British Gas want to charge me for replacing their meter

malc_b

My dumb gas meter failed, presume battery dead.  To get this replaced I turned to facebook as that was the only bit of BG to answer.  Phone is hopeless, on chat I lose the will to live (3hrs of my life I'll never get back).  On facebook I was told that replacing my failed dumb meter with a smart meter was free but to replace it with a smart meter would cost £125.  Clearly that is rubbish since it is the customer's choice whether or not to have a smart meter fitted and the choice of smart meter or no gas unless you pay £125 is not a free choice.  The people of facebook were helpful enough, can't fault that, and I was ok with having a smart meter so it wasn't a problem for me but a choice is a choice.  BG shouldn't be giving out false information.  I tried to raise this complaint via BG web chat but BG employee would not answer the question.  3 times I asked, "I have dumb meter that has failed, what are my options and costs" and 3 times avoided answering that and instead said things, like we will repair you smart meter, etc..  It was talking to a politician.

[Deleted User]

malc_b said:

I was told that replacing my failed dumb meter with a smart meter was free but to replace it with a smart meter would cost £125.  

Given a choice of a free smart meter or a £125 smart meter, my money saving tip is to go for the free one.

malc_b

Yes, but the consumer is meant to have a choice.  Telling them that it costs to have a failed meter replaced is not giving them a free choice.  BG are trying to pull a fast one.

ZX81, ugh, keyboard like dead flesh is how it was described at the time.

[Deleted User]

Do you perhaps mean that it was £125 for a dumb meter?

I don't think the £125 smart meter would be much better than the free one 

TadleyBaggie

malc_b said:

 On facebook I was told that replacing my failed dumb meter with a smart meter was free but to replace it with a smart meter would cost £125.  

So smart meter was free and £125 at the same time...

binao

How smart is your dumb meter?

What are the, "people of facebook" called?

You could always complain, in writing,  that BG have discriminated against you. Make sure you write to BG, not the "people of facebook".

macman

Why does your dumb gas meter have a battery? Unless it's a smart meter in dumb mode?

Carrot007

macman said:

Why does your dumb gas meter have a battery? Unless it's a smart meter in dumb mode?

Really? I expected better of you. Or are you just being sarcastic. Any LCD display gas meter has a battery. Non smart ones have been around for many many many years.

malc_b

TadleyBaggie said:

malc_b said:

 On facebook I was told that replacing my failed dumb meter with a smart meter was free but to replace it with a smart meter would cost £125.  

So smart meter was free and £125 at the same time...

I of course meant to say dumb meter to smart meter = free, dumb meter to dumb meter = £125 as I did it my original post.  My point was to raise awareness of BG's sharp practice.  They might be able to charge for replacing a working smart with a dumb because I guess that falls under the rules that cover changing from E7 to single rate meter (electric, don't think there is a gas equivalent).  But they cannot charge you for fixing a broken meter dumb meter and you have the choice of smart or not.

What is the correct term then if not "facebook people"?  What I did was go to British Gas's facebook page and use messenger to contact BG's "facebook people", (facebook team better maybe?).  This is one of the ways given to contact BG on the actual BG web site, facebook, twitter, but no email.  There is a web chat but only for complaints and I was on that for 3hrs only to be given a phone number to call and when I called that the recorded message said we're very busy, call back later and I tried than number more than once.  There is form to make a complaint with on the BG web site but that just comes back saying use web chat instead using covid as an excuse.  Facebook is the only way to contact BG which offline in that you can send a message and then do something else and pick up the reply later.  Phone you have to wait of course and with web chat unless you reply in a minute or 2 the chat ends.  Hence my using facebook.

Petriix

I believe they can choose to fit a 'smart' meter but you can insist that it is in 'dumb' mode.

malc_b

I think they meant smart meter in dumb mode = dumb meter.  No dumb meters are being made any more I'm told so the only way to have a dumb meter is a smart meter in dumb mode.