PfP Energy ceases trading - here's everything you need to know

Alpha_5

Can someone point me in the direction of where to set up a direct debit please. I find BG's website and apps infuriatingly unfriendly to use. 

I've received confirmation emails that I'm now on the new tariff, but it's a higher rate than I was quoted because I haven't got a DD set up yet. 

goatfaced said:

Has anyone asked to switch their gas over to the cheap tariff? I was waiting for my credit from the bust supplier, but it occurred to me today that it might be better to ask before loopholes get closed.

Yes, I've switched both gas and electricity to a different tariff. I think fixed deals might be pulled soon due to the imminent announcement of the April price cap. Hopefully we'll get our credit balances applied to our accounts soon. 

NeilF355

Alpha_5 said:

Can someone point me in the direction of where to set up a direct debit please. I find BG's website and apps infuriatingly unfriendly to use. 

I set up a direct debit last week by logging in to my British gas account on the website and clicking on the live chat icon. The COSMO virtual assistant came up so I typed in "Direct debit" and I was transferred to a real person who set up the Direct debit for me.

Alpha_5

NeilF355 said:

Alpha_5 said:

Can someone point me in the direction of where to set up a direct debit please. I find BG's website and apps infuriatingly unfriendly to use. 

I set up a direct debit last week by logging in to my British gas account on the website and clicking on the live chat icon. The COSMO virtual assistant came up so I typed in "Direct debit" and I was transferred to a real person who set up the Direct debit for me.

Thank you, I'll give that a try. 

devondiver

FWIW - I have just done a switch via on-line chat to Exclusive Fix Nov 2022 which they say will be effective from midnight tonight! Seemed to be the cheapest tariff available and I calculate that it will be exactly 20% less than I'm paying on their April fix.

What I find slightly annoying is that I didn't know about this sooner. I was given the impression by BG that the April fix was the best available under the circumstances.

bagand96

devondiver said:

FWIW - I have just done a switch via on-line chat to Exclusive Fix Nov 2022 which they say will be effective from midnight tonight! Seemed to be the cheapest tariff available and I calculate that it will be exactly 20% less than I'm paying on their April fix.

What I find slightly annoying is that I didn't know about this sooner. I was given the impression by BG that the April fix was the best available under the circumstances.

I think the issue is these tariffs that people are managing to get are not officially available.  It seems some teams on Web Chat are happy to switch people to them even though they are not currently offered tariffs.  For example the Exclusive Fix Nov 22 ends in November this year, so was likely offered as a 12 month fix prior to Nov 2021, or even a 24 month prior to Nov 2020. The tariff information page even states "This tariff may no longer be available to sign up to and is included for refrence purpose only.See our current energy tariffs here."

British Gas' internal lack of communication/training/conformance or just plain disorganisation has worked to your benefit though so fair play.  I bailed to Octopus in November and am paying a bit more than that although it's a 2 year fix (similar situation - tariff wasn't available on their website but CS chat team set me up on it)

devondiver

bagand96 said:

devondiver said:

FWIW - I have just done a switch via on-line chat to Exclusive Fix Nov 2022 which they say will be effective from midnight tonight! Seemed to be the cheapest tariff available and I calculate that it will be exactly 20% less than I'm paying on their April fix.

What I find slightly annoying is that I didn't know about this sooner. I was given the impression by BG that the April fix was the best available under the circumstances.

I think the issue is these tariffs that people are managing to get are not officially available.  It seems some teams on Web Chat are happy to switch people to them even though they are not currently offered tariffs.  For example the Exclusive Fix Nov 22 ends in November this year, so was likely offered as a 12 month fix prior to Nov 2021, or even a 24 month prior to Nov 2020. The tariff information page even states "This tariff may no longer be available to sign up to and is included for refrence purpose only.See our current energy tariffs here."

British Gas' internal lack of communication/training/conformance or just plain disorganisation has worked to your benefit though so fair play.  I bailed to Octopus in November and am paying a bit more than that although it's a 2 year fix (similar situation - tariff wasn't available on their website but CS chat team set me up on it)

Hmmm . . . The web chat person I spoke to, in India I believe, was able to change it immediately with no apparent issues. Saving me c.£200 p.a. pro rata to end Nov.

Strange thing is that when I now go to my BG website it is showing my account as closed. Even though I was able to add new meter readings, which are now showing as registered, immediately prior to going on webchat.

I hope it's a temporary glitch while they sort out the tariff change. We shall see. But strange times indeed. And, it seems, it will still be some weeks, before our credit balances are sorted. But since I haven't been billed since 3rd Nov (apart from the few quid for Sep standing charge)  I'm not really complaining. Yet. 

bagand96

devondiver said:

Hmmm . . . The web chat person I spoke to, in India I believe, was able to change it immediately with no apparent issues. Saving me c.£200 p.a. pro rata to end Nov.

Strange thing is that when I now go to my BG website it is showing my account as closed. Even though I was able to add new meter readings, which are now showing as registered, immediately prior to going on webchat.

I hope it's a temporary glitch while they sort out the tariff change. We shall see. But strange times indeed. And, it seems, it will still be some weeks, before our credit balances are sorted. But since I haven't been billed since 3rd Nov (apart from the few quid for Sep standing charge)  I'm not really complaining. Yet. 

I'm into assumption here and might be totally wrong - but I'm going to guess that the IT infrastructure in British Gas is a lot of legacy systems with sticking plasters applied over the years and new bits bolted on when required (i.e. a customer web interface) It just about works but creaks and moans alot along the way!  Just because the IT let the CS advisor switch your tariff, it doesn't mean they should have done so, a loophole if you will!

When you see companies like Octopus and their Kraken platform or even other small suppliers who buy off the shelf systems the IT from the customer side always seems cleaner and just seems to work.  But it's because they are newer systems designed for today's market and are fit for purpose.  Also newer suppliers don't have any legacy systems and customer databases etc.

You see it a lot - not just in the energy industry.  Airlines is a good example - British Airways have had a good share of well publicised IT failures - but some of their systems date back to the 80s or even before.  Where the new ".com" airlines had much simpler fare structures and thus much simpler IT that works a lot better in the modern market.

devondiver said:

I hope it's a temporary glitch while they sort out the tariff change. We shall see. But strange times indeed. And, it seems, it will still be some weeks, before our credit balances are sorted. But since I haven't been billed since 3rd Nov (apart from the few quid for Sep standing charge)  I'm not really complaining. Yet. 

I paid energy and standing charges from mid-October until i left in November but nothing for mid-September to October.  My account didn't even get the one off SoLR Standing Charge, I'd already left so it hasn't been applied.  I'm assuming they will get round to it and will be more than happy to settle up when they do.

MWT

bagand96 said:

You see it a lot - not just in the energy industry.  Airlines is a good example - British Airways have had a good share of well publicised IT failures - but some of their systems date back to the 80s or even before.  Where the new ".com" airlines had much simpler fare structures and thus much simpler IT that works a lot better in the modern market.

This is a great example, the original Sabre system allowed the experienced agents a huge degree of latitude to achieve what they needed to do in a short space of time to deliver great customer service when they had tricky situations to deal with, but it could impact on revenue in ways that were not ideal from a corporate perspective, and less experienced agents found it difficult to use.

Then along came 'Easy Sabre' which protects revenue extremely well and makes it easy to use for all routine check-ins so less experienced staff are more productive, but makes it almost impossible for even the experienced agents to fix complicated issues quickly.

BG still have systems that will let the more experienced staff do things that satisfy customers and get them a positive clean-up rate for inbound calls but in ways that are impacting on revenue negatively.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

well took the plunge, with BG, on a fix, for better or worse.

On the SOLR cap just now,

gas: 4.01p - 26.123p

elec: 20.39p - 24.867p

Exclusive Fix June 23

gas: 3.792p - 14.256p

elec: 18.764 - 20.279

prices include vat.

So cheaper than cap just now, and covered for next winter.

markavfc2

Are BG going to honour switching to these tariffs via CS agent that are much better than current price cap and soon going to be half what the price cap will be come April.