Breeze gone.

007stuey

I must say that the avro tariff standing charge of 21.5 on both fuels is a but heavy.. Yorkshire energy standing charge is 4.8p and 8p

katies_mum

My standing charge is 15.750 with Avro on both fuels, they do offer 2 different priced fixes. Simple and SuperSave and Simple and mSuperSelect which is the more expensive.

ciber

I've apparently taken a slightly different route from everyone else here, and it's currently looking like it might have paid off. My balance with Breeze was low enough that I wasn't too fussed about the complications around it by switching straight away, so I initiated a switch to Yorkshire Energy about 2 hours after getting the text message on the 23rd of December from British Gas that they were taking over the supply.

Long story short, got an nice email from Yorkshire this morning saying "Your switch to Yorkshire Energy is complete" - they're my supplier now and I've confirmed with my local electricity distributor (findmysupplier.energy doesn't appear to have updated yet).

I've not got a customer number from British Gas yet or access to the account, and I've had a date of the 23rd for switching the gas to them (which they've said has been cancelled as I've already switched away) and nothing for electricity. Not got a clue what's going to happen with the final bill, but my calculations are showing that I shouldn't have to pay British Gas more than about £15 in the worst case scenario, after taking into account the credit balance from Breeze.

NINJA59

Right speaking with the complaints guy in the UK....

1) He can see no valid reason as to why we are being blocked from moving to another provider. The 28 days is only relevant if we were in debt to them, but how can we be! I should have no problem changing within 21 days to YE in my case.

2) He confirmed the account updating takes a long time to update their end, so much so the read gas reading I sent via online this morning at 7am had not even filtered through the systems. I would advise those that have submitted via online call them (sorry).

3) British Gas cannot "apparently" bill between the 22nd December and when your supply started, you will not get a bill for this period (yes I am getting this bit in writing!)

brewerdave

NINJA59 wrote: »

3) British Gas cannot "apparently" bill between the 22nd December and when your supply started, you will not get a bill for this period (yes I am getting this bit in writing!)

That bit will be down to the Breeze administrators. It is actually easier if they get BG to act on their behalf to recover due debts. If they don't, it'll end up in the hands of some nasty firm of debt collectors - read some of the many horror stories from previous supplier failures:(

NINJA59

brewerdave wrote: »

That bit will be down to the Breeze administrators. It is actually easier if they get BG to act on their behalf to recover due debts. If they don't, it'll end up in the hands of some nasty firm of debt collectors - read some of the many horror stories from previous supplier failures:(

Breeze cannot bill people beyond the 22nd December, I have had this very point pushed to them ....it appears neither are able to bill people.

brewerdave

NINJA59 wrote: »

Breeze cannot bill people beyond the 22nd December, I have had this very point pushed to them ....it appears neither are able to bill people.

Agreed that they (Breeze) shouldn't - but in previous supplier failures , meter readings have been backdated by calculation to the supplier failure date ,then the administrators chase any debts due …. and the SOLR (in this case BG) raises a bill for the period from the failure date, setting any Breeze credits against their first bill.
IF BG DON'T follow this procedure they stand to lose out on a chunk of cash - certainly in the three supplier failures I endured in 2018, that was how the charging was dealt with.:)

NINJA59

brewerdave wrote: »

Agreed that they (Breeze) shouldn't - but in previous supplier failures , meter readings have been backdated by calculation to the supplier failure date ,then the administrators chase any debts due …. and the SOLR (in this case BG) raises a bill for the period from the failure date, setting any Breeze credits against their first bill.
IF BG DON'T follow this procedure they stand to lose out on a chunk of cash - certainly in the three supplier failures I endured in 2018, that was how the charging was dealt with.:)

That is interesting - Breeze have already requested and backdated the readings but presumed that the date of which they are taken is not relevant. For example my meter reading was from the 3rd January and backdated to the 22nd December, without changing the reading to be estimated.

The bit I am getting at is that British Gas are currently not going to be billing anyone from the 22nd December until their account has gone live, only billing from the date the account came to life.

As I confirmed on 22 December 2019 British Gas Trading acquired 18,000 Breeze customers due to the company ceasing trading. This is known as the Supplier of Last Resort and was done to ensure when supplier failure occurs, affected domestic customers are guaranteed continuity of supply.

I confirmed your Supply start date as 17 January 2020 for your gas account and 16 January 2020 for your electricity account. I explained the process meant we had to ask you to supply a start reading for both within 5 working days of your supply start date.

You kindly provided the gas reading as 26300 for 17 January 2020 having already provided the electricity reading of 86844 on 15 January 2020. You confirmed todays electricity read as 86853.

You enquired whether you would be charged for the period from 22 December 2019. I explained any debit or credit balances would be transferred to us, however we cannot start billing you until your respective supply start dates detailed above.

I explained the process regarding direct debit and confirmed that once your account is fully live for both you will receive a welcome pack confirming this.

I’m aware of you have already initiated to leave British Gas Trading and as I explained this is your prerogative and we cannot object without a valid reason to do so ie debit balance over 28 days old, etc.

I advised we are sorry to lose you as a customer and if it didn’t work out you are welcome to come back to British Gas at any time.

JohnB47

Well, things don't get any clearer. I received an email asking me to provide BG with meter readings today - despite giving them to an agent yesterday.

So I logged in and entered my meter readings on-line and noticed that my account said I pay quarterly by cash or cheque, so I decided to use their chat facility again, basically asking if I should set up a Direct Debit. But I couldn't resist asking again how soon I could move away from BG.

Here is the 'chat' text, during which I actually quoted what another BG agent said to a poster on this thread (I hope that's OK):

British Gas : Hi. How can I help you today?
You : Hi. I am an ex Breeze customer. I've just logged on to my BG account and I see that am not set up to pay by monthly Direct Debit. I can't see how I set this up. Can you help?
Jacqueline : Hi, Good Afternoon ! I’m Jacqueline and I'll be helping you today.
Jacqueline : Let me check a few details and help you further
Jacqueline : Please give me a few minutes.
Jacqueline : Thanks for waiting
Jacqueline : We've started supplying at your property on 17 Jan 2020 (gas) and 16 Jan 2020 (electricity)
Jacqueline : It takes maximum 28 days from supply start date for the account to set up completely
Jacqueline : Once the account is fully set up
Jacqueline : you'll be able to set up the DD as per your convenience
Jacqueline : we're now in the process of updating your meter details
You : OK. Are you aware that people like me are being given a whole range of different advice about our ex Breeze British Gas accounts? Some, like me, are being told we have to wait another 28 days (that's two months after Breeze closed) and others are being told they can start a move away from BG now. It's a complete mess. Not your fault of course but I think you and your colleagues need to speak to your managers and get a consistent message.
You : Sorry for the rant but it seems everyone who contacts BG about this is getting a different message.
Jacqueline : I've confirmed this as per your request
Jacqueline : and the information I've given you is the correct one
You : Here's a quote from another of your ex Breeze customers, from their 'Chat' session:

You : "BG: We're in the process of updating your meter details as per the national database. Once this is done, you can see the readings online`
You: how long does this take please
BG: This process can take up to 14 days from your supply start date`I then asked about transferring to another company ...You: you are saying I can start a transfer away from British Gas today?
BG: Yes. As the supply transfer process can take up to 2 and half week. So your account will get set up completelyYou: you are saying it can take over 2 weeks for a transfer to take place and by this time my account will be set up, so the other company can just take it over?
BG: when you ask the another supplier, they will contact us with your request. Then a transfer date set mutually, Then the details gets sent to National database. So this process take 2 and half week to get the transfer completed. Sorry its a bit long winded, I then asked:You: thank you, just wanted to check it was OK to start a transfer today.Also when will I be billed by BG? As I only became a customer from yesterday I am assuming from 22 Dec -15 Jan I will be paying the rates charged by Breeze energy and then from yesterday will pay BG rates?BG: That's correct"

Jacqueline : i'll explain
Jacqueline : any customer can speak to their preferred supplier to take over the supply from us
Jacqueline : however, the supply start date from new supplier will be given after 28 days from our supply start date
Jacqueline : this is the process for any supplier to take over the supply
You : So why is that other customer being told his/her transfer will take two and a half weeks?
Jacqueline : I'm sorry for the incorrect information provided
Jacqueline : the process I explained to you is the correct one
Jacqueline : you can have a word with any other supplier
Jacqueline : and they will agree to it
Jacqueline : after the switch, the customer has to be with the new supplier for 28 days
Jacqueline : The transfer process takes up to 15 days from the supply end date
Jacqueline : In this while, the final readings are confirmed by your new supplier
Jacqueline : Once the readings are confirmed, we issue the final bill
Jacqueline : this is the switch process after the supply stop date is confirmed
You : OK lets leave there. All total confusion. Bye and thanks for the chat.

Make of that what you will.

OK, at what point are people actually initiating a move away from BG - once you've given BG your first readings (16th, 17th Jan, whatever) or at some later point? Should I start a move now?

NINJA59

JohnB47 wrote: »

Well, things don't get any clearer. I received an email asking me to provide BG with meter readings today - despite giving them to an agent yesterday.

So I logged in and entered my meter readings on-line and noticed that my account said I pay quarterly by cash or cheque, so I decided to use their chat facility again, basically asking if I should set up a Direct Debit. But I couldn't resist asking again how soon I could move away from BG.

Here is the 'chat' text, during which I actually quoted what another BG agent said to a poster on this thread (I hope that's OK):

British Gas : Hi. How can I help you today?
You : Hi. I am an ex Breeze customer. I've just logged on to my BG account and I see that am not set up to pay by monthly Direct Debit. I can't see how I set this up. Can you help?
Jacqueline : Hi, Good Afternoon ! I’m Jacqueline and I'll be helping you today.
Jacqueline : Let me check a few details and help you further
Jacqueline : Please give me a few minutes.
Jacqueline : Thanks for waiting
Jacqueline : We've started supplying at your property on 17 Jan 2020 (gas) and 16 Jan 2020 (electricity)
Jacqueline : It takes maximum 28 days from supply start date for the account to set up completely
Jacqueline : Once the account is fully set up
Jacqueline : you'll be able to set up the DD as per your convenience
Jacqueline : we're now in the process of updating your meter details
You : OK. Are you aware that people like me are being given a whole range of different advice about our ex Breeze British Gas accounts? Some, like me, are being told we have to wait another 28 days (that's two months after Breeze closed) and others are being told they can start a move away from BG now. It's a complete mess. Not your fault of course but I think you and your colleagues need to speak to your managers and get a consistent message.
You : Sorry for the rant but it seems everyone who contacts BG about this is getting a different message.
Jacqueline : I've confirmed this as per your request
Jacqueline : and the information I've given you is the correct one
You : Here's a quote from another of your ex Breeze customers, from their 'Chat' session:

You : "BG: We're in the process of updating your meter details as per the national database. Once this is done, you can see the readings online`
You: how long does this take please
BG: This process can take up to 14 days from your supply start date`I then asked about transferring to another company ...You: you are saying I can start a transfer away from British Gas today?
BG: Yes. As the supply transfer process can take up to 2 and half week. So your account will get set up completelyYou: you are saying it can take over 2 weeks for a transfer to take place and by this time my account will be set up, so the other company can just take it over?
BG: when you ask the another supplier, they will contact us with your request. Then a transfer date set mutually, Then the details gets sent to National database. So this process take 2 and half week to get the transfer completed. Sorry its a bit long winded, I then asked:You: thank you, just wanted to check it was OK to start a transfer today.Also when will I be billed by BG? As I only became a customer from yesterday I am assuming from 22 Dec -15 Jan I will be paying the rates charged by Breeze energy and then from yesterday will pay BG rates?BG: That's correct"

Jacqueline : i'll explain
Jacqueline : any customer can speak to their preferred supplier to take over the supply from us
Jacqueline : however, the supply start date from new supplier will be given after 28 days from our supply start date
Jacqueline : this is the process for any supplier to take over the supply
You : So why is that other customer being told his/her transfer will take two and a half weeks?
Jacqueline : I'm sorry for the incorrect information provided
Jacqueline : the process I explained to you is the correct one
Jacqueline : you can have a word with any other supplier
Jacqueline : and they will agree to it
Jacqueline : after the switch, the customer has to be with the new supplier for 28 days
Jacqueline : The transfer process takes up to 15 days from the supply end date
Jacqueline : In this while, the final readings are confirmed by your new supplier
Jacqueline : Once the readings are confirmed, we issue the final bill
Jacqueline : this is the switch process after the supply stop date is confirmed
You : OK lets leave there. All total confusion. Bye and thanks for the chat.

Make of that what you will.

OK, at what point are people actually initiating a move away from BG - once you've given BG your first readings (16th, 17th Jan, whatever) or at some later point? Should I start a move now?

I don't get where this 28 days business is coming from and the guy in the complaints department could find no record of such a requirement. He literally said to me you could start it today before I revealed I actually had already done that.

I gave my first readings and put the switch in. From my perspective why would you not! The worst BG is going to say is like above "no", and they have to produce a valid reason. If I have to wait then so be it, but I will try again because clearly somewhere along the line the poster above that tried for a second time and succeeded says it all. It is not that our accounts are over 28 days in debt which is the only true reason they can do it.

The benefits if it succeeds this early? I stop having to deal with BG minus the final bill (heck the complaints guy even said to me why bother setting up a DD, what is the point minus the slightly higher tariff) and he said you might not even get the first one out anyway.

In addition the cheaper gas and electricity and hopefully better CS with bills and meter readings updated quickly not days later! I mean how can these small providers nail it and BG cannot!