Back Billing - British Gas

toolateforsums

First time post in this forum!

We moved into our New Build house August 2020. For some reason , British Gas as have failed to send us a bill until I demanded one in February this year , some 18 months after moving in. I had been paying around £45/month as a direct debit to British Gas since we moved in .A rather helpful agent from them told me we should be eligible for a refund due to the back billing reglation . My understanding is that they cannot charge us for anything unbilled for that is more than 12 months ago?

A quick calcultion based on my regular meter readings showed me that I should be eligible for around £350 worth of refund(my usage prior to Feb 2021). When I finally received a bill this February 2022, British Gas had only credited me for around £90. I queried them and they said that was correct . I was in a rush so could not discuss in too much detail. Are they possibly correct? I would like a full refund if possible. They said because I had been paying them monthly since we moved in this affected the back billing calculation, which sounds unlikely to me.

Any help/advice appreciated in these cash starved times!

MWT

toolateforsums said:

They said because I had been paying them monthly since we moved in this affected the back billing calculation, which sounds unlikely to me.

Any help/advice appreciated in these cash starved times!

They are correct, they are entitled to use the money you paid them for the period, they just can't bill you for additional usage above that for the period older than 12 months.

The back-billing rules are there to prevent 'bill-shock' from additional billing, not to allow you to avoid paying at the rate you expected to be paying...

Astria

If you were paying upon receipt of bill then you would be correct, but since you are paying monthly, things are very different.