How do British Gas stay in business?.... 3 months and Im still not on the contract I signed up for.

DonC

I signed up in June for the "British Gas - Energy and Home Services Jun 2021v3" deal, three months later AND IM STILL NOT ON THAT CONTRACT I SIGNED UP FOR.

During this time

• Wasted 8 days while BG tried take over supply of the property utilities.
  Granted, my lack of knowledge contributed, I’m a first time buyer, I didn’t know who supplied the previous tenants or that I needed to be the account holder for the utilities for BG to assume control. A simple question by the BG rep asking “Are you the current utilities account holder at the property?” could have saved those 8 days.
  
  
• I tried to move in one friday only to find I had no electricity and then had to take a day off work on monday to stay at property, give meter details and eventually let engineer in.
  
  
• Shortly after I moved in, I was without gas for just under 3 days, wasting what seemed like countless hours on the phone to BG being passed between billing and Pay As You Go departments.This all could have been prevented as when the engineer came round to replace the electric meter he told me the gas meter would need to be replaced.
  I then spent the next day on the phone to British Gas trying to get the gas meter replace and eventually got through to the first of a series of people who promised to call back but never did.
  
  
• I was promised by 6 different people that they would look into my issue and call me back. After the first two broken promises I was somewhat jaded and mentioned the previous promises. The BG reps really did sound helpful and earnestly promised they would be calling back… they never did.
  British Gas seemed to have the object permanence of an infant. As soon as the caller gets off the line, the issue no longer exists.
  
  
• I received a Pay As You Go electricity card from Utilities Warehouse. I called them up and explained I was with British Gas now, the meter had been changed and it just had a digital display with no buttons or card slot. I was told it was an offense to tamper with a utility companies meter and I could be held liable.
  
  When the engineers came round to replace the gas meter, they just installed another Pay As You Go meter?!?!?!?
  
  
• I called the complaints department… who then put me back to the department I was calling to complain about.
  
  
• !’ve spent a minimum of 20 hours on hold \ on the phone to BG (I wouldn’t be surprised if the total was closer to 30 hours). There were several times I was on hold for over 20 minutes before being put through to someone. I’ve had the automated message saying the wait time would be 45 mins (that time I didn’t wait)

Currently I have electricity on the contract I signed up for but the gas is on a Pay As you go meter. Apparently Im scheduled to have the meters replaced on the 13th of October… whether I’ll finally be put onto the contract I tried signing up for in June is another story. Im dreading having to go through hours of helpful inaction getting bounced between departments again.

To top it all off, this morning I got a monthly bill from Utility Warehouse… apparently they STILL think I’m a customer?!?!?

DonC

Im posting a list of most of the calls I've made regarding utilities in the last 3 months to show give an idea of the amount of time I've wasted trying to get this situation resolved. (Most recent first, Oldest calls at the bottom)

13:31 15/09/2020

Mo from British Gas

Mo called to arrange smart meter install on 13th October between 1pm and 5pm

Also mentioned that payAsYouGo card would be arriving in the next day or two.

13:43 15/09/2020

Taminique from Billing Dept

Started 9th of July

Confirmed I was on British Gas - Energy and Home Services Jun 2021v3

I gave a electricity reading of ****

Bill will be updated online in the next two \ three days

Quarterly billing

15:55 14/09/2020

Mo from British Gas Complaints

Called back around 16:00 as promised.

Asked to check more numbers on the gas meter.

When he mentioned having someone come out and change the meter, I told him BG had alreayd been out and changed both meters.

I told him the electric meter seemed to be a non standard meter, ie just a plain electronic display with no buttons.

Mo said I'd probably have to top up a card to get gas later.

I mentioned over the last two months BG had taken just under £170, he suggested I speak to billing.

Mo said he would call again on friday at 16:00 to confirm progress with the meter.

11:03 14/09/2020

PayAsYouGo Complaints 0333 2029480

Mo took some details for the meter and said he would call back at 4pm.

Also suggested it would take several days to sort out.

10:57 14/09/2020

PayAsYouGo Complaints 0333 2029480

I called the British Gas PayAsYouGo complaints number that Vanessa gave me on the 09/09

I got through to Craig from Stage 4 British Gas complaints team who said I got through to the wrong department and gave me the EXACT SAME NUMBER TO CALL.

03332029480

Craig then tried to put me through and we got disconnected.

14:23 09/09/2020

Steven from Utility Warehouse

BG spoke to Utility Warehouse, details confirmed and updated. 

Shouldnt be hearing from Utilities Warehouse anymore.

13:39 09/09/2020

Vanessa from British Gas Complaints 0333 202 9532

I explained what Addie had said, IE BG had tampered with another companies meter and both BG and I were liable for that.

Steven from UW called and confirmed there was just a mixup with data not being updated on a database.

Vanessa gave me the number for PayAsYouGo Complaints 0333 2029480

13:13 09/09/2020

Addie from Utility Warehouse

Called back to ask that I also tell British Gas to send exchange details to Utility Warehouse.

13:22 09/09/2020

12:23 09/09/2020

Utility Warehouse

Got through to Addie from the Energy team 12:39 09/09/2020

I explained that I'd just got a letter from Utilities Warehouse with a electric meter card.

I explained that I'd moved to British Gas.

I read through the details on the meter. Addie was asking for information that the contracter who exchanged meters hadnt left.

- Complaint is how they've handled the switchover process ------ Escalate complaint

  British Gas have changed meters without being the supplier which is seen as tampering

  The national database hasnt been updated

- Send exchange details to Utilitiy Warehouse

ECOS New meter installed in August

Call to Utility Warehouse ended at 13:07 09/09/2020

12:16 09/09/2020

Utility Warehouse \ British Gas

Just got an electricity top up card from Utility Warehouse.

British Gas have been taking payments for my electricity for the last two months

01 Sept 2020 British Gas payment of 96.50

03 Aug 2020 British Gas payment of 69.50

10:03 07/09/2020

British Gas

Considering my gas meter said I was on emergency credit, and after filing the complaint online and seeing it would take "up to 21 days" to get a response, I decided to call British Gas complaints WHO WERE UTTERLY USELESS. They just put me back to the PayAsYouGo department

I decided to call.

10:07 07/09/2020

Vanessa from British Gas Complaints

Said she would have to talk to pay as you go dept. 

I explained I'd been passed between PayAsYouGo and Billing departments several times and been assured that everything was fine.

Yet when I checked this morning my gas meter still said I was using emergency credits.

10:10 07/09/2020

Jenine(sp?) from PayAsYouGo

- Jenine said they would have to run a credit check on me before I could be switched to a credit meter

  - One of the first people I spoke to mentioned the credit check and said it was ok to proceed.

  - If I had failed the credit check, why have British Gas taken money from my account on two seperate occassions?

- When I mentioned that 8 days had been wasted, she said I should have known that I should have been the owner of the utility contract for the property. 

  - Im a new home owner, how was I supposed to know that? I had no clue who the previous suppliers were. I could see the meters were Pay As You Go, but other than that I had no information on that. British Gas had to tell me who the current supplier were.

    Surely it wouldnt have been difficult for British Gas to confirm that I was currently current account holder for the utilities while I was talking to the advisor?

Says issue will be fixed

Direct debit for gas will be refunded.

Task will be amended on 09/09/2020

Will call back on the 10th at 11am

Call Ended 10:39 07/09/2020

09:51 07/09/2020

British Gas

Logged a complaint and listed the calls Id had to make

We have received your message, and one of our Customer Service Advisors will be in touch in the next 21 working days.

Your reference number is: *****

DonC

09:31 04/09/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

Called British Gas to confirm  I was on a pay monthly account and not a pay as you go account.

09:44 04/09/2020

Omar Billing deparment

Omar assured me there was credit on both accounts and neither would run out.

After brief explanation of BG cockups and me asking for assurances that the gas meter would not just stop working Omar decided to put me on hold to talk to another department.

09:56 04/09/2020

Ryan Pay as you go depart

I explained I wanted to be sure that my gas would not be turned off again.

Initially Ryan wanted to put me back to the billing department?!? I explained Id just been put through from there.

Ryan confirmed I am in credit and have monthly meters(cant remember the term used)

09:37 02/09/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

Called British Gas and asked to speak to Priority Services Department

Automated message said it would take about 20 mins to speak to an advisor.

10:03 02/09/2020

Ashley From Pay as you Go

After waiting 26 minutes got through to Ashley.

I read out the pay as you go gas meter serial number to her and Ashley filled out details.

I did start a complaint with her, but after a few minutes decided against it as the line wasnt that great and having to go through every BG cockup would have taken forever.

We have to wait a day for changes to go through the back office and Ashley will call back tomorrow at 11am.

In total, I was on the line for 47 minutes and 20 seconds this time round.

14:08 01/09/202

British Gas

I curretly have a pay as you go meter installed.

When I signed up on the 20th of June, I signed up for "British Gas - Energy and Home Services Jun 2021v3"

I was calling to ask when this issue would be resolved. 

After a couple mins on the automated messaging queue, I was told it would take up to 45minutes to answer my call.

12:37 28/08/2020

Gary Engineer from British Gas

Said he would be installing a pre pay meter. Said a card would be arriving on Monday

11:48 28/08/2020

British Gas Engineer said he would only be able to fit a prepayment meter as that was what the job was marked down as.

Mentioned he was the same guy to install the electricity meter.

Said he would be here at 12:30

10:52 28/08/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

Bongi hadnt called, so I called and asked to be put through to the Priority Service team 

11:27 28/08/2020

Got put through to Carl on the Priority Services team (Working from home so couldnt transfer to Austen)

Explained situation again. Put me on hold to talk to someone.

11:33 28/08/2020

Norma Prepayment Dept

Said an engineer would be out to change meters between 12 and 2pm

17:01 27/08/2020

Bongi from British Gas

Said I should get a blank gas card? 

I explained this meter didnt have cards and asked her to take a look at the photos I'd sent.

Bongi suggested that she call back at 9:30am, so she'd be able to speak to some people.

16:45 27/08/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

I called again after line dropped.

Austen PSR department

16:27 27/08/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

Got through to Steven

Went through the explanation again saying I needed to get my meter changed.

Lisa from pay as you go department was trying to talk but line was bad and call dropped.

15:16 27/08/2020

British Gas

It had been 3.5 hours since I'd emailed the photos of the meters off and I hadnt heard back.

I emailed Bongi asking how things were going and if they were any closer to resolving the British Gas issues with my account.

11:23 27/08/2020

Bongi from Billing dept British Gas

Bongi was asking for Serial numbers for the electricity meter

I suggested sending photos and Bongi spelled out her email address 

I then took photos of the meters and emailed them by 11:50

10:53 27/08/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

I got through to Bongi and went through my issue AGAIN.

She also told me that a credit meter had been installed.

She put me on hold for about 10 minutes, came back to say she was still holding for the other department.

She asked for the serial number *********, then said I should drop the call and she would call back shortly. I disconnected at 11:11 27/08/2020

10:45 27/08/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

After going through the automated response and giving details I was put through to a dead line.

Nono called back saying she could hear me, but I couldnt hear her.

I then explained the issue AGAIN and while I was talking the call dropped.

10:47 27/08/2020

Josh British Gas engineer

Turned up, took a look at the meter and said there was nothing he could do as the job he was scheduled to do was to add a pay as you go meter.... which is what I needed replaced. Said I would need to call British gas to get the job scheduled correctly so that he could install a credit meter.

09:21 27/08/2020

British Gas

Got through to Laura from Home Services who put me through to

Mishka from Billing Dept

Mishka said she would arrange for an engineer to come out before 12.

17:22 26/08/2020

Tried to wash dishes, but no hot water.

British Gas is closed after 17:00

12:10 18/08/2020

British Gas

Mohammed from Billing Department

Theres a !!!!!! up on their end that wont allow the gas meter to be changed.

Said he'd call back before 4pm

11:53 18/08/2020

Nikita Smart metering British Gas

Said she couldnt schedule replacement meter until the billing department entered the correct details. Said she would explain to billing, then put me through.

11:40 18/08/2020 British Gas

Joshua from British Gass Billing dept

Asked Joshua about replacing meters. he said he'd put me through. 

Gemma from ?? Dept

I explained the whole situation then was told I had to go back to the billing department.

I was put back to the billing department, while explaining the situation AGAIN, the call dropped.

09:14 17/08/2020

Western power distribution 08006783105

redactedemailwesterrnpower.co.uk

09:05 17/08/2020

Benjamin from British Gas

Electricity started on the 9th July

3rd August

Western power distribution 08006783105

Call bank and file

13:11 15/08/2020

British Gas

The link in the email 

I went online and gave a gas reading of **** on https://www.britishgas.co.uk/opening-meter-reading/#/journey/your-address

10:19 15/08/2020

I went to the paypoint to try and put some cash on the on the pay as you go electricity account, but despite entering the details twice the account wasnt accepted. I checked the numbers and confirmed they are correct. I have two void stubs displaying the numbers that were entered.

09:00 15/08/2020

British Gas - 0333 202 9802

I tried calling british gas but got voicemail saying the offices are closed.

20:15 14/08/2020

Tried moving in to my house this evening. After unpacking the van. 

It started getting a bit dark indoors and I tried turning on the light, but they wouldnt turn on.

I checked other lights and the switchboard, but all seemed fine. On pressing 9 I got a message saying that there was no money in the meter, it looks like the meter is still set up as pay as you go.

On 20/06/2020 I tried signing up with BG, explaining that Id just bought the home. On the 30/06 I was told there was an issue with the current provider as they didnt know who I was. Being a first time buyer, I didnt know who the other provider was or even that this would be an issue. BG on the other hand surely must have supplied other first time buyers previously. Why this wasnt handled when I first called is annoying. 10 days were wasted.

When notified, I contacted Utilities Warehouse to make arrangements, then let BG know this had been done.

On the 13th it sounded like electricity had come across, but BG needed to try switching gas again.

On the 20th spoke to representative who said BG would try switching 3 times with another two tries to go, It sounds like in the last month BG have only tried to switch once.

So far it has taken BG a MONTH to attempt the switch with a suggested date of 3rd of August as the next switchover date. At which point this will have taken 6 weeks.

- Each time I called I was waiting 5 - 9 minutes, verified, then invariably passed onto someone else which also took ages.

- When trying to use the callback service, it wouldnt put me through to a representative no matter how many times I pressed 1 (as mentioned in the recorded message) after the second callback I gave up and hung on the phone until someone finally answered.

13:04 20/07/2020

British Gas - 0333 202 9802

- Tried using their callback service, but found that it did not work. I pressed 1 as the callback message said, but it would not put me through to representative.

  I tried pressing 1 in two seperate callbacks, but it wouldnt put me through or acknowledge Id pressed 1.

13:16 20/07/2020 

Albert

I explained that Utilities Warehouse were not aware of a switchover. 

If Utilities Warehouse were aware of switchover, they'd send out notification letters.

Albert took a couple minutes then came back saying the switchover would happen on the 3rd of August.

12:21 20/07/2020

Richard from Utility Warehouse 0333 777 0 777

Says both Electricity and Gas are pending

12:24 20/07/2020

Couldnt help, got put through to another department.

12:27 20/07/2020

Tiffany

Apparently they havent had any notification that there was a switch in progress

11:32 20/07/2020

British Gas - 0333 202 9802

- Give electricity meter reading ****

- Ask about Gas setup

11:41 20/07/2020

K

11:52 20/07/2020

After being on hold for 6 minutes I got through to someones voicemail.

12:03 20/07/2020

Didnt get her name due to poor connection.

She claimed that the current supplier were still blocking the gas and wouldnt hand over to British Gas

09:41 13/07/2020

British Gas 0333 202 9802

It doesnt look like my British Gas Electricity has switched over.

Shinay

Credit Account

Energy and home services June V3 2020 - 2021

09:53 13/07/2020

Linda from Pay as you Go

- Apparently there is an A button on the meter that I need to press and get meter readings.

- Gas should be set up by the 21st

11:11 03/07/2020

Charlene British Gas

Electricity coming on the 9th of July

Gas is delayed, will confirm when it does come across

10:26 30/06/2020

Charlene from British Gas

Your sales order number: ******

Said BG would call back on Friday to give changeover date

09:26 30/06/2020

Utility Warehouse 03337770777

Got put through to Home movers dept

Karen

George from Home Movers

Set up a temp account 

Utility Warehouse 03337770777

Then put through to prepayment team

Eloise

Smart meter prepayment

10:00 30/06/2020

Carl Energy Department

Gas

Elec

09:17 30/06/2020

Utility Warehouse 03337770777

Got through to Andy and supplied sales order number : *************

11:17 22/06/2020

David From Manchester @ British Gas

I got passed around a couple times then got to David.

I explained that I wanted to change the property from Pay as you go to metered monthyly payments.

David did some checking and found it was running a smart meter and said the change over could take up to 14 days.

09:07 20/06/2020

Signed up with British Gas through MoneySavingExperts Cheap Energy club

British Gas - Energy and Home Services Jun 2021v3

- Ask British Gas about replacing meters and  switching to monthly bills

- Ask when they can arrange a visit.

Gerry1

Sounds like you've been messed around, but I'm afraid for most people it may be TL;DR !

Hasbeen

Sorry! Op. Tried to read your post's  and well as above, half way through lost the will to live.   "too long; didn't read."   

There is a separate forum for Rants etc.

MeterMan

You shouldn't get a smart pay as you go meter fitted within 28 days of transferring to BG. It can take 28 days for all meter details and supply information to transfer between companies, as a result of this, sometimes smart meters don't become smart as BG doesn't have all the relevant data. 
As the meters where changed within this time frame to what I assume is a dum credit meter, perhaps the job was a credit job and the guy was doing what was on his tablet. At this point it can take another 28 days for the meter information to updated with the MAM. 
It is also a TL:DR scenario for me and I didn't read it all. 

It should have been sorted within the last 3 months but it seems a catalogue of errors has occured and there is a global pandemic on where most of the BG staff are working from home, using their own internet and thus internet performance to do a job which was easy from a call centre. 

Talldave

British Gas - enough said.

Xbigman

It's not enough said. The OP tried to switch before sorting out an account with the deemed supplier AND they tried to switch to a tariff for a credit meter despite having PAYG meters. BG's only real mistake was in allowing the switch to go through. Sorting this mess out must be a nightmare for BG when you are short of staff and you have a customer who got it so wrong they are demanding their mistakes be identified and fixed without seemingly knowing just what mistakes they've made. 
Hence the title of this thread, 

3 months and Im still not on the contract I signed up for.

Because you signed up for the wrong tariff for your meters.

Darren

DonC

Gerry1 said:

Sounds like you've been messed around, but I'm afraid for most people it may be TL;DR !

Hasbeen said:

Sorry! Op. Tried to read your post's  and well as above, half way through lost the will to live.   "too long; didn't read."   

There is a separate forum for Rants etc.

True, when a company screws me over next time, I hope they do it more concisely.

DonC

MeterMan said:

You shouldn't get a smart pay as you go meter fitted within 28 days of transferring to BG. It can take 28 days for all meter details and supply information to transfer between companies, as a result of this, sometimes smart meters don't become smart as BG doesn't have all the relevant data. 
As the meters where changed within this time frame to what I assume is a dum credit meter, perhaps the job was a credit job and the guy was doing what was on his tablet. At this point it can take another 28 days for the meter information to updated with the MAM. 
It is also a TL:DR scenario for me and I didn't read it all. 

It should have been sorted within the last 3 months but it seems a catalogue of errors has occured and there is a global pandemic on where most of the BG staff are working from home, using their own internet and thus internet performance to do a job which was easy from a call centre. 

What are you on about?
I didn't get a smart pay as you go meter fitted?!?!
I bought a property and wanted to sign up with British Gas. Instead I've had to spend endless hours on the phone to them trying to get them to get their !!!!!! together.

Me personally, I'm not in the gas \ electricity supply business. I was hoping that when I signed up with BG, they might know something about it, and what needed to be done. If they had any queries about me or the property they should have asked. Obviously I was wrong in assuming BG had a clue as to what they are doing. You're right though, the catalogue of cockups BG have perpetrated along the way is long and time consuming to read. Imagine having to live through it like I have been.

Gerry1

• It's far more effective to summarise the problem so that the reader gets the gist within 30 seconds.
• Bullet points and chronological order are best are best.
• Supporting evidence, chapter & verse, your life story etc., are better as attachments / appendices.
• If it's TL;DR your complaint will probably go into the 'Not Now, Too Difficult' heap - and probably never rise to the top.