British Gas Homecare Excess Charge

Yorkshire_Blue

I have had an issue with British Gas charging me an excess fee for a plumbing and drains callout and their frontline staff seem to be ignorant as to when this should be applied. I called them out (first time ever) when a shower leaked through a downstairs ceiling. There is a £50 excess per job on the account and my credit card number was taken when I booked the callout.


The plumber from Dyno-Rod turned up, looked at it for a few minutes, said he couldn't see a problem and said rather than start breaking stuff to access hidden pipes, try renewing the sealant first to check it wasn't that. There were no signs of problems with the relatively new sealant, but it made sense to try so I agreed. He was there perhaps 10 minutes and completed a job sheet to say all he had done was inspect and advise.


I was annoyed at the prospect of being charged £50 for this when the person I booked the job with could have suggested that as a first option - you have to give full details of the problem - so I called them to complain. I was told that it was not a call out fee but was only charged on completion of a job, and as no job had been carried out I wouldn't be charged. Obviously I was happy with that.


I then noticed that the charge HAD been made to my credit card 2 weeks after the call out. I called to complain and was told it was a call out fee regardless of work and I had been wrongly advised previously. Spoke to first line handler and supervisor who were quite abrupt and said the charge would stand. I insisted on being put through to Complaints who said no, they were wrong, you shouldn't have been charged - it ISN'T a call out fee. They said accounts would call me within 48 hours to arrange a refund.


I didn't hear within the time so called back and got yet again the same call out fee routine, then got put through to Complaints, they gave me a direct number for accounts. They have now finally (I hope) refunded me - should be back on the account within a couple of days.


I'm putting this on because I think it's appalling that so many of the front line staff don't know the terms and conditions of their own accounts and that they should be so adamant when they are wrong. How many people have been told this wrong information and accepted it? In the small print of their t & c booklet it's referred to as an "Excess" and says the payment is only taken when repair work is completed. No reference to any call out charge anywhere.