for debt which doesn't exist!

sunshine76_2

hi i had prepayment meters for both gas and electric from British Gas for 3 and a half years and i am currently topping up around £10 twice a week on the gas.

everytime i am topping up the meter is taking around £2 off for a debt....but i don't have a debt with British Gas!!!:mad:

I've rung them about this but they gave me a REALLY complicated explanation which i didn't understand...can anyone help??

OhReally_2

sunshine76 wrote: »

hi i had prepayment meters for both gas and electric from British Gas for 3 and a half years and i am currently topping up around £10 twice a week on the gas.

everytime i am topping up the meter is taking around £2 off for a debt....but i don't have a debt with British Gas!!!:mad:

I've rung them about this but they gave me a REALLY complicated explanation which i didn't understand...can anyone help??

Write to them and ask for the explanation again, but in writing.

And then post it here.


Alternatively, pop along to the local CAB office when it is next open with your account details ... I'm sure they will help. They could give the supplier a call and with your permission hear the explanataion, and then attempt to explain it to you in terms you do understand.

But without the explanation, anyone here would just be guessing at the possible reasons.

spiro

Have you checked on the meter to confirm it is debt and what the debt recovery rate is?

sweetstudent

A gas meter has a standing charge of approx 35p per day and it will take whether you have the credit on the meter or not. There is no way to avoid this charge, all you can do is ensure that you have enough to pay this charge to avoid falling into a debt with your supplier. Without knowing more about your account I cant really suggest anything other than to contact BG. (I do not work for BG but I do work for a energy supplier!)

[Deleted User]

There are two types of debt, a standing charge debt could build up if you havent been crediting the meter much, then there is debt allocated onto the meter from non payment of a credit meter. I am afraid that prepay meters pay the same daily standing charge as the credit meters. They vary from supplier to supplier

SwanJon

As above there are a couple of different reasons why the meter could be taking money. The meter will not recover standing charge while you are in emergency credit, but will remember and catch up when you next top up.

First check the front meter screens. These should change each time you press the red A button:
Credit for gas -> OWED -> (Meter Index ->) Credit for gas.

Here the OWED screen will show if there is any standing charge that is yet to be paid. Older meter models don't have the meter index screen.

With the card out, and starting from the credit for gas screen, press and hold the red A button until the screen changes (let go).
The screen will have a number in the corner (either 00 or 27). By pressing the red button again you can change the screen to see more information. Older models start at 00 and work up, newer models start at 27 and have the more commonly used screens earlier, but the number always refers to the same information.

27 - GD remaining - this will be where it shows if the meter has a bill on it to pay back.
25/26 - GD min/Max - how much is taken each week to pay back the above bill (if 27 is 0.00 nothing will be taken)

00 - Last top up
01 - Last for debt
02 - Last for Emergency Credit
03 - Last for gas

Look through the screens, and if you have any further questions, put them up and I'll see if I can make sense of it.