Help needed with woefully negligent British Gas

themastergoose

Hi all,

I need some help and advice on what to do with British Gas after being moved to them following PFP's collapse in September. For a quick TLDR, they left me without heating and hot water for months after the switch over occurred as they updated my smart meter incorrectly. The subsequent temporary workaround my side to restore everything after getting fed up was not only expensive, it's also causing the bill to skyrocket as they STILL have not made any attempt to fix the issue. So, onto the detail:

• 11/09/21 Receive welcome to BG email and summary tariff data following PFP's collapse. Elec tariff sent over is E7 as it was with PFP, and E.On before them.
• 17/09/21 PFP request final reading and produce a final bill. Readings are also given to BG. PFP account is credit by £306 after the final bill.
• 02/10/21 Smart meter in-home display says it's had an update and welcomes me to BG for elec only. Gas account is still pending when I look online.
• 03/10/21 Storage heaters and hot water tank didn't come on overnight as usual. Meters time switch usually kicks over to the night rate at around midnight. Checked all switches in fuse board were on and assumed the meter got confused.
• 04/10/21 Storage heaters and hot water didn't work again overnight. Called BG as I was suspicious this only started happening since the smart meter received an update. A very long phone call ensues. I'm eventually informed by a manager that E7 smart meters ARE NOT supported by BG. The message sent to the meter was to operate it as a single rate meter he said, and the update DISABLES the meters timer switch from switching over to the night rate. He asked me to confirm if the night reading on the meter has changed, and true to his word, it had not in 3 days. I pointed out to him VERY directly that because the timer switch can be remotely disabled like this, this means my storage heaters and hot water tank that are wired into the night time part of the meter will NEVER come on until this is reversed. He advised that they'll need to change the meter back to a non-smart meter, but appointments are 4-6 weeks lead time (which he books) and to use plug in heaters if I can for the time being. I opened a complaint with BG at the end of the call.
• 12/10/21 After a week of no hot water, the complaints handler calls me back. It's re-explained to me that my meter type isn't supported by BG and this is why it's operating in single rate. It's explained however that once the meter swap is carried out (and the obligatory blame to Covid for the extended delay in getting an appointment), they'll re-bill the account back to the day I joined as a E7 day and night tariff again. I also raise what happens to my £306 credit with PFP, and was told it takes a long time and to wait.
• 15/11/21 Meter exchange day, nobody turns up and BG's customer service line was closed after 17:00
• 16/11/21 Call BG back to query the appointment. Agent confirms it was actually cancelled 2 weeks prior and I would have been told. I explained nobody had called me, or text or sent an email or letter, and demanded someone come out right away. Was told this wasn't possible and I was looking at 06/01/22 or later. He then very RUDELY claimed I was exaggerating the impact because the "house must have gas heating as you've got a gas supply". I wasn't polite in my response and told him the gas supply ONLY goes to the cooker as evidenced by the fact I literally use only 40 units a year. There's no boiler. Storage heaters use electricity, and my hot water tank is also only heated electrically. He said my house was "stupidly set up sir". I took his name and hung up.
• 17/11/21 A local electrician I've used before is called out any MY REQUEST and EXPENSE because lack of hot water and heating. He explains he's able to move the wires coming out of the timer switch for the night circuit and add hook them up to the daytime / always live part of the meter. Heating and hot water is restored by by-passing the timer switch.
• 18/11/21 I call BG back to chase up my complaint and getting a meter in they can support E7 on. I explain what I've done to restore heating and state very clearly this needs a QUICK response due to the expense of running storage heaters off a day rate tariff will be very expensive. I'm passed through to BG's revenue protection team who accuse me of illegally bypassing the meter. I explain very clearly that all I've done is move the night time part of the household circuit to the continually live output of the meter. It will clock all usage on the meters day rate so how is any energy being stolen or bypassed? No apology and I'm passed back to customer services just to be told that my account is under review by a complaints manager and they can't touch it.
• 29/11/21 Having hear nothing, I call BG to chase as I receive an email asking for gas and elec meter reads. I'm told that the complaint is "complex" and still being worked on. I complain about my PFP credit again but was given the same copy paste answer as before. I provide readings, which they bill correctly (albeit as single rate) to and from actuals covering almost 3 months. They'll take via Direct Debit £116 in 2 weeks time, that's around double what it was for the same period last year (price rises and being billed on day tariff don't help).
• 09/12/21 Receive email from BG stating the complaint has been closed. I call to query as nobody's contacted me. Agent looks into it and confirms actions to be taken as follows - Meter exchange is booked for 06/01/22. However they CANT re-bill the account back to when it opened as they have no accurate reflection of what split of electricity is used during the day or for the 7 hours on the night rate because the night reading is disabled. The bills will still stand and will be billed as dual rate from the date they swap the meter. I inform them that I am not happy and they re-open the complaint.
• 17/12/21 Receive email from BG saying my Direct Debit needs to increase to cover account usage, and is being set at £397.49 a month from the next bill. I call up and angrily query such a rise AS IM ON THE STANDARD TARIFF and prices haven't gone up yet so what gives? They said it's because of average expected annual consumption. I point out that the last quarterly bill was a mere £116. They take a further reading today and produce an interim bill that covers 3 weeks usage, and it's £68 additional charges. I push for an explanation on why they think I'll be using almost £400 a month and was told it needs to remain and is reviewed every 6 months. If there's a credit, I can ask for a refund, but he didn't care I can't afford £400 a month in needless overpayment so I cancelled the DD.
• 06/01/22 Nobody turns up to change the meter again.
• 07/01/22 I call BG to explain what happened with the exchange - Engineer on the day had Covid I was told and it needs to be re-booked. I explain this is not acceptable and I expected someone this week - He offers March 2022 which I decline. I re-explain about the fact im having to pay way more than I usually would by still being on a single rate tariff and remind them of the fact it was BG who disabled my night time rate to being with. He said he'd need to speak with a manager and call be back. Before I ended the call I asked again about my PFP credit and was told it will move over eventually. He end the call and as of the time of writing this nobody's called back and im fed up of the chase with them.

So - Summary...

What are my options with regards to compensation about the original issue that disabled my entire heating and hot water supply that's still not fixed from their side after almost 5 months?
What can I do about the fact they can't (or wont) re-bill the account correctly as a dual rate meter/tariff that I've always had, as I'm paying more than I should?
What do I do about my missing PFP credit?

And lastly, because I cancelled fixed monthly direct debit at the whopping £400 a month (vs my £100 a month or so actual usage) they've removed all DD discounts to the unit rates and standing charges so I'm actually paying even more.

Couldn't make this up, but any help is appreciated on where I go next.

welshmoneylover

Can you leave BG and find a supplier who supports your meter type?

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

You're not the only person to have this problem; someone posted with a similar issue before. I don't know if/how they resolved it.

I think you need to take your case to the ombudsman. Explain to them in detail what the issue is, what you've done to temporarily rectify it, and how BG have messed you around to date.

themastergoose

welshmoneylover said:

Can you leave BG and find a supplier who supports your meter type?

This was my first thought, but the problem is none of the suppliers will let new customers join on the standard variable tariff which I think is a bit dodgy. I'm not kidding when I say that every single supplier has removed it, and wants you on a 2 year fix at some pretty hefty markup.

themastergoose

My meter type isn't exactly special neither, so why they can't support it is beyond me also. It's still a basic Economy 7 meter that's been around for 20+ years. It has day and night readings and a timer switch to swap between them - Only difference is it has smart connectivity bolted on. Why can't be left as 2 rate and fall back to being a "dumb" meter where I provide the reads manually?

I'd love to find that thread of someone having the same issue. I'd like to take it to the ombudsman but will they look into it without me opening up yet another complaint with BG and waiting 9 weeks?

BG keep closing the complaints as resolved.

Gerry1

themastergoose said:

welshmoneylover said:

Can you leave BG and find a supplier who supports your meter type?

This was my first thought, but the problem is none of the suppliers will let new customers join on the standard variable tariff which I think is a bit dodgy. I'm not kidding when I say that every single supplier has removed it, and wants you on a 2 year fix at some pretty hefty markup.

Nope, the OP can join EDF on their SVT but only by phoning them.

However, BG will probably block the switch if there's an outstanding debt.

morhen

BG do not support the 5 port economy 7 meter.  I had exactly the same thing happen, the second they took over, no heating or hot water.  It occured over a really bad cold snap.  Luckly I could use the fact it left an oap without heating over winter and managed to get it sorted via an old dumb meter install, within 6 days.

Gerry1

themastergoose said:

What are my options with regards to compensation about the original issue that disabled my entire heating and hot water supply that's still not fixed from their side after almost 5 months?
What can I do about the fact they can't (or wont) re-bill the account correctly as a dual rate meter/tariff that I've always had, as I'm paying more than I should?
What do I do about my missing PFP credit?

And lastly, because I cancelled fixed monthly direct debit at the whopping £400 a month (vs my £100 a month or so actual usage) they've removed all DD discounts to the unit rates and standing charges so I'm actually paying even more.

Several options.  I'd be inclined to start at least the first three simultaneously as a blunderbuss tactic.

• Submit a complaint to the ombudsman today.

• Contact BG's CEO (info at the ceoemail website which is a dot com).

• Contact the R4 programme You and Yours (and mention this in your complaint to the CEO).

• Submit a claim to the small claims court.

Good luck and don't forget to come back and tell us the outcome.

themastergoose

Thanks the the replies so far everyone, much appreciated. I've got a case open with the Ombudsman and uploaded all my evidence - It's waiting on BG to reply and upload theirs now.

I've copy an email over to BG's director with the timeline above and the face it's now with the Ombudsman.

I'd like to open up a small claims claim for my costs back and compensation for the original issue leaving me without any heating and hot water, and my subsequent fix. Shall I wait and see what the outcome from the Ombudsman is first before proceeding down that route?

bagand96

themastergoose said:

What do I do about my missing PFP credit?

I've yet to see any reports that anyone has PFP Energy credit applied to their BG account (and there's plenty on this forum waiting!)   I notice you say you have a Final Bill from PFP,  however both the PFP and BG websites say these still haven't been issued. 

Some PFP customers did see a final bill in their account not long after they folded, but these were admitted by PFP to be an error not intended for customers and were quickly withdrawn - it may be that's what you have.  I wouldn't stress about the PFP credit yet.

themastergoose said:

And lastly, because I cancelled fixed monthly direct debit at the whopping £400 a month (vs my £100 a month or so actual usage) they've removed all DD discounts to the unit rates and standing charges so I'm actually paying even more.

If you are still on the SoLR tariff "Energy Eclsuive" then there should be no difference between DD rates and pay on receipt of bill rates.

themastergoose

bagand96 said:

themastergoose said:

What do I do about my missing PFP credit?

I've yet to see any reports that anyone has PFP Energy credit applied to their BG account (and there's plenty on this forum waiting!)   I notice you say you have a Final Bill from PFP,  however both the PFP and BG websites say these still haven't been issued. 

Some PFP customers did see a final bill in their account not long after they folded, but these were admitted by PFP to be an error not intended for customers and were quickly withdrawn - it may be that's what you have.  I wouldn't stress about the PFP credit yet.

themastergoose said:

And lastly, because I cancelled fixed monthly direct debit at the whopping £400 a month (vs my £100 a month or so actual usage) they've removed all DD discounts to the unit rates and standing charges so I'm actually paying even more.

If you are still on the SoLR tariff "Energy Eclsuive" then there should be no difference between DD rates and pay on receipt of bill rates.

PFP's last bill and payment was up to the reading's BG used to start the account, so I'd assume no further charges are due there. They deducted the usage and standing charges from the credit balance, leaving approx. £306 in credit.

You are correct about them not charging more for non-DD payment as that's the tariff I'm on until April 2022. However, they did sent a letter and email saying otherwise which I called to clarify this morning.

Still - With a bit of persistence E.On have agreed to take over the supply again who I used to be with prior to moving to PFP. It was a bit of a faff and a near hour long call to get them to put me onto "E.On Next Flex" - The standard variable tariff - But they've done it. Just received the welcome pack and tariff sheet (It's penny for penny the exact same prices as BG's Energy Exclusive tariff), and they can put it on E7 like it's supposed to be. 

Based on the same 2900 kWh for electricity, and 10 kWh usage estimates BG also work to, they've come back to a much more reasonable £72 a month (until April at least), Vs. BG asking for £400 a month based on the exact same usage for reasons they still can't clarify.

I'll keep up the pressure chasing compensation from BG over the original issue and keep everyone updated. If anyone is in a similar position, E.On at least (And EDF from what someone said earlier) will connected you manually to the standard tariff if you stand your ground and I kept saying to them that disallowing anyone to have the standard tariff is probably illegal. Not sure if it is or not, but it's worked and I'm happily going back to E.On.