British gas customer service?

Ultrasonic

twopenny said:

Looks like I have to pay for a phone call and spend my morning (Monday-Friday only) to prove I've tried everything, As they have so few phone lines/staff this is an hours wait. That will be £5 on payg.

Do you have an unlocked mobile? You'd be able to get a contract free sim that would be cheaper than that if you do. 

Thrugelmir

Gerry1 said:

I'm not defending British Gas (I know that 'British Gas' and 'Customer Service' are mutually exclusive), but wouldn't it be soooo much easier and cheaper to set up a Direct Debit, as previously suggested?

You really are making a rod for your own back.

Then spend time complaining about it !  

twopenny

It's unlocked Ultrasonic. I'll start copying the phone numbers to the sd card tomorrow. So needed a relaxing weekend but this is crazy. I have another unlocked phone but need a new sim.

I was with 3 mobile at 3p a minute but during the pandemic they did a 300% rise in calls and more in texts. I use it so seldom it wasn't worth changing.

I've done nothing wrong. I can do nothing to resolve it.

This is where my having a receipt of payment from the bank as proof will come into play and why I do it. It also states on my bill that I pay by cheque.

Their system is automated and no human customer service it seems

It all started when TSB banking systems went down and I paid by Faster Payment instead of cheque so it didn't record but I did get an appology from a human being then.

The reason I posted again is because there was a tiny bit of comfort seeing that other people were in the same situation over the years both on this site and others but it does make me feel sick with the repercussions to my credit even though I've paid on time and know I'm right.

Once the phone call is made to BG if I can get through this time, I'll go to Ofgen and the Ombudsman.

I will go to court if necessary. I worked for a couple of legal firms may get in touch if it comes to that.

Gerry, DD is useless in this case. I can't do that now or anything else until this is resolved.

twopenny

Thrugelmir if that's a snarky comment about me why?

I did nothing wrong. I paid the bill as it arrived the same way at the same place as I have for the last 40yrs in agreement with BG.

They are making my life miserable because of their mistake. I think I have a right to complain/ ask for help and not to be got at.

I could really do without goading about what I should have done which is no help or answer to the situation I find myself in. No availability to communicate with a business.

Gerry1

twopenny said:

I'll try all the freephone numbers and double up.

twopenny said:

The upshot is you need to keep contacting at your own expense, time and distress recording each time and let them take you to court - providing you can prove that you've paid or the the debt isn't yours. Get a name if you can.

Looks like I have to pay for a phone call and spend my morning (Monday-Friday only) to prove I've tried everything, As they have so few phone lines/staff this is an hours wait. That will be £5 on payg.

You won't have to pay anything.  I sent you two freephone numbers on 11 March but you seem to have forgotten.

Do you qualify for the Priority Services Register?  That should help to speed things up.

• Does your bank receipt show your BG account number correctly?   If the payment didn't include this as a reference then BG can't apply it to your account.  Does your bank statement show the payment went through?

twopenny

Thank you Gerry for those suggestions. Hadn't thought of that. Other problems on my mind, they come in herds. I thought there was a freephone but forgot where it was. 
No I'm not a priority customer. Even in tough times I get a bill and pay it. My first experience of a problem.
 I'll look at it all tomorrow and check, phone as suggested etc in one go, list dates etc.
I have an email reply from Complaints that they will look into it so at least some contact. No human being yet.
 Obviously something is wrong at their end as this is the 3rd time but not consecutively. Started when the bank system went down and I did a one off faster payment - so yes, it could be a numbers issue.

Gerry1

twopenny said:

Thank you Gerry for those suggestions. Hadn't thought of that. Other problems on my mind, they come in herds. I thought there was a freephone but forgot where it was. 
No I'm not a priority customer. Even in tough times I get a bill and pay it. My first experience of a problem.
 I'll look at it all tomorrow and check, phone as suggested etc in one go, list dates etc.
I have an email reply from Complaints that they will look into it so at least some contact. No human being yet.
 Obviously something is wrong at their end as this is the 3rd time but not consecutively. Started when the bank system went down and I did a one off faster payment - so yes, it could be a numbers issue.

At the risk of repeating myself, I'd suggest you sign up to the Priority Services Register if you qualify.  You'll get through to a freephone number much faster and probably reach a clued-up person more easily, and they'll be less likely to set the debt collection hounds on you the moment there's a fourth glitch.  I don't wish to intrude but I note you said that you have been paying bills for 40 years, so perhaps that suggests you might qualify?

Similarly, setting up a Direct Debit really is a no-brainer.  It's really simple and you can do it online right now.  It doesn't interfere with anything else you have on your plate at the moment.  Quite the contrary, it'll be one thing fewer to worry about so you'll have far more time to sort out the other problems on your mind.

• If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by BG or your bank, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank.

• You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank.

What's not to like with either of these suggestions?

twopenny

Thanks for the information.

I've checked my statements as you suggested and the amount has not been paid out. Good call, thank you.

Visiting the bank the cheque had been processed but became pending for a reason unknown.

I asked about paying again immediately but it seems because a complaint has been raised against it they couldn't there and then process another payment. We had one person working and a long queue so I will try again tomorrow - if the test I'm about to do isn't positive!

They have limited hours and only two members of staff (including the manager) because of the virus.

I waited on the phone for half an hour for Complaints at BG. Got a lady who's accent I couldn't understand, seemed to be a call centre that could only record what I said on the file but didn't understand my vocabulary about the banking systemm , could not speak to anyone in the department and she could not resolve my questions of recording what happened and what is the best way to pay. Only cheque or Faster payment gets a receipt - and yes I want one! Paying over the phone does not get a receipt of payment and she wasn't able to take payment anyway.

The only accurate way seems to be to send it in writing - again. It's quicker and less tedious. And also it isn't a relayed conversation by someone who really didn't understand the explanation and best way to resolve.

However the bank will restore any blot on my credit for this, there is an agreement between banks etc aparantly.

They will also pay any expenses I incurred. For me it is a small amount. But anyone else doing this, do record any expenses as you go including petrol.

They don't cover stress and exasperation unfortunately but the bank may give me compensation, usually a small amount. It's happened before when they closed the wrong account with dire consequences.

I'll look into Priority Services but I don't usually qualify for anything because I take the basics and pay my bills. I know with BroadBand I could get a paper receipt each month (to keep an eye for changes and basic BB didn't allow you to view online) if I had sight difficulties....a way around the system. Wonder if that will come back to bite me at some stage ;-)

Re DD. I'm just reluctant because my last job, 4 meters, 4 different companies and I was ringing every quater asking for the excess amount they took to be returned. That was grim too.

But sounds like there are other alternatives now.

So thank you Gerry. Your support was really appreciated.

Both being shut away over the last 2yrs I didn't think of checking the payment first. Normally I would.

But primarily it's the frustration of not being able to get through, talk to a human being, that can see the account and thrash out any issue.

Ultrasonic

twopenny said:

Re DD. I'm just reluctant because my last job, 4 meters, 4 different companies and I was ringing every quater asking for the excess amount they took to be returned. That was grim too.

Choosing to phone to get an excess back was your choice. However, I believe British Gas give you the option to take DD amounts that match your actual usage, although you'll probably have to pay a bit more for this vs a pre-set DD amount each month.

Gerry1

twopenny said:

I'll look into Priority Services but I don't usually qualify for anything because I take the basics and pay my bills.

Probably much easier than you think.  You don't have to be hard up to qualify, you're a winner if ANY of the following bullet points apply.  Note the 0800 number !