Bristish Gas new monthly payment ***BEWARE***

DaveB100

This month (May 2020), British Gas tried to put my 87-year-old Mothers monthly energy charge up by 36% even though: 1. She was on a fixed tariff (Home Energy Fix Green July 2020) taken out for two years in November 2019. 2. She was over £88.00 in credit on her account (noting this is post going through the winter months). 3. No indications or pattern in her usage to suggest that she will increase, or indeed significantly increase her energy usage. 4. There is a £30.00 exit fee on each (dual fuel used) energy supply so £60 cost of exit for both fuels before November 2021. My mum lives on her own, is not frail but if you look at the British Gas bill, there is just a total lack of any ability/route provided to discuss this with anyone, just a fait-accomli upon the bill/statement. This amid the lock-down/COVID 19/social distancing. As I have full power of attorney, I registered her on-line onto British Gases at best flakey and complicated system and web-site to try and find a contact number to discuss and challenge the unreasonable and unfair treatment afforded to her. Notwithstanding the current COVID situation and cutting some slack in responding to me, without much challenge over a somewhat light "live-chat" exchange, BG just reverted her back down to the original payment letter without any challenge to my request. Great in our respect but an unnecessary waste of my mothers time (along with her stress and anxiety), my time and BG's time and resources. My concern for all other BG customers is, such a perceived approach in trying to increase inward cash-flow without due cause by telling customers their monthly charges are going to increase unjustifiably is unscrupulous and even more so for people of my Mothers age and circumstance. If anyone else in the community wishes to see the "live-chat" exchange let me know as it was just a roll-over and please, please, please do not fall for this treatment off BG if it happened to you...!!! Bests.

RelievedSheff

Being on a fixed tariff does not mean that your payments can not be changed. It means that the charge per kWh is fixed. If your direct debit is not covering the amount of energy you are using then they can quite rightly increase your monthly payment to cover the cost.

Having an exit fee is pretty much standard across the energy suppliers. Not sure what your gripe is there.

Depending on the billing schedule the account may be showing as £88 in credit but actually there is more then that to be billed hence the higher payment requested. Our account for example is currently showing as £235 in credit but when our next bill is produced next week that will drop down to about £100 in credit.

Hasbeen

Op
So basically energy company increased direct debit because they think usage is more or going to be more?

Quite common especially to build up some credit in account usually to cover winter months where usage will be expected to be higher.

So not exactly "unreasonable and unfair"? Nor is unjustifiable and unscrupulous?

And the direct debit has now been reduced to original at your request. Well done, but beware the British Gas auto system will put it back up again eventually. So keep monitoring your mothers bills.

Sorry. But headline ***BEWARE*** is a little bit OTT. LOL

DaveB100

Incorrect. You have not read or understood the detail. The credit has accrued through the winter months and then BG tried to put charges up through the summer months. There is no pattern or indicator to suggest usage will be more through the summer months, in fact, quite the opposite. That is unreasonable and unfair. I do not think it is in any way or at any level good or acceptable practice to put charges up by an auto system and no, the headline of "BEWARE" is not OTT as many consumers, especially of my mother's age would just accept it given BG's route to challenge, is cumbersome, complex and not in any way easy. That being the case, consumers should BEWARE and be aware of this practice and, that BG reverted the charges back to the previous levels without any question just by mildly challenging this.

SnowTiger

£88 isn't a huge amount.  It appears the UK's had a mild winter, suggesting fuel bills will have been lower than anticipated.  According to the Met Office: 

The 2019-20 UK winter – covering the months of December, January and February – saw the highest maximum December temperature and the wettest February on record. Overall, the winter was the UK’s fifth warmest, while it was the warmest on record for Europe as a whole.

[...]

On 28 December  2019, the UK recorded its highest-ever December temperature – 18.7C measured at Achfary (Sutherland). This was due to a Foehn effect – a warming and drying of air on one side of cross-mountain wind – seen during a very mild south westerly air flow.

[...]

However, December was not the only exceptional month this winter. The UK saw its sixth warmest January in a series from 1884, the wettest February on record and fifth warmest winter.

BG wanted to up your mother's monthly payments by 36% of what?

Hasbeen

Do not think it really matters? The OP will probably be back eventually complaining his mother has a very large debt now, owing to the fact her direct debit was not sufficient to pay for actual usage? 

Because off the unreasonable unfair unjustifiable and unscrupulous billing method?  

I personally would prefer to be in credit, so they owe me money than in debit where I owe them money.

SnowTiger

Hasbeen said:

Do not think it really matters? The OP will probably be back eventually complaining his mother has a very large debt now, owing to the fact her direct debit was not sufficient to pay for actual usage? 

Because off the unreasonable unfair unjustifiable and unscrupulous billing method?  

I personally would prefer to be in credit, so they owe me money than in debit where I owe them money.

LOL.

With Santander paying 2% cashback on energy direct debits, I'd be quite happy for my energy company to take higher payments.

binao

SnowTiger said:

Hasbeen said:

Do not think it really matters? The OP will probably be back eventually complaining his mother has a very large debt now, owing to the fact her direct debit was not sufficient to pay for actual usage? 

Because off the unreasonable unfair unjustifiable and unscrupulous billing method?  

I personally would prefer to be in credit, so they owe me money than in debit where I owe them money.

LOL.

With Santander paying 2% cashback on energy direct debits, I'd be quite happy for my energy company to take higher payments.

2% cash back on energy direct debits - i'm with Santander.

Please tell us all more, 2% cashback could soon mount up with energy companies becoming evermore  devious at "bill justification".

[Deleted User]

Hi,

Santander 123 and Lite,

	Household bills
1% cashbak	Water bills Council tax bills Santander residential mortgage payments
2% cashbak	Gas and electricity bills Santander Home Insurance premiums (policies administered and underwritten by Aviva  Insurance Limited) Santander life protection premiums (policies administered and underwritten by Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited).
3% cashbak	Mobile and home phone bills, broadband and paid for TV package

Flt._Lt._Biggles

binao said:

SnowTiger said:

Hasbeen said:

Do not think it really matters? The OP will probably be back eventually complaining his mother has a very large debt now, owing to the fact her direct debit was not sufficient to pay for actual usage? 

Because off the unreasonable unfair unjustifiable and unscrupulous billing method?  

I personally would prefer to be in credit, so they owe me money than in debit where I owe them money.

LOL.

With Santander paying 2% cashback on energy direct debits, I'd be quite happy for my energy company to take higher payments.

2% cash back on energy direct debits - i'm with Santander.

Please tell us all more, 2% cashback could soon mount up with energy companies becoming evermore  devious at "bill justification".

Please read the twitter feed on RHS of screen.

Hasbeen

Flt._Lt._Biggles said:

binao said:

SnowTiger said:

Hasbeen said:

Do not think it really matters? The OP will probably be back eventually complaining his mother has a very large debt now, owing to the fact her direct debit was not sufficient to pay for actual usage? 

Because off the unreasonable unfair unjustifiable and unscrupulous billing method?  

I personally would prefer to be in credit, so they owe me money than in debit where I owe them money.

LOL.

With Santander paying 2% cashback on energy direct debits, I'd be quite happy for my energy company to take higher payments.

2% cash back on energy direct debits - i'm with Santander.

Please tell us all more, 2% cashback could soon mount up with energy companies becoming evermore  devious at "bill justification".

Please read the twitter feed on RHS of screen.

With Santander, moved to Lite. Kept minimum in to cover existing Direct Debits. Balance now out.

As per many others with the 123 interest now cut and getting cut again later in year.