Unable to move from Business to Residential Tariff via British Gas

LeosMum_2

I have today spent most of the day on the phone to British Gas Business with regard to moving from Business to Domestic Tariff.


To cut a long story short, our business office was based at our large family property (this has 2 boilers), average consumption is just over 80,000 KWH, we have now sold our business and want to move to a residential contract.


I even managed to get through to the highest level of complaints under British Gas Business, who have been excellent, only to be told by the Residential Team that they do not cover large properties with high consumption??


We were told by BG Residential that if they took us on that due to the high usage it would just be passed back to business.


I cannot believe that British Gas do not supply large residential properties throughout the UK, and neither can the top British Gas Complaints Team (who have been outstanding).


Are there any energy companies that supply large residential properties, do we need to have two separate gas meters for each boiler?


We are in a no win situation, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


Many thanks.

[Deleted User]

I routinely visit huge domestic houses , including Carlton Towers , a grade one stately home, and plenty of nursing homes, all on BG domestic tariffs. These properties usually have a larger gas meter in place, a U16 type ( theres one on ebay now priced at only £160 if you want a bargain U16. Two gas meters would attract another daily standing charge. An ex pub I visit, now a large house, is experiencing the same thing in switching rates. I enquired myself the procedure , it involved sending in a copy of the council tax demand into the supplier. I suppose it may have to be out of contract to switch which may invovle putting in notice 3 months before the contract ends.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

British Gas have a small department (Cardiff office) that deal with business to residential transfers. However as you're discovering, they aren't keen on moving high consuming portfolios over to residential.

The easiest thing to do would be to move to a different supplier - just stick your details into a price comparison site and see who is cheapest.

As an aside, is there not a possibility that remaining on business rates could be advantageous? Business tariffs (or rather, good value business tariffs) tend to have higher standing charge and lower unit rates, which as a large consumer would work in your favour.

footyguy

LeosMum wrote: »

I have today spent most of the day on the phone to British Gas Business with regard to moving from Business to Domestic Tariff.


To cut a long story short, our business office was based at our large family property (this has 2 boilers), average consumption is just over 80,000 KWH, we have now sold our business and want to move to a residential contract.


I even managed to get through to the highest level of complaints under British Gas Business, who have been excellent, only to be told by the Residential Team that they do not cover large properties with high consumption??


We were told by BG Residential that if they took us on that due to the high usage it would just be passed back to business.


I cannot believe that British Gas do not supply large residential properties throughout the UK, and neither can the top British Gas Complaints Team (who have been outstanding).


Are there any energy companies that supply large residential properties, do we need to have two separate gas meters for each boiler?


We are in a no win situation, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


Many thanks.

The average household consumption is 13500kWh per year.

Acknowledging that you have 2 boilers (wheras most residential addresses would not have more than 1), that still means you are using almost 3 times the average household consumption per boiler.

Are you sure of your consumption figures? (e.g have you allowed for a reduction in consumption since you are no longer operating the business you previously did?)
Where is all that heat going to?