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SCAM - British Gas Collective Fix December 2016
To cut a long story shortish... I signed a new tenancy at a different property 3 weeks ago. Around the same time I applied online for British Gas Collective Fix December 2016 through this website. A few days later I receive an email that stated I had been accepted.
A few days after that I contacted British Gas and explained the previous tenant had a prepaid meter and it had debt. British Gas advised me that once my new account had been setup (could take several weeks) they would install a credit meter to fulfil my collection tariff order. They removed the debt and offered to credit me with £21 until I got my new meter.
I never received any credit despite topping up small amounts several times as advised. Initially I was told to topup £1 and I would receive £22. It didn't bother me too much as I wasn't paying someone else debt. I didn't ask for credit, British Gas offered it. I waited patiently as I knew the meter would change shortly anyway.
After waiting 3 weeks, British Gas advised me I had been informed incorrectly and I would only get a credit meter if I passed a credit check. Failed the credit check.
British Gas now refuse to install credit meter despite confirmation of acceptance several weeks ago. Because the property already had a prepaid electricity meter I have been 'allowed' to have the collective tariff rate on electricity but not on the gas. The rate on the gas prepaid meter is almost twice the amount of the collective fix rate. I'm told it's the best prepaid rate they have.
Totally p'd off I want to leave British Gas immediately. I've been told I can switch gas free of charge as it's on a standard tariff but as the electric is on the collective tariff and my time to cancel has lapsed (2nd December) I will be charged £30 if I switch.
I just don't need this BS. Moving home I've found to be the most stressful thing I've ever did. I literally have black eye circles. I'm a single woman with a dependant sibling living with me. My whole outgoing is direct debit.. rent, council tax, internet, mobile, water, TV license, gym, travel pass... everything. And most of it was credit checked. So why am I not good enough for gas? British Gas can install the meter but they choose not to.
I put a question to the British Gas advisor and she didn't like. She proceeded to press the phone off on me which is really sad. I basically said I have the collective tariff on electric because the credit meter was already installed, so does this mean if a credit gas meter was already installed I'd have the collective tariff on it too? Silence; cut-off.
I feel totally misled and exhausted. It's so close to Christmas, I don't know what to do. I want to refuse to pay another dime to British Gas but do not need further aggro. I also don't need added fees to move somewhere else. I think it's unfair as the reason I want to move is because they've refused the full service. If I could get the collective rate on the prepaid meter, I couldn't care less. The advisor said it's the same charge but that's another BS lie. I do not trust them.
And just to add I thought I passed a credit check when applied online and British Gas took days to get back to me. They sent me a personal projection and said I had a contract with them. Lie.
LIE
:mad:
A few days after that I contacted British Gas and explained the previous tenant had a prepaid meter and it had debt. British Gas advised me that once my new account had been setup (could take several weeks) they would install a credit meter to fulfil my collection tariff order. They removed the debt and offered to credit me with £21 until I got my new meter.
I never received any credit despite topping up small amounts several times as advised. Initially I was told to topup £1 and I would receive £22. It didn't bother me too much as I wasn't paying someone else debt. I didn't ask for credit, British Gas offered it. I waited patiently as I knew the meter would change shortly anyway.
After waiting 3 weeks, British Gas advised me I had been informed incorrectly and I would only get a credit meter if I passed a credit check. Failed the credit check.
British Gas now refuse to install credit meter despite confirmation of acceptance several weeks ago. Because the property already had a prepaid electricity meter I have been 'allowed' to have the collective tariff rate on electricity but not on the gas. The rate on the gas prepaid meter is almost twice the amount of the collective fix rate. I'm told it's the best prepaid rate they have.
Totally p'd off I want to leave British Gas immediately. I've been told I can switch gas free of charge as it's on a standard tariff but as the electric is on the collective tariff and my time to cancel has lapsed (2nd December) I will be charged £30 if I switch.
I just don't need this BS. Moving home I've found to be the most stressful thing I've ever did. I literally have black eye circles. I'm a single woman with a dependant sibling living with me. My whole outgoing is direct debit.. rent, council tax, internet, mobile, water, TV license, gym, travel pass... everything. And most of it was credit checked. So why am I not good enough for gas? British Gas can install the meter but they choose not to.
I put a question to the British Gas advisor and she didn't like. She proceeded to press the phone off on me which is really sad. I basically said I have the collective tariff on electric because the credit meter was already installed, so does this mean if a credit gas meter was already installed I'd have the collective tariff on it too? Silence; cut-off.
I feel totally misled and exhausted. It's so close to Christmas, I don't know what to do. I want to refuse to pay another dime to British Gas but do not need further aggro. I also don't need added fees to move somewhere else. I think it's unfair as the reason I want to move is because they've refused the full service. If I could get the collective rate on the prepaid meter, I couldn't care less. The advisor said it's the same charge but that's another BS lie. I do not trust them.
And just to add I thought I passed a credit check when applied online and British Gas took days to get back to me. They sent me a personal projection and said I had a contract with them. Lie.
About this pack
You now have a contract with us and this pack contains everything you need to know. Please check your details and tell us if anything needs changing.
In this email you'll find:
1 Your tariff details
2 Your Personal Projection for the next 12 months
3 Your tariff terms and conditions
LIE
:mad:
0
Comments
-
Why don't you stay with BG for the electric (probably one of the cheapest tariffs around) and switch your gas to a cheaper supplier (eg Daligas - which you may find is even cheaper than the BG collective fix gas tariff).... I've been told I can switch gas free of charge as it's on a standard tariff but as the electric is on the collective tariff and my time to cancel has lapsed (2nd December) I will be charged £30 if I switch.
Try and make the best of a bad situation.
Scrounger0 -
You have now started three threads on the same subject headed with the silly "SCAM " headline.Just because you are ignorant of procedure does nt make it a "SCAM ". All suppliers reserve the right to credit check all new customers. The BG collective was obviously only for a pair of credit meters, so the "mistake " not "SCAM " was from MSE in the first place not filtering you out at the start.The prepay meter was not the previous tenants meter it is and remains your meter, which you have accepted when you took over the property.
BG s gas prepay rates in my area are 4.2 p/kwh and that is quite good for a prepayment meter fixed on "standard variable ". The MSE collective for gas was an excellent 2.65 p/kwhr but Sainsburys energy is a quite good 3.0 p/kwhr You now must forget about the MSE collective and concentrate on finding out how to improve your credit score to pass BG s standards, enquire with BG if possible to get info on whats stopping the switch. Stick to your plan and get rid of that meter then you can go on a Sainsburys Energy 1 year fix which has excellent rates not far off the BG MSE collective. No exit fee on this switch because Sainsburys is connected with BG.0 -
This was clearly a mistake!
I will try to get these removed if they haven't already. My internet is playing up.0 -
Why don't you stay with BG for the electric (probably one of the cheapest tariffs around) and switch your gas to a cheaper supplier (eg Daligas - which you may find is even cheaper than the BG collective fix gas tariff).
Try and make the best of a bad situation.
Scrounger
Can I apply for Daligas with a prepaid meter? I can't find this information on their website but I'd like to apply.0 -
Why dont you complete the Daligas home application and tick prepay meter. ? I d be surprised if its anywhere near their excellent credit meter tariff of 2.7 p/kwhr All prepayment meter rates are similar. There is not much difference between them all, BG are cheaper than some others in my area. Prepays have a lot of upkeep, plus a profit to shopkeepers, they re all high compared to the one year fixes for credit meters.The only way forward for you is to get around the credit score somehow. Maybe you could try someone like EDF who will also usually switch prepays for free and give them a go, hoping they use a different credit check system.0
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Apply regardless (there is a box to tick on the online application for existing prepaid meter).Can I apply for Daligas with a prepaid meter? I can't find this information on their website but I'd like to apply.
Good luck!
Scrounger0 -
Yes, your mprn is needed for this and date of supply or I would have completed it myself.OP, please can you get back to us and let me know what their tariff is for prepay gas ?. Their credit tariff and standing charges must be the cheapest in the UK. They quote a flat 2.7p/kwhr for the whole of the UK and less than 10p a day standing charge. If the MSE collective had not come along last month I was going to switch to them.Apply regardless (there is a box to tick on the online application for existing prepaid meter).
Good luck!
Scrounger0 -
I calculated that Daligas would have saved me £70 over the next year on gas (compared to the BG collective fix).sacsquacco wrote: »If the MSE collective had not come along last month I was going to switch to them.
Just need a to find similarly cheap electric supplier for next time.
Scrounger0
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