British Gas - Smart Meters FUMING!

Scatty

So, I had my meters installed on 31 August and through incompetence and mismanagement, they weren't commissioned until yesterday. I'm on "Freetime Sunday" and apparently for the 14 Sundays since the freetime began, I have to pay the standard rate retrospectively. I'm absolutely fuming as no one in this whole process has said, "oh don't use freetime, the meters don't store any information, it's all done by sending readings. Which yours don't" so I've been happily doing all my chores and heating the house to the maximum on a Sunday.


Having the in house display fitted yesterday, I've sussed that my daily use is approximately £2.50 (electric heating....) so on a Sunday I have probably used £10 PLUS for 14 consecutive Sundays. Ouch.


BUT the most British Gas can compensate me is £2.50 per Sunday plus £10 goodwill (right....) making a total of £45, which isn't going to make a dent in my bill when it arrives. Oh and they appreciate that this isn't "all my fault". Err, none of it was my fault.....


So if you're getting smart meters installed, be hesitant until they confirm they're commissioned. I wasn't aware mine weren't commissioned until a lot later on when they compensated me for missing the appointment they actually kept (to install), and then turning up again a few weeks later and STILL not being able to commission. Perhaps I'm stupid for assuming all would be okay but am seriously a very unhappy bunny today.


British Gas have closed the complaint (they opened it). Do I have any other recourse to further complain?

ASavvyBuyer

Why have you gone on the "freetime" tariff? It is much more expensive on all the other days than most other tariffs; so no real benefit unless you use very little during the week and loads on the free day.

The "freetime" tariff is just a gimmick to get people to install the old type of Smart Meters to meet the quota that they have to install, to clear out the old stock.

If you really want a Smart meter, it is better to wait for the proper ones (SMETS2) to be available that will work with other suppliers.

Scatty

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

Why have you gone on the "freetime" tariff? It is much more expensive on all the other days than most other tariffs; so no real benefit unless you use very little during the week and loads on the free day.

The "freetime" tariff is just a gimmick to get people to install the old type of Smart Meters to meet the quota that they have to install, to clear out the old stock.

If you really want a Smart meter, it is better to wait for the proper ones (SMETS2) to be available that will work with other suppliers.

I'm only really home Sunday so that's when EVERYTHING gets done. The meters are already installed. My question was about recourse really.

Rubidium

So basically you thought that it was a good idea to sign up for this silly tariff giving you 8 hours 'free' electricity, yet charges you a higher rate for the other 160 every week.

I doubt if any savvy money savers believe that this is a good deal.

You tried to rip them off by "happily doing all my chores and heating the house to the maximum on a Sunday" and they have in fact ripped you off - touch!.

You have been compensated, so time to move on now!

Scatty

Rubidium wrote: »

So basically you thought that it was a good idea to sign up for this silly tariff giving you 8 hours 'free' electricity, yet charges you a higher rate for the other 160 every week.

I doubt if any savvy money savers believe that this is a good deal.

You tried to rip them off by "happily doing all my chores and heating the house to the maximum on a Sunday" and they have in fact ripped you off - touch!.

You have been compensated, so time to move on now!

Oh my god how rude are you!! Ripping them off indeed!! How dare you? I suggest if you have nothing polite or helpful to say then please don't respond to anything. I have my reasons for signing up but really don't feel like explaining now. Good day.

System

I think the freetime tariff would work well for those hundreds of thousands stuck on standard/variable tariff on prepayment meters and when their prepays go smart it will be better than 7 days high prices. Smart prepayment meters are now being fitted by BG. Many cannot get off the highest tariffs due to debts on the meters and poor credit history so possibly a free 8 hours to do all the laundry , drying and ironing, heating with electric instead of gas if its possible etc would be a good idea.British Gas do expect customers on this tariff to make heavy use of the free 8 hours and as far as I am aware they don t have any upper kwh limit.
Now that it is free to get rid of a prepayment meter to a credit meter, of course it is better to move onto lower tariffs with one or two year fixes than mess about with a free 8 hours.

prosaver

i think the only thing i got free without any catches is, them free small cans of zero coke they give away in town.

Scatty

I went on this tariff as I am out all week and Sunday is my only day to do ALL my housework, warm the house. The very nature of "freetime" - and what British Gas push - is that you do everything on this day. Not "taking the p*ss" as has been insinuated.


I am looking at a huge bill today - I've lived in that house since 1st June and my bill for just over six months for electricity alone (I only have a gas cooker - I rent so I can't install CH) is going to be approximately £650. I know that my usage on the 14 Sundays I've been "done out of" will amount to about £160 alone.


Oh well, lesson learnt, horrible electric radiators turned down/off until the next cold snap, the rats can keep themselves warm and I have blankets. And a rapidly emptying bank account.


My question was that as BG screwed up so majorly and NONE of my Sundays have been "freetime", what my recourse would be after their complaints procedure. But I wasn't expecting keyboard warrior to rip into me.

Mr.Generous

Did you really need to heat the house to the max using electricity for 7 Sundays on the bounce? Free (?) or not it comes across as pretty wasteful. I think if I'm really honest it sounds like greed. I find If I'm sitting around I need the heating on, when rushing around cleaning the house we end up with windows open. Why not get some huge batteries and charge them up every Sunday then run all your 12v lighting free all week? You know the answer, it would cost more to set up than you'd ever save, the hassle, etc. If something sounds too good to be true ...
Be contented with a good fume, fume away at British gas - they are appalling - and be thankful they get anything right for you, they didn't for me last 2 times a renovation property was supplied by them.

Scatty

Mr.Generous wrote: »

Did you really need to heat the house to the max using electricity for 7 Sundays on the bounce? Free (?) or not it comes across as pretty wasteful. I think if I'm really honest it sounds like greed. I find If I'm sitting around I need the heating on, when rushing around cleaning the house we end up with windows open. Why not get some huge batteries and charge them up every Sunday then run all your 12v lighting free all week? You know the answer, it would cost more to set up than you'd ever save, the hassle, etc. If something sounds too good to be true ...
Be contented with a good fume, fume away at British gas - they are appalling - and be thankful they get anything right for you, they didn't for me last 2 times a renovation property was supplied by them.

No it's not greed. By "heating house to the max" I mean putting the towel rail on for 8 hours so I can dry the bathroom out a bit and not be freezing when I get out of the shower. I have a very cold house with little sunlight and Sunday's freetime means I can warm it up a bit. And I do my washing, drying and ironing, because (again) that is the only day I have to do it.


Perhaps someone could please answer my question about recourse, instead of questioning something I'm locked into - for now. I will be switching but of course no-one credits me with any sense.


Greedy? Really? Right........

SwanJon

You can continue your complaint, taking it to the ombudsman after 8 weeks, but I think you'll need more detail than you given here.

Show how you've calculated the £7.50 extra you use on a Sunday in the 8 hours (assuming the £2.50 from each of the other days fills the other 16 hours).Use readings for the weeks since the meters were commissioned - without these it'll just be guesswork.

How does this calculation compare to the '£160' that you say you will have over paid.

Put this all down in writing (make sure it tallies up - don't use the above figures). Then write/email it in. Find out when you first complained about this (not the commissioning) - 8 weeks from then you can go the ombudsman - let them know you know this.