Wrong Serial number costing me money

u07jrb

Hi. I moved into a new build last year and took on the British gas tariff while I arranged to move to a new supplier. After about 5 weeks I moved to GB Energy. I paid off my final bill from British gas and everything was fine. Then I started getting letters addressed to the occupier saying I owed British gas money for Gas (not leccy). I phoned British gas and they noted that I had paid my bill and were unsure why I was still getting billed. I started getting letters from debt collection agencies and letters saying they had a right to break into my home if I was not in and fit a pre-paid meter which freaked my wife out. I contacted the debt collection agency and British gas multiple times but they never really got to the bottom of it. Since the letter was addressed to the occupier I guessed that no-one could break into my house when I was not in (I think).


Recently I worked out that it might have been down to the gas serial number being wrong. In both my british gas and GB energy accounts that I paid into, the serial number was wrong for the gas. The occupier account that had been chasing me for money had the correct serial number. I phone GB energy and they said to send a photo of my gas box which I have done. I am waiting to see what they say.


British gas has said that since I have been paying into a gas account that was not mine, I would need to take ownership of the occupier account and pay the money for since I moved house until when I arrange for this occupier account to get changed. This equates to almost a year at british gas prices (more than GB energy) and will therefor cost me more money. They have said they will transfer the balance from my old british gas account to the new occupier account but I will need to pay the rest up until today (and beyond until I move supplier) . They say that GB energy should return all the money I have paid into the gas account back to me.


I don't think this is right as it is not my fault British gas had the wrong serial number. What it means is that instead of paying 1 month of British gas prices until I arranged to get changed over, I will have to pay over a year at British gas prices which is wrong in my opinion. British gas should have just moved the occupier account to my old account but then froze it at the gas reading that originally got sent to GB energy. I don't actually know if GB Energy will agree to give me the money back yet.


I want to get this resolved but don't know what to do. Basically I want to keep the GB energy plan I have been on for the past year. I have been on the phone to BG and GB energy and the debt collectors for what must be hours trying to get this resolved.


Any ideas?

anniecave

Is the meter point reference number (the gas supply number) different on the occupier bills to the bills you paid?

If you have paid for an incorrect gas supply (different serial number, different meter point reference number) then if GB weren't your supplier than they should definately refund you. If British Gas really were your correct supplier then I'm afraid you do owe them for the time period.

British Gas may give you a discount or a reduction off the amount you owe them if you ask them. I am surprised they didn't ask you to check the meter serial number previously, although if it was on the bills they probably assumed you had already done this.

Hope you get it sorted.

u07jrb

I am not sure about that but British gas have given me a different MPR number.


It feels I am paying for someone else's mistake. I entered a contract with GB energy to take over my gas supply. British gas had the wrong meter number so passed the wrong meter over. To me they should just pass the right meter over but at the same final meter read I had with them last year. A lot less hassle.

ExtraMask

You moved in to the new build that was registered with British Gas already, so they would be your initial supplier, which you were aware of and chose a tariff with them until you switched to GB, as you mentioned above. So you've done everything correctly from your end.

The issue was then caused by GB taking over the incorrect meter, which is known as an erroneous transfer. This may be due to the address being registered incorrectly on the national databases, the meters being registered to the wrong addresses or the meter and MPRN being crossed on the national database.

You'd need to check the MPRN that GB took over and were billing you on, you'd also need to check the MPRN that British Gas are charging you for and ask them to check the national database to see what MPRN the address relates to.

I'd then raise a complaint with GB about them taking over the wrong meter and that it's causing you a lot of hassle with British Gas who you wanted to move from when you contacted GB.

If it's only last year when this happened then the erroneous transfer can be sent back to British Gas and GB can apply for the correct MPRN and meter.

British Gas are going to chase you for the money as the department doing so are targeted on payments so they're not going to care if there's a supply dispute query ongoing. So with British Gas I'd also raise a dispute and ask them to place a hold on any activity relating to debt collections until it can be resolved.

The problem you may face is that given GB have taken over the wrong supply, they may ask you to do a new contact on the correct one, which will mean your supply will start with them as new. Obviously this would generate a final bill from British Gas.

I would attempt to get them to trigger the supply change based on the initial contract you took with them as it was their mistake that caused it, make sure it's on the correct tariff also. If you do need to pay British Gas the outstanding balance, I'd ask GB for a refund of payments on gas and then to give a gesture of goodwill to cover the excess tariff charges.

The reason I'd suggest the complaint process is they have 8 weeks to resolve it before you can go to the ombudsman and it's a bit more official than them raising an internal investigation, which can take several months.

https://www.gbenergysupply.co.uk/complaints

u07jrb

I don't think it was GB Energys fault. British gas had the wrong serial number for me as well. I paid into an account with BG which was for the wrong serial number. When I asked GB energy to join them they probably asked BG for the meters associated with my account for which the gas was wrong.


I may just suck it up and take the hit. I think it will only be about £60 difference and I cant deal with any more phonecalls. I have spent hours on the phone about this.


I did raise a complaint with British gas last Friday about being harassed by the occupier letters. That was before I worked out the serial number had changed. Maybe something will come of that once someone investigates.

D_M_E

I had this problem with BG a few years ago when I also moved into a new build.

Turned out that the bills I were paying were for a meter installed at a property about 300 yards away and BG would not listen when I complained about wrong meters and wrong serial numbers.

It took nearly a year to sort out and it only got sorted when I got the Ombudsman involved.

HampshireH

Have you been paying someone else's bill then? I would ask for the info from the developer for when the initial account was set up.

I've worked for a HA previously where this happened in a block of flats. Each had been assigned the wrong meter and 4 in 6 were paying the wrong bills due to inaccurate info being given by the developer at handover.

Have you asked if they will refund you for the person's bill you have been paying as they should be looking to get them to pay their bill.

Is someone somewhere currently getting free gas?

u07jrb

I am getting more threatening letters from British Gas now saying they have a warrant to get in my house and change to pre-paid meter. I tried to phone up and explain but the guy on the phone said that he sees that I have moved to GB energy now. I said if that's the case then why are you trying to get a warrant to get into my house. He couldn't answer that. I explained that the meter serial number were mixed up but it didn't get through. I just gave up in the end. All this hassle is stressful. Especially for my wife. I have raised a complaint with BG last Friday but nothing.