British Gas are chasing me for money after they made a mistake when I left them.

Shafman9

Help!!!! I'm new to this so any advice will be greatly appreciated

I was a British Gas customer for many years and decided in November to switch to Eon who were cheaper

I followed everything that was asked of me for both providers and when I closed by British Gas account they credited me with around £150 for both electric and gas as I had overpaid throughout the year. Great I thought!

I started paying Eon and then last week British Gas emailed me asking for £457!!!! They said that the reason for this is because they had used Eon's estimate reading and not my actual reading as they received Eon's first. Why would they use an estimate when a) they had asked me for the actual reading and b) I have always given it in the past??

I am not disputing that I owed the money but this is a flawed and unfair system. You cannot close someone's account, give them money back and then turn around a month later and say we have recalculated and can you pay us the money back and more!!!

This is not treating customers fairly and their system is flawed. Why should I be treated like this if I have done nothing wrong and done everything that has been asked of me.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

Hi Shafman9 and welcome to the Forums. Thought I'd pop on with some information about what happens with a change of supplier. As the gaining supplier, it's our responsibility to let the old supplier have the meter readings we use to start your account. They'll use the same readings to close their account and issue a final bill. This is to stop the same energy from being charged twice.

With a change of supplier, a series of electronic messages pass between the two suppliers and certain third parties like the regional distributors, meter operators, meter reading agents, national databases etc. These messages let all those involved with your energy supply know about the changed circumstances. One of the messages is about the meter readings. These go through an independent party who check they're in line with past readings held for the property. Sometimes, there's a delay with these messages and estimates might be used instead. These estimates can be challenged.

It's important our opening readings match the old supplier's closing readings. If there's a discrepancy or if you've alternative readings, there's an industry wide process used by all suppliers known as an Agreed Readings Dispute (ARD). Provided the difference is above set thresholds (250 units for electricity and 125/45 units for a 5 dial metric/4 dial imperial gas meter), an ARD can be used to put the billing right. If below these thresholds, an ARD won't be possible and we'll have to stick to the estimates. Either supplier can raise an ARD. A set of up to date readings will be needed too. If a rebill is needed, it may turn out that you'll pay for more units with us and less with the old supplier or vice versa.

Hope this is of interest Shafman9. Let me know if you need any more information as happy to help.

Malc