Can fixed tariff be changed?

goodValue

Ectophile said:

I wonder if cancelling the direct debit has terminated the fixed price contract.

I don't think so.
The bill before used an incorrect tariff.

EssexHebridean

As for as I know Ebico customers didn't get transferred to that tariff - in fact I'm not even sure it existed at that stage? We were initially transferred to a tariff that matched our Ebico deal - and in fact BG actually extended that for a few months past the point where the deal with Ebico would have expired. For us at least, once that initial tariff expired they were unable to offer us anything else with zero standing charge and at the time Utility Point offered a fix that beat whatever BG could offer, so we upped and left....if only we'd known! 

MWT

EssexHebridean said:

As for as I know Ebico customers didn't get transferred to that tariff - in fact I'm not even sure it existed at that stage?

Just connecting the dots from various reported BG comments, it looks like that tariff was created to be used by Ex-Ebico/RH customers but was not actually used in the end, it just sat there until it was spotted in the tariff list and people started requesting to be moved to it with varying degrees of success...

goodValue

EssexHebridean said:

As for as I know Ebico customers didn't get transferred to that tariff - in fact I'm not even sure it existed at that stage? We were initially transferred to a tariff that matched our Ebico deal - and in fact BG actually extended that for a few months past the point where the deal with Ebico would have expired. For us at least, once that initial tariff expired they were unable to offer us anything else with zero standing charge and at the time Utility Point offered a fix that beat whatever BG could offer, so we upped and left....if only we'd known! 

I was changed to the Ebico tariff.
It was during subsequently moving house that the problems started.
At the end of a call I made to inform BGAS of the address change, I was told I could not keep my old Ebico tariff after the address change. I found out later, that this was not true.

lisyloo

goodValue said:

QrizB said:

goodValue said:

MWT said:

Does your account still show that you are on the Zero Fixed Oct 22 tariff?

Have you set up your DD again or paid them anything since October last year?

These are the issues I raised in my complaint in October.
This complaint has not been answered.

If your account doesn't say "Zero Fixed Oct 22", then you're not on that tariff. If the tariff listed is a variable one, BG can vary it.

Which tariff shows on your account?

Edit to add:

From this post, it seems you took a punt on that tariff in August last year. did you ever get a confirmation?

I only get internet access at the library for emails and posts, so I can't see what the tariff says.
This (being billed with an incorrect tariff) was one of many complaints I made in October.
I did go to the library last August and used Chat to change tariff. They said it would change in 5 days time.

Most likely your request for this tarriff was rejected.
happened to me about 6 times and loads of others.
that tarriff is not available.
i complained. BG will say chat agent was wrong.
you may get offered £30 or £50 if you complain.
this has happened to loads of people.

can you afford £6 per month for gift gaff?
you could have saved a fortune if you had internet access.
surely that would easily pay for itself.

goodValue

lisyloo said:

Most likely your request for this tarriff was rejected.
happened to me about 6 times and loads of others.
that tarriff is not available.
i complained. BG will say chat agent was wrong.
you may get offered £30 or £50 if you complain.
this has happened to loads of people.

can you afford £6 per month for gift gaff?
you could have saved a fortune if you had internet access.
surely that would easily pay for itself.

My request wasn't rejected, they said it would commence in 5 days time.
Also, I found that others managed to get that tariff after I applied, so I then knew that the tariff was still available.

So it's looking probable that someone in BGAS forgot to flick a switch to change my tariff.
And they are unwilling to tackle the problem - why, in almost six months have they not replied to my complaints?

If they agree a tariff with you, are they later allowed to renege on this?

MWT

goodValue said:

My request wasn't rejected, they said it would commence in 5 days time.
Also, I found that others managed to get that tariff after I applied, so I then knew that the tariff was still available.

Nothing was forgotten, it just got denied.

If you follow any of the many other stories of the process along with the chat logs you will see that the person you were talking to typically says 'Yes, I will request that for you and it should show on your account in about 5 days...'.

The request was denied...

The problem is at least in part one of language and interpretation, unless you got lucky and spoke to someone who had the seniority/knowledge to process the tariff change immediately it was just a request they were acknowledging, not a 'yes you can have it' reply...

When the BG rep had the ability the change was immediate, no waiting...

In reality the tariff was never officially available, just people who persisted and followed up repeatedly would eventually get lucky, those who asked once and didn't check generally were not lucky...

lisyloo

goodValue said:

lisyloo said:

Most likely your request for this tarriff was rejected.
happened to me about 6 times and loads of others.
that tarriff is not available.
i complained. BG will say chat agent was wrong.
you may get offered £30 or £50 if you complain.
this has happened to loads of people.

can you afford £6 per month for gift gaff?
you could have saved a fortune if you had internet access.
surely that would easily pay for itself.

My request wasn't rejected, they said it would commence in 5 days time.
Also, I found that others managed to get that tariff after I applied, so I then knew that the tariff was still available.

So it's looking probable that someone in BGAS forgot to flick a switch to change my tariff.
And they are unwilling to tackle the problem - why, in almost six months have they not replied to my complaints?

If they agree a tariff with you, are they later allowed to renege on this?

They said on the chat they would do it - from experience that means it will be requested.
At the point it was meant to be actioned it was denied/rejected.
that is my take given what’s happened to loads of other people.

the fact that others slipped through with “rogue” agents who made mistakes does not mean the tarriff was generally available.

did you formally complain?
in which case after 8 weeks you can go to the ombudsman.
my experience (and others) are they deal with formal complaints quite quickly.

I can’t answer why they haven’t answered expect to say they are incompetent to and inconsistent. It sounds like you have asked questions and not put your complaint on a formal footing. I put mine on a formal footing and got £50.

My belief is yes they are allowed to renage where a verbal agreement was made by an agent.
if you have a formal contract in writing that might be a different matter.

goodValue

did you formally complain?

in which case after 8 weeks you can go to the ombudsman.
my experience (and others) are they deal with formal complaints quite quickly.
I can’t answer why they haven’t answered expect to say they are incompetent to and inconsistent. It sounds like you have asked questions and not put your complaint on a formal footing. I put mine on a formal footing and got £50.
My belief is yes they are allowed to renage where a verbal agreement was made by an agent.
My belief is yes they are allowed to renage where a verbal agreement was made by an agent.
if you have a formal contract in writing that might be a different matter.

I am only supposing that the tariff change did not take place.
I made a number of complaints, by letter, in October, one of which was being billed with an incorrect tariff.

I couldn't get a screenshot, at the library, of the agreement via Chat, but I do have a copy and paste of the conversation - is this sufficient evidence?

lisyloo

For lots of other people the tariff change was rejected - after being told it would be done.
they will have history of the chat but it won’t count for anything, they will say it was a mistake (or they have done in lots of other cases).

did your letters ask for a formal complaint?

I may have missed a reply but it is worth paying a small amount for a phone to save hundred of pounds on energy?