Default Tariffs British Gas

davidjswift

I moved into a new house on the 1st of March and got my first British Gas bill being charged 363,08 pence per day standing charge and unit price of 15.450 pence.  resulting a bill of  £279 for a month using only 51 units of gas.  To me this looks very high can they really get away with these charges,, is there any redress ?    I am now switching to another suppliers rate which is wayyyyyyyyyyyy cheaper

Mstty

Those rates, if the standing charge is a typo were very good if for electricity or are you quoting gas prices?

If gas then when you moved in 1st March did you take a fixed rate tariff?

MWT

davidjswift said:

I moved into a new house on the 1st of March and got my first British Gas bill being charged 363,08 pence per day standing charge and unit price of 15.450 pence.  resulting a bill of  £279 for a month using only 51 units of gas.

'51 units of gas' could be around 570kWh if your meter is metric (m3), or 1,700kWh if it is an older imperial meter (ft3), I'm guessing they have billed you as imperial if the kWh charge is 15.45p, so check the meter and see what units it uses...

also at that price it looks like you accepted a fixed price tariff from BG when you signed up with them, which was probably not a good idea.

If you now plan to switch, do check your tariff to see what the exit fees are going to be, feel free to tell us where you are switching and the name of the tariff you are intending to switch to, as well as the name of the tariff you are currently on with BG...

wild666

It looks like either you or BG put you on a fixed rate payment when you moved in. Gas should be between 7p and 8p per kWh and the SC around the 46p to 49p mark. 
When you move into a property you should just give them the opening reading and your name, address and maybe your bank details if paying by DD. 
Did you by any chance sign up online where only the fixed rates are offered?

davidjswift

BG told me that the rate offered was the cheapest, so I switched to octopus energy completed today at unit price 7.468 pence daily standing charge  per day 27.21pence.   

davidjswift

As an FYI I moved in 1st March 2022 and this is bill sent to me a month on.  I thought the rate for Gas was an error and called them to be told no that is the rate for new customers.   

pochase

You are on the deemed rate for a BG business tariff. See picture below, that are exactly the prices you quoted.

MWT

davidjswift said:

As an FYI I moved in 1st March 2022 and this is bill sent to me a month on.  I thought the rate for Gas was an error and called them to be told no that is the rate for new customers.   

Not unless they mean new customers on a fixed tariff... and as someone who moved in to a property where they were the existing provider you were entitled to remain on the default variable tariff...

pochase

Was your new home used for a business before you moved in?

I am a bit surprised that Octopus will give you easily residential rates if the property is registered as business. 

You need to check with BG why they put you on a business tariff.

MWT

pochase said:

I am a bit surprised that Octopus will give you easily residential rates if the property is registered as business. 

It is unusual, but as Octopus do offer both business and residential contracts they could do a switch combined with changing the meter classification...