British Gas - VAT on refund/goodwill?

GodfreyWilkinson

I recently received a bill including a refund and a 'goodwill' payment (for the time it had taken to sort out the refund). Both amounts were less than expected - the difference was exactly 5% of the total. There was no indication that this was VAT, but it does seem rather coincidental. I have requested an explanation but, so far, the best I've received is an acknowledgement that there was an 'error' on their part, which will be corrected.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Mobtr

Does it not show as a VAT credit on the bottom of the bill? 

MWT

GodfreyWilkinson said:

I recently received a bill including a refund and a 'goodwill' payment (for the time it had taken to sort out the refund). Both amounts were less than expected - the difference was exactly 5% of the total.

Generally BG show their credits as an adjustment against the ex-VAT total of the bill, so the credit is similarly adjusted to remove the equivalent of the VAT.

The net result is that the total bill including VAT is reduced by the correct amount of the refund.

It does confuse people, but it is correct.