Gas Billing Methods 16 March 2021 at 10:57AM in LPG, heating oil, solid & other fuels 2 replies 51 views

Farfie

I'm a life long British Gas customer on their standard tariff and submit a reading every month. I then receive a monthly bill detailing consumption etc and amount owing for actual units used. This is settled monthly via Direct Debit. I realise that I can obtain much cheaper rates elsewhere but am reluctant to move as I believe other suppliers will charge a pro rata monthly rate, throughout the year, based on what they believe my annual consumption will be. My request is simple, i.e. I consume gas units, I submit the reading monthly, I receive a monthly bill, I pay for what I've used in the previous month. Does this simple & basic billing methodology exist with other gas suppliers?

Hasbeen

This is the Lpg and fuel oil forum
Perhaps posting in the Forum marked Energy click on Black button there.
Will get you more advice on switching away from your expensive tariff and paying on receipt of bill

greatcrested

As Hasbeen suggests, I use oil and therefore pay in advance for a tankful to be delivered.

But my elecricity supply is much the same as mains gas.

Most companies will allow you to provide meter readings and pay by DD. Personally I pay quarterly based on a bill provided on the basis of my readings. Yes, if I fail to give a reading they will bill based on an estimate, but like you (I imagine) I am pretty on-the-ball reading-wise!

And I switch periodically.

Having said that, and especially for gas where usage probably varies greatly between summer & winter, there's a lot to be said for ironing out the fluctuations over the year, building upsome credit in summer or paying of the winter debit in summer - though I understand the preference of some to pay as you go.