British Gas (BG) complaint form

malc_b

Hi,

BG hide their complaint form.  Follow help/support, complaint and you end up here

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/complaints/make-a-complaint-credit.html

(assuming you pay in the usual way)

This page just gives you a phone number, no complaint form or email address.  However, if you push web chat they will give you

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/help-and-support/complaints/gas-and-electricity/query

Which enables you to make an online complaint and get a number for this complaint.

So why do BG hide this, hmm???

Gerry1

It's not hidden at all.  If you had scrolled down from the first page you mentioned you would have seen this invitation to use their Online form.

Grizzlebeard

Gerry1 said:

It's not hidden at all.  If you had scrolled down from the first page you mentioned you would have seen this invitation to use their Online form.

Using malc_b's first link (in an old firefox or chrome browser) I get the page exactly as he describes.

The "online form" bit is missing and is replaced by the  postal address.

I don't get the page you've uploaded Gerry.

I've noticed previously the BG website can come out completely differently in different browsers and it doesn't like anything old - Windows Vista or 8 for example.

Neil_Jones

Grizzlebeard said:

Gerry1 said:

It's not hidden at all.  If you had scrolled down from the first page you mentioned you would have seen this invitation to use their Online form.

Using malc_b's first link (in an old firefox or chrome browser) I get the page exactly as he describes.

The "online form" bit is missing and is replaced by the  postal address.

I don't get the page you've uploaded Gerry.

I've noticed previously the BG website can come out completely differently in different browsers and it doesn't like anything old - Windows Vista or 8 for example.

Websites are designed to modern standards with some support for legacy browsers, but not extensive, so if you insist on using really old browsers then you will have issues.  BG can't be expected to support every single version of every single browser under the sun, considering most people will use the most recent version of a browser, not some random old version just because.

If you are seriously still running on Vista you're making a rod for your own back as Chrome and Firefox haven't been updated for them for many years and you're strongly suggested to stop using it:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/end-support-windows-xp-and-vista

With regards to Windows 8, that's been unsupported since 2016.  Upgrade it to 8.1 if nothing else (you can upgrade it through the Windows 8 Store IIRC).  And again use a modern browser, Firefox works fine in 8.1.  I really want to say stop using Internet Explorer since the default versions in Vista and 8 are well out of date (Vista can be upgraded to IE9 but that's about it).

Gerry1

Grizzlebeard said:

Gerry1 said:

It's not hidden at all.  If you had scrolled down from the first page you mentioned you would have seen this invitation to use their Online form.

The "online form" bit is missing and is replaced by the  postal address.

I don't get the page you've uploaded Gerry.

I've noticed previously the BG website can come out completely differently in different browsers and it doesn't like anything old - Windows Vista or 8 for example.

I'm now seeing the alternative version where the 'Online form' is replaced by 'Write to us' and the postal address.  Same for the latest versions of Firefox, Waterfox, Pale Moon, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi and Edge.

I suspect the page may render differently at certain times, e.g. showing the 'Online form' version during business hours but only the 'Write to us' postal address overnight and at weekends.  This would prevent a big e-backlog building up; people may fret if they don't get a prompt online response on a Friday evening whereas they would allow more time a snail mail letter to be answered.

Similarly, some websites only show their Webchat icons at times when the service is operating, so you could be unaware that webchat even existed if you can only browse in the evening and at weekends.  That's understandable with the lean and mean small operators who've cut their prices to the bone, but you'd think that the expensive big boys could do a bit better.

It'll be interesting to see whether the online form reappears on Saturday or Monday.

Grizzlebeard

Neil_Jones said:

Grizzlebeard said:

...(snip).....
I've noticed previously the BG website can come out completely differently in different browsers and it doesn't like anything old - Windows Vista or 8 for example.

Websites are designed to modern standards with some support for legacy browsers
....((snip)....

Yeah, I get all that thanks Neil. My observations were just to be helpful. If Malc is using an older OS/browser it might explain things. Gerry1's observation about time-of-day/BG resource-online-offline/overload, etc. differences makes sense so that's helpful also.

I also remember my attempts to contact BG back last December through March were fruitless and frustrating. 'Chat' link also missing 60% of time and not working for 29%. Managed to get through for 1 'chat' which ended up being pointless anyway. Ended up going through resolver.

malc_b gets brownie points for actually finding a new path through the BG maze and letting us know about it.

malc_b

FYI, Chrome v91. and it says up to date, Firefox is v89 and also says it is up to date, MS edge is v91 and also says it is up to date, Opera is v56 and I did find that the firewall was blocking it updating.  Opera's now at v77 and up to date.  All of these show just telephone number and snail mail address.  However I am looking at 6pm on a sat so I think the suggestion that BG hide the complaint form outside of working hours could be correct, but why do that?  That's like having a telephone answering machine and only having in on when you are in.  It makes no sense.  At least the second link always works.

Grizzlebeard

malc_b said:

FYI, Chrome v91. and it says up to date, Firefox is v89 and also says it is up to date, MS edge is v91 and also says it is up to date, Opera is v56 and I did find that the firewall was blocking it updating.  Opera's now at v77 and up to date.  All of these show just telephone number and snail mail address.  However I am looking at 6pm on a sat so I think the suggestion that BG hide the complaint form outside of working hours could be correct, but why do that?  That's like having a telephone answering machine and only having in on when you are in.  It makes no sense.  At least the second link always works.

Ha ha haa.. Thanks malc_b... You're very thorough in you're investigations.

I really do feel guilty, but it's strangely gratifying to go back to pointing fingers at BG rather than my antiquated computer. Before you posted the link, I'd found plenty of references to an 'online complaint form' but never been able to actually find one. Use it quick before they manage to hide it again.

malc_b

It has occurred to me that maybe BG hide the online complaint form out of working hours so that when somebody complains to Ofgem how hard it is to complain to BG and how BG don't have a online complaint form BG can tell Ofgem the customer is mistaken and here is the complaint form.  Maybe the complaint form is visible during working hours just so Ofgem can see it.  Most customers I would think complain outside of working hours as during working hours they are at work (unless they are retired of course, or furloughed).

Gerry1

It's Monday morning and the link to the online complaints form on the BG website has magically re-appeared, so it does seem to be hidden outside of working hours.