British Gas: Advice on Ofgem Guaranteed Standards

actually_a_llama

I'm having some problems with British Gas and regret switching to them. But I'm not sure where I stand - so I thought I'd ask on here.

The main thing is that they're refusing to pay compensation for missed appointments to fit a smart meter (so far they've been a no show for two; leaving me sat about twiddling my thumbs).

Ofgem guaranteed standards explicitly say they should - and that a late payment fee should be provided alongside this. British Gas say they can't pay compensation for missed appointments. Which goes against what I know.

Do the Ofgem Guaranteed Standards mean British Gas have to pay this compensation? I'm confused as to if they're giving me the run around and whether I need to report this to Ofgem.

The experience with British Gas so far has otherwise actually been appalling. I've raised two complaints in the two months I've been with them.

It took about a month for them to process my opening meter read. Their website wouldn't accept it; I had to repeatedly give it to them - then send pictures of my meters as it sounded like they had the wrong ones. About a month in my account started working properly and meter reads finally showed up. I would consider this constitutes a very slow switch - however they say otherwise and say 'the account was 'active' from day one therefore the switch was completed'.

I'm convinced this also falls afoul of Ofgem Guaranteed Standards but they think otherwise and closed the complaint, ignoring my follow-up response.

They also thought I'd used '112,041kWh' of gas at one point - luckily they managed to sort that one before it went to billing but it sure scared the hell out of me. Indirectly my fault for submitting an incorrect meter read of 543 and correcting it to 541; immediately confusing their computers with a negative value.

From what I've experienced so far their infrastructure seems incredibly broken and I could ramble further but I mainly want guidance on how they should be handling this. 

I'm hoping they turn up for an smart meter appointment eventually since their T&Cs state I'll be switched to a different tariff if I don't have a smart meter fitted. Could that be what they're playing at perhaps?

MWT

Is your meter located outside the house?

They could dodge the liability to pay if the weather was unsuitable to allow them to safely conduct the necessary work, but otherwise the standards would seem to apply...

Re the problem with the opening reading, I can't immediately see how the standards would help with that as the switch had concluded the moment they took responsibility for your supply.

To take this forward I would ignore Ofgem and just  take this to the Ombudsman.

actually_a_llama

MWT said:

Is your meter located outside the house?

Yeah, both meters outside. I'd had two confirmation emails it was going ahead both times but no communication on the day during both appointments; not via text, email or phone. They just didn't show up and customer services couldn't tell me anything - I asked when it was getting nearer to the end of the appointment window. I've got a third appointment booked.

Can I take this to the Ombudsman immediately? Their website stipulates;

you should have Received a deadlock letter or not received a satisfactory resolution after 8 weeks (6 weeks for energy complaints about SSE)

It's not been 8 weeks but they said they won't pay what I understand is a fairly normal 30GBP for each missed appointment; one of which is now clear in the late payment. This made me wonder if they were dodging all responsibility, so hence I asked about the slow switch here just in case.

macman

A written 'refusal to pay' can reasonably be considered to be a deadlock letter, but I'd wait for both to reach that point and kill 2 birds with one stone.

jefaz07

actually_a_llama said:

MWT said:

Is your meter located outside the house?

Yeah, both meters outside. I'd had two confirmation emails it was going ahead both times but no communication on the day during both appointments; not via text, email or phone. They just didn't show up and customer services couldn't tell me anything - I asked when it was getting nearer to the end of the appointment window. I've got a third appointment booked.

Can I take this to the Ombudsman immediately? Their website stipulates;

you should have Received a deadlock letter or not received a satisfactory resolution after 8 weeks (6 weeks for energy complaints about SSE)

It's not been 8 weeks but they said they won't pay what I understand is a fairly normal 30GBP for each missed appointment; one of which is now clear in the late payment. This made me wonder if they were dodging all responsibility, so hence I asked about the slow switch here just in case.

I’ve never known then pay for a missed appointment. What I do know about GSOS (guaranteed standards of service) is that for every 24 hours you are without gas you receive a payment of £30....this is normally added to your bill in the form of a credit. That is paid by the network, not the supplier. 

Are you getting confused? Or could you link the text where you think it’s £30.?

MWT

Here you go:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1544/contents/made

Check section 3 Appointments & 8 Payment Obligations...

jefaz07

Thank you. I was referring to standard of service....I see you’re referring to standards of performance. 

Too many standards 😬

actually_a_llama

So far I've got:
Saturday 19th September - failed to attend, no automatic compensation paid within 14 days or 10 working days
Thursday 8th October - failed to attend, no compensation paid yet; 14 days or 10 working days has not elapsed

12th (yesterday) was their refusal to pay compensation for missed appointments worded as "we cannot provide compensation for missed appointments". I assume this means that 30GBP is applicable for each appointment and a further 30GBP for the failure to attend on the 19th? So 90GBP (rising to 120GBP on the 22nd October) is the correct amount I should be asking them for?

MWT

There is a restriction that prevents them making multiple payments for continuation of the same failure and it is not clear if multiple appointments for the same job would allow multiple failures to attend to be claimed for, but you may as well assume it is allowed and see what happens...

JC_Derby

As I see it you should be compensated with thirty pounds for the missed appointment then a further thirty for failure to compensate you.
i am struggling to find their guaranteed standards...does anyone have a link?

anyway OP I would right a LETTER and send it via recorded delivery, but I think you need to find the guaranteed standards first.

out of interest you say, that they say they won’t pay for missed appointments why do they say that?

Gerry1

https://conversation.which.co.uk/home-energy/missed-appointment-broadband-smart-meter/