BG Zero Fix October 22

ivanleo

MWT said:

I'm not going to go back over all that again, but it is clear from the problems and the multiple rejections that the tariff is not intended for new customers, or we wouldn't have to advise people to keep chat logs, raise complaints etc.

Just pointing out that when trying for a move to the tariff customers do not exactly have the moral high-ground, but as long as BG continue to ineffectively control access to the tariff, it is probably going to be possible to get onto it if one is persistent enough.

It might be clear to you, whether it would be clear to an individual consumer (who might have no knowledge of this forum and might have heard of the tariff through word of mouth) would be a matter a the court to assess. One thing is certain, British Gas would not have any evidence of what the consumer did or didn't know.

MWT

Gerry1 said:

Zero Fixed Oct 22 has exactly the same status as the Standard Variable tariff !

In so far as that it is on a list that contains both current and historic tariffs, that is true

I have no problem helping people save money by navigating their way to that tariff, I just draw the line at claiming that access to the tariff is a right, since it is on the list...

If we can help people save money then we are doing what this forum is designed to achieve, I'm just not going to pretend it is something we can promise to people is 100% achievable, given the many and clear messages from numerous CS staff that it is not a currently available tariff...

Doesn't mean we can't keep helping people to try... though I still say that for many the 'Zero Fixed' tariff is probably not the one to be trying for, the 'Exclusive' one may be a better choice...

lisyloo

Gerry1 said:

lisyloo said:

Gerry1 said:

MWT said:

ivanleo said:

... but IMO where a reasonable consumer, having sought multiple confirmations from different chat agents had been told repeatedly that he could get the tariff, a court would find that the chat agents had bound BG.

When that reasonable consumer knows from the outset that access to the requested tariff is a 'mistake' that would rather change the situation though

What evidence do you have that access to the requested tariff is a 'mistake'?

It’s not available through any of the normal switching routes e.g. online or via app.
it on a webpage with historical tarriff which is caveated.
i.e. this tarriff hasn’t been offered to the people applying

My switch was obtained via online Chat, admittedly with a bit of 'encouragement'...

Mine too, but how did you hear about it?
either through a caveated webpage of historical tarriff information or a forum?
Or did you have a lefgitimate source like an invite?

ivanleo

MWT said:

I have no problem helping people save money by navigating their way to that tariff, I just draw the line at claiming that access to the tariff is a right, since it is on the list...

I don't think anyone is claiming they have a legal right to any particular tariff. That's quite different from saying that once an authorised British agent (or better still multiple authorised British agents) agrees that a certain tariff is unequivocally available, British Gas would encounter some serious difficulties in resiling from that.

Gerry1

lisyloo said:

Gerry1 said:

lisyloo said:

Gerry1 said:

MWT said:

ivanleo said:

... but IMO where a reasonable consumer, having sought multiple confirmations from different chat agents had been told repeatedly that he could get the tariff, a court would find that the chat agents had bound BG.

When that reasonable consumer knows from the outset that access to the requested tariff is a 'mistake' that would rather change the situation though

What evidence do you have that access to the requested tariff is a 'mistake'?

It’s not available through any of the normal switching routes e.g. online or via app.
it on a webpage with historical tarriff which is caveated.
i.e. this tarriff hasn’t been offered to the people applying

My switch was obtained via online Chat, admittedly with a bit of 'encouragement'...

Mine too, but how did you hear about it?
either through a caveated webpage of historical tarriff information or a forum?

It was mentioned here on the forum.  Its status is uncertain, there's nothing from BG of which I'm aware that says it's definitely available or definitively not available.  They say that 'This tariff may no longer be available to sign up to...'.

If BG don't want to make certain tariffs to new customers then they should state so unequivocally.

MWT

ivanleo said:

That's quite different from saying that once an authorised British agent (or better still multiple authorised British agents) agrees that a certain tariff is unequivocally available, British Gas would encounter some serious difficulties in resiling from that.

As long as they do not actually put someone on that tariff the most you'd get out of it is compensation for a customer service failure and a little more if you can show you missed out on something cheaper through the delay.

Contract law is very much in the same direction as Yoda, 'Do or do not, there is no try'...

... but you can get compensation for a real loss resulting from reliance on assurances provided by the agents of the company, but you will not usually get the thing that was promised in error... (specific performance)... as there was no contract at that point in time, a bit like Highlander... 'There can be only one!' you are still in your original supply contract until it is replaced by the new one.

Sorry for the movie references    

lisyloo

Gerry1 said:

lisyloo said:p

Gerry1 said:

lisyloo said:

Gerry1 said:

MWT said:

ivanleo said:

... but IMO where a reasonable consumer, having sought multiple confirmations from different chat agents had been told repeatedly that he could get the tariff, a court would find that the chat agents had bound BG.

When that reasonable consumer knows from the outset that access to the requested tariff is a 'mistake' that would rather change the situation though

What evidence do you have that access to the requested tariff is a 'mistake'?

It’s not available through any of the normal switching routes e.g. online or via app.
it on a webpage with historical tarriff which is caveated.
i.e. this tarriff hasn’t been offered to the people applying

My switch was obtained via online Chat, admittedly with a bit of 'encouragement'...

Mine too, but how did you hear about it?
either through a caveated webpage of historical tarriff information or a forum?

It was mentioned here on the forum.  Its status is uncertain, there's nothing from BG of which I'm aware that says it's definitely available or definitively not available.  They say that 'This tariff may no longer be available to sign up to...'.

If BG don't want to make certain tariffs to new customers then they should state so unequivocally.

I have it confirmed via formal complaint, but I agree BG are responsible for making it clear.
people are capitalising on their incompetance.
it’s an illogical position to both complain about their incompetance and capitalise on it at the same time isn’t it? :-)
 

MWT

lisyloo said:

it’s an illogical position to both complain about their incompetance and capitalise on it at the same time isn’t it? :-)
 

Exactly, 'Be careful what you wish for' comes to mind... 

If they eventually care enough to really fix it so these tariffs cannot be obtained, that would be a bad thing for those trying to save money, so a few more months of incompetence would be appreciated

Shedman

lisyloo said:

I have finally got nov 23.
also offered £50 for my complaint.

Are both your Elec & Gas with BG or just the Electric?  If the latter have you been cheeky yet and asked for them to switch your gas from a different supplier onto this tariff?  Asking for a friend 😉

TheHareBear

Shedman said:

lisyloo said:

I have finally got nov 23.
also offered £50 for my complaint.

Are both your Elec & Gas with BG or just the Electric?  If the latter have you been cheeky yet and asked for them to switch your gas from a different supplier onto this tariff?  Asking for a friend 😉

Hi,

You can let your friend know it's worth a shot but don't rest at that point.

I never got onto the Zero Fix in the end ('can't do, not eligible, etc' after a month or so of trying with multiple confirmations on the way), but instead was offered the Exclusive Fix Oct 22 v2 which is actually cheaper in my circumstance, for electricity, obviously I stopped pursuing what had been agreed several times at that point.

I then was SOLR to EDF from Zog and BG agreed to switch it in to the Exclusive Fix Oct 22 v2 - you'll have to come in on a different tariff and then get them to subsequently make the change and backdate it; the guy at the time said he would do that on the 27th of Jan however it's not yet been done in my account (BG took over on 25th Jan) so I'm in the middle of that.

I'm also trying to get to Exclusive Fix Nov 23 and was told OK in a chat on Tuesday and I'd get the paperwork in the post in 5 days. My account has not switched online or in the app to reflect that, so I am literally on a mobile chat right now where an agent has confirmed they've also just done it and I should see the change in 24 hours. We'll see how that goes.