MSE collective switch sharp practice by British Gas

ossie

29/08/2017
I switched from British Gas MSE which ends October 3rd to Flow energy on the 28th August.
I am within the 49 day Ofgem window of FREE switching as it was only 35 day.
[FONT=&quot]I noticed on my closed account today British Gas have charged me £20 (Gas) & £20 (Electricity).
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[FONT=&quot]I rang British Gas and they removed the penalty![/FONT]

I had to quote “The regulator's rules on penalty-free switching are extremely clear – if you're in the last 49 days of your fixed deal, you DON'T have to pay an exit fee and can switch to a different provider penalty-free.”
[FONT=&quot]
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Chin

b*stards aren't they

liviboy

So, a mistake was made, it was clearly stated on the bill. You contacted them and with minimal fuss acknowledged the error and corrected the final bill?

Considering what we all went through trying to switch TO BG at the start of the first Collective Switch (the April one) I think that's pretty good to be honest!

All companies make mistakes from time to time.

Chin

it's not as simple as that in my view

how many people don't notice such shark like antics and a payment is simply collected.

some of these firms spend billions on IT and billing infrastructure - stupid mistakes like this should not get made.

the original poster is not the first person I have heard about on this forum in the past week to be told that they cannot leave their collective switch without paying an exit fee, only for them to correct BG and it be removed.

Hoof_Hearted

Quite right, Chin. Funny how mistakes are inevitably in the supplier's favour.

Chrishazle

in my case they put me on their standard tariff - I'd advised them I was switching before the end of my 12 month fix, but for various reasons the switch actually occurred about 15 days after the deal ended. I did not notice, but about 3 months later I get a letter from BG saying "sorry, we made a mistake, as a result we overcharged you £21. We still have you DD details so will be paying to that bank account, and adding £10 by way of apology." The refund hit my bank a day after the letter arrived.

System

Report them to consumeraffairs@ofgem.gov.uk with evidence. Ofgem has an ongoing invention into alleged breaches by BG of some Licence Conditions.

liviboy

Chin wrote: »

it's not as simple as that in my view

how many people don't notice such shark like antics and a payment is simply collected.

some of these firms spend billions on IT and billing infrastructure - stupid mistakes like this should not get made.

the original poster is not the first person I have heard about on this forum in the past week to be told that they cannot leave their collective switch without paying an exit fee, only for them to correct BG and it be removed.

It takes all of 2 minutes to read a bill. If people want to put their faith into British Gas getting it right then that's up to them.

My point was that there was no fuss in getting it taken off the bill or refunded. Yes it shouldn't happen but that's life.

I had a hell of a time getting switched over to BG. My gas switch ended up taking nearly 3 months to finally be complete! Given the amount of time I dedicated to that cause, the idea of a small error, quickly corrected seems like heaven!

singhini

I'm on the same BG fix as mentioned in the original post i.e. the one that ends on the 3rd October 2017 and my paperwork suggests the exit fee would be £30 per utility (not £20 as mentioned in the first post).


Anyhow, good to hear the OP got it sorted with little effort

molerat

liviboy wrote: »

So, a mistake was made, it was clearly stated on the bill. You contacted them and with minimal fuss acknowledged the error and corrected the final bill?

Considering what we all went through trying to switch TO BG at the start of the first Collective Switch (the April one) I think that's pretty good to be honest!

All companies make mistakes from time to time.

liviboy wrote: »

It takes all of 2 minutes to read a bill. If people want to put their faith into British Gas getting it right then that's up to them.

My point was that there was no fuss in getting it taken off the bill or refunded. Yes it shouldn't happen but that's life.

I had a hell of a time getting switched over to BG. My gas switch ended up taking nearly 3 months to finally be complete! Given the amount of time I dedicated to that cause, the idea of a small error, quickly corrected seems like heaven!

A mistake is one thing but deliberate / incompetent flaunting of their licence conditions to defraud the customer (in their thousands) unless they happen to notice it and complain is a different matter. Loads of reports on here of the same thing happening as well as being told by cs reps that the charges will be applied.

House_Martin

ossie wrote: »

29/08/2017
I switched from British Gas MSE which ends October 3rd to Flow energy on the 28th August.
I am within the 49 day Ofgem window of FREE switching as it was only 35 day.
[FONT=&quot]I noticed on my closed account today British Gas have charged me £20 (Gas) & £20 (Electricity).
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I rang British Gas and they removed the penalty![/FONT]

I had to quote “The regulator's rules on penalty-free switching are extremely clear – if you're in the last 49 days of your fixed deal, you DON'T have to pay an exit fee and can switch to a different provider penalty-free.”
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]

As another poster has said, BG always apply a £30 exit fee "penalty ".Are you sure the £20 was for an exit fee and not normal energy billing cost.