Impenetrable British Gas leads to crazy estimate

MickyLuv

Since 4th November, when my supplier stopped being Peoples Energy and became British Gas, I have been urged by email to enter my meter readings on the British Gas website. This I have attempted to do 17 times so far.

Message: "Something Went Wrong" due to technical difficulties, has always been the result.

To overcome this I've been instructed to change my password on 3 occasions. This didn't gain me access either.

During one of my early attempts I tried the Online Chat route to communication.
A very helpful person took my meter reading, assured me that my Economy 7 bill would not differentiate between day and night charges, as has been the arrangement with my previous provider over the past 3 years.
All this seemed quite encouraging until I pressed the button to get a transcript of the Chat agreement by email and it didn't arrive.

So yesterday, 8th of January I receive an estimated bill in the post. This estimate is over twice the actual amount it should be, due to a more than doubling of the actual usage numbers on my meter. It also showed different day and night rates

This spurred me on to try other methods of communication.
I've never before attempted to conduct financial transactions on my phone but out of desperation I download The British Gas app and attempted to log in.

I was informed that I hadn't got a British gas account (despite the bill I'd just received) and that I should attempt to log in to my account online, which I was then automatically transferred to on the phone.

Logging in by this method I was once again met with, "Something Went Wrong" due to technical difficulties.

I see on my paper bill that if I have any problems or queries about my bill I should contact Citizens Advice and/or other organizations that are not British Gas.

There were other contact details such as phone a number, a long and fruitless experience, or Online Chat. Both of these have failed to achieve communication so far.

FreeBear

When I've had similar problems leading to a "Something Went Wrong" message, a change of browser sometimes works. I prefer to use Firefox, but sometimes have to resort to Chrome for some web sites - Clearing out cookies & caches sometimes help.

Gerry1

 Call 0800 072 8625, select Option 1, enter your account number and say 'Meter Reading'.

MickyLuv

FreeBear said:

When I've had similar problems leading to a "Something Went Wrong" message, a change of browser sometimes works. I prefer to use Firefox, but sometimes have to resort to Chrome for some web sites - Clearing out cookies & caches sometimes help.

All those things plus Opera and Brave browsers so far. Cookies and Cache have never been so emptied.

MickyLuv

Gerry1 said:

 Call 0800 072 8625, select Option 1, enter your account number and say 'Meter Reading'.

Thanks. Here's hoping.

dbks

Less than 1 in 5 of BG customers are said to access the BG online account.
BG are more than happy with this figure and have no intention of doing anything that will increase the access. They say it is not financially viable.

I believe the online account is designed for Google Chome accessed using a Chromebook (not sure if that is make dependant) - that's what BG themselves use.
If may or may not (usually not) work on other devices and or browsers.
I think it needs superfast broadband, as it attempts to load lots of junk/adverts/tracking info*.
- and perhaps an equally fast device unless you use Chrome.
Too slow, and the the website tends to abort.

It may also work via a phone app if you have a suitable smartphone.

Otherwise ensure you get paper billing. Over 80% of BG customers are still billed this way (allegedly, according to BG)

If all else fails, you can contact BG via snail mail despite it going to a PO Box; it does get responded to, usually via phone or email if they have those contact details for you.
Their address is on their website. (at least that part of their website is usually accessible)
If you have a bill, then their mailing address for complaints is on that too. (don't use the payment address - that is only for sending payments)

Edit:
* Here are just some of the other sites BG attempt to access/call upon when you log in to BG online:

qeryz.com
assets.adobetdm.com
google.com
cookielaw.org
gstatic.com
appdynamics.com
static.ads-twitter.com
payments.worldpay.com
usage.trackjs.com
cloudfront.net
stackpathcdn.com
google-analytics.com

As far as I can tell, if any of these (or others not included above) fail, then the BG site aborts.

MickyLuv

dbks said:

Less than 1 in 5 of BG customers are said to access the BG online account.
BG are more than happy with this figure and have no intention of doing anything that will increase the access. They say it is not financially viable.[...]

Thanks for the very detailed if disappointing information.

Paying excessively miscalculated bills isn't financially viable either but that's going to take a lot of work to overcome for somebody. 

In simple terms there will be those who pay the excessive bills (very nice for BG), those who cannot hope to pay and those prepared to take on the job of correcting the mistakes.

If British Gas are so reluctant to communicate with their new, captive customers, why were they ever given the go ahead to take over from the failed providers. Anyone would think they'd been handed a PPE contract template.

bagand96

Probably time to make a complaint.  Or 2 complaints. One about lack of online account access and one about the estimated bill. 

Complaints page is here https://www.britishgas.co.uk/complaints/make-a-complaint-credit.html You can do it via Chat if agents are available (I think the chat link from that complaints page is different to the regular chat). Or there is webform you can fill out.  Keep a screenshot of chats or web form for your records. 

MickyLuv

bagand96 said:

Probably time to make a complaint.  Or 2 complaints. One about lack of online account access and one about the estimated bill. 

Complaints page is here https://www.britishgas.co.uk/complaints/make-a-complaint-credit.html You can do it via Chat if agents are available (I think the chat link from that complaints page is different to the regular chat). Or there is webform you can fill out.  Keep a screenshot of chats or web form for your records. 

Thanks so much for the helpful advice. I'll get right onto it.

wild666

dbks said:
Edit:
* Here are just some of the other sites BG attempt to access/call upon when you log in to BG online:

qeryz.com
assets.adobetdm.com
google.com
cookielaw.org
gstatic.com
appdynamics.com
static.ads-twitter.com
payments.worldpay.com
usage.trackjs.com
cloudfront.net
stackpathcdn.com
google-analytics.com

As far as I can tell, if any of these (or others not included above) fail, then the BG site aborts.

I use Brave and that stops anything but essential cookies.