What idiots BG are!

fly-catchers

Since I moved to BG from PFP they have screwed up the bills. They were correct at first but them cancelled them and put up just one amended bill. But it only lists my electricity usage- no gas. So my payments for the gas are now shown as a credit. When I moved to DD payments they obviously used this credit to set it up. Now every time I log on they say I am paying too much so should reduce the DD. Which I do! I have reduced it about 6 times so far. I reckon that it is better to keep the money in my account earning interest. And when eventually they sort out the bills correctly and they want to increase the DD I will pay a one off payment with my cash back credit card. But what a hopeless company and their still in business! 

maisie_cat

Keep your own records, I have been doing that since 2004 and means I know exactly where I am. No need to rely on the SLR transfer to catch up

charybdis26

A friend is currently suffering the incompetence/intransigence of BG. It appears they somehow "deducted" ~600m3 gas usage from the opening read used when his account was moved to them in October 2021 following collapse of PfP Energy.

The first actual smart meter read BG have, dated some 24 days after "their" opening read would mean he would have to have consumed some 7670 kWh gas (not far short of his historic ANNUAL consumption) in only 24 days! The subsequent six months of smart meter gas readings used by BG then revert to his average monthly gas consumption for the winter period.

He has previously tried to explain the obvious anomaly but was fobbed off by BG.

When he received an email from BG last week informing him that a 6 month review of his account meant his Direct Debit would increase from ~£95 to £431 a month he knows he will have to act to resolve the issues. As far as I know, his previous DD payments kept his account balance on an even keel when he was with PfP - so BG's £431 DD is not attempting to recover accrued debt.

He lives in a 2 bed semi with historic gas consumption of 8-9,000 kWh per annum.

When I briefly returned to BG following the demise of Ebico/Robin Hood Energy, I had bills which were difficult to follow, with unexplained credits, deductions and revisions appearing though my 6 month stay with them. Was glad to escape from them and take up with Octopus with clear and accurate billing the norm.

QrizB

charybdis26 said:

A friend is currently suffering the incompetence/intransigence of BG. It appears they somehow "deducted" ~600m3 gas usage from the opening read used when his account was moved to them in October 2021 following collapse of PfP Energy.

BG's opening reading has to be the same as PfP's closing reading. Is it?

If it isn't, he should raise a coimplaint with BG and, if he doesn't get satisfaction, take it to the Energy Ombudsman.

samlad80

I have had significant problems with British Gas since being moved over to them after the collapse of a smaller firm. They seem completely incapable of telling me how much energy I am using now, and their standard fixed direct debit Tarif only includes 2 bills a year which makes it impossible to know reliably how much I am using. The smart device tells me one thing, and they’re awful unreliable app says something different. 

When I have tried to speak to them about it, the customer service people are very rude and just keep telling me that I only get two bills a year and there is no alternative - which is very frustrating. I moved away from BG because of problems with bills and I cannot wait to do so again after the crisis has abated 

Alnat1

If you're happy with being on SVT then Octopus and I think maybe EDF will take on new customers but you have to ring them and ask, can't be done online.

Alnat1

EDF are 6 monthly billing too but Octopus do monthly billing if you give meter readings

charybdis26

@QrizB

 It's complicated... I believe he was submitting manual meter readings to PfP as his smart meter had gone dumb. He's forwarded to me an email he had from PfP dated 1st Oct 2021 where they queried the manual gas and electric meter readings he'd submitted (by email??)

PfP pointed out that his electric reading of 3940 was low compared to historic values and the gas meter reading 8527 he'd given was high compared to historic values. It seems fairly obvious that he'd simply transposed the gas/electric readings given to PfP, but before he could resolve the matter PfP ceased trading and there was a migration to BG and further communication with PfP ceased.

I think when he approached BG at the back end of last year they were adamant that his attempted explanation was wrong and they were right. However if the assumed/transposed 3490m3 Gas reading were used instead of BG's 2912m3 start read,  everything else would make sense. I don't understand why or how he felt unable to convince BG they were in error.

I know about and told him that the leaving and gaining suplliers had to agree upon a value and that BG should have access to or could get his historic readings which would demonstrate the 2912m3 reading to be at odds with past values.

He will tackle BG again this week and as you point out, if it isn't resolved satisfactorily, he will escalate until it is.

QrizB

charybdis26 said:

He will tackle BG again this week and as you point out, if it isn't resolved satisfactorily, he will escalate until it is.

Thanks for the background info. I wish him good luck; BG's customer services are a bit of a mixed bag, hopefully he gets a switched-on one this time.

charybdis26

On his behalf, I put some of his monthy gas meter readings into a spreadsheet where  the diffrence in month to month consumption at the beginning stood out like a sore thumb. Why BG couldn't be persuaded of that I don't know. I will let the forum know the outcome of the next interaction with BG customer service. Fingers crossed.

pochase

But if BG would be using the higher reading it would mean he would have to pay more to the old supplier as their final bill is based on the lower reading.

The gas has been used, so the question is just who is going to bill for it. How big is the difference for the different unit rates?