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BRITISH GAS DIRECT DEBIT INCREASES AND ESTIMATED BILLS, I HAVE SMART METERS AND FIXED UNTIL 2023
AMILLIONDOLLARS
Posts: 2,299 Forumite
in Energy
June 2021 I fixed on the on the BG 2023 tariff before the prices rises. Congratulated myself on fixing early, but I am seriously rethinking my decision since the hassle this has caused me, I switched from Octopus . Everything was going fine until September 2021 when BG started reversal of my Energy charges, these reversals started off in the 100s eg. £906 but since January this year I have had a series of bill cancelled & replaced on my account, which started life at £811 and which has steadily climbed as of June 2022 to £3180.
My understanding is that these are estimated bills which are in place until a manual meter reading is provided. As I have smart meters there should be no reason to get estimated figures on my account as BG get daily readings of my meters. Furthermore to get monthly estimated bills of up to £3180 when I live in a three bed semi is even more alarming. Now they do replace these large estimate with a much lower figures, but I have no way of knowing whether the lower figures are correct because BG never supply me with a proper bill! Yes I did type that statement. I have been phoning and speaking on chat with BG to give me a breakdown of a bill/statements so that I can make sure that I am being billed the correct amount for my Gas and Electricity, I have been on a chat with them for two days now regarding this situation. What is even more alarming is that they have changed my Direct Debit on more than one occasion without notifying me. The most recent was last week, they suddenly increased my DD to £379, if it were not for a news item, I would not have been prompted to check my account whereby discovered their latest increase to my DD.
After several conversations I insisted that my DD be reset to my agreed amount, which they did, but they failed to tell me that the change would not be actioned until next month (July)! Which would have put me in serious financial difficulties. I demanded to speak to a Manager, who cancelled the DD altogether and set up a new DD for the correct amount, keeping my fingers cross that this DD will stick, but not too hopefully that this will be the case.
My issues are:
1. I am not receiving itemised bills for my Gas and Electricity, which I have repeatedly requested
2. In my BG account, I can see usage for my Gas, but there is no reporting facility for Electricity
3. BG are placing excessive estimated readings on my account which are generating these changes to my DD for eg. monthly estimated energy costs of £3180, £2862, £2448 (and no I am not running a business from my home!) empty nester!
4. If I have Smart Meters why the need for these estimates
5. I am on a Fixed rate why the need for increases in my DD when my usage is basically since I signed up, even less in the Summer because the heating is not on! I was told it was to take into account the price increases in October, but as I have already stated I am on a Fixed rate until July 2023.
6. I have asked if my Fixed Rate is being applied, which I am being assured that it is, but I have no way of knowing, as I can't get access to any actual statements bills
As I write this, I think I am going to head off to OFGEM!!
My understanding is that these are estimated bills which are in place until a manual meter reading is provided. As I have smart meters there should be no reason to get estimated figures on my account as BG get daily readings of my meters. Furthermore to get monthly estimated bills of up to £3180 when I live in a three bed semi is even more alarming. Now they do replace these large estimate with a much lower figures, but I have no way of knowing whether the lower figures are correct because BG never supply me with a proper bill! Yes I did type that statement. I have been phoning and speaking on chat with BG to give me a breakdown of a bill/statements so that I can make sure that I am being billed the correct amount for my Gas and Electricity, I have been on a chat with them for two days now regarding this situation. What is even more alarming is that they have changed my Direct Debit on more than one occasion without notifying me. The most recent was last week, they suddenly increased my DD to £379, if it were not for a news item, I would not have been prompted to check my account whereby discovered their latest increase to my DD.
After several conversations I insisted that my DD be reset to my agreed amount, which they did, but they failed to tell me that the change would not be actioned until next month (July)! Which would have put me in serious financial difficulties. I demanded to speak to a Manager, who cancelled the DD altogether and set up a new DD for the correct amount, keeping my fingers cross that this DD will stick, but not too hopefully that this will be the case.
My issues are:
1. I am not receiving itemised bills for my Gas and Electricity, which I have repeatedly requested
2. In my BG account, I can see usage for my Gas, but there is no reporting facility for Electricity
3. BG are placing excessive estimated readings on my account which are generating these changes to my DD for eg. monthly estimated energy costs of £3180, £2862, £2448 (and no I am not running a business from my home!) empty nester!
4. If I have Smart Meters why the need for these estimates
5. I am on a Fixed rate why the need for increases in my DD when my usage is basically since I signed up, even less in the Summer because the heating is not on! I was told it was to take into account the price increases in October, but as I have already stated I am on a Fixed rate until July 2023.
6. I have asked if my Fixed Rate is being applied, which I am being assured that it is, but I have no way of knowing, as I can't get access to any actual statements bills
As I write this, I think I am going to head off to OFGEM!!
Debt Free!!!
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Comments
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Before you head off to OFGEM, have you submitted an official complaint to BG? Have you received a deadlock letter?0
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Have you provided them with a manual meter reading? It seems they are not getting automatic ones from your smart meter.
As long as all bills are based on estimates an itemised bill will not help you. No idea what you mean by it. The bill will show you the start and end reading for the time period, how many KWh you used and your unit rates, plus standing charges. I am pretty sure the BG bills have all this information. The bill will show which rate is applied, so this answers your point 6.
Your direct debit is increasing because BG is increasing the estimates and it seems you don't give them a manual meter reading. It's a bit like he does not complain, so the estimate must be to low.
What are the latest estimated meter readings on the bill, and what is the real reading today? Is it the same, higher or lower?
Before you can go to the Ombudsman, not Ofgem, you need to raise a formal complaint and wait 8 weeks or get a deadlock letter.
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It sounds like BG may have never managed to pick up the readings from your smart meters. Have all your bills been based on estimated figures?
Check your meters today and send in the readings and do this every month on the same day, then BG will be able to produce accurate bills and you can pay the right amount by DD.Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375 Longi) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 4.8kw Pylontech battery storage installed March 22
Octopus Agile/Fixed Outgoing and Tracker gas0 -
I am checking my meters manually and the readings in my BG account they are basically in line. So they are picking the readings up.Debt Free!!!0
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As stated both my meters are smart meters and set to give daily readings, so there should be no need to submit readings. I have been recording manually my daily readings and they are inline with the readings that BG has, should there should be NO need for them to apply estimated costs to my account!
Debt Free!!!0 -
Do BGs reading say they are Smart? Maybe an S by them?Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375 Longi) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 4.8kw Pylontech battery storage installed March 22
Octopus Agile/Fixed Outgoing and Tracker gas0 -
You are saying in your opening post the bills are estimated, but now you are saying the readings are correct.
Is BG using the correct readings in the bill? Do the meter reads show and S or an E?0 -
AMILLIONDOLLARS said:As stated both my meters are smart meters and set to give daily readings, so there should be no need to submit readings. I have been recording manually my daily readings and they are inline with the readings that BG has, should there should be NO need for them to apply estimated costs to my account!
OR Are you saying....That after lots of LOW estimates, now actual readings are being received your bill is high
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Pochase, my reading are correct, but on my bills and invoices reporting they are applying figures of £3180, £2861 then reversing them. I can have as much as three reversals in a month so my statement looks a bit like this
Date Amount Download
20/06/2022 £3179.67 not ready
13/06/2022 £ 320.00 bill cancelled & replaced
25/04/2022 £2861.81 bill cancelled & replaced
16/04/2022 £2861.81 bill cancelled & replaced
11/04/2022 £ 216.13 bill cancelled & replaced
11/04/2022 £2448.30 bill cancelled & replaced
Then there is a notice that says:
If we’ve sent you a replacement bill and cancelled your previous one, it’s because you gave us a meter reading up to 14 days after we sent you an estimated bill and you used a lot more, or less, energy than we thought. The best way to get accurate bills and avoid unexpected ones is by having a smart meter installed. They’ll send us regular meter readings automatically, which means we can always bill you for the right amount.
So my smart meters readings are basically in line with BG readings but they generating the above, hope this is clear.
Also I can never download a statement because the system prevents me do so.Debt Free!!!0 -
The bill amount is not per month. BG is only issuing a bill every 6 months, so the amount is for at least a period of 6 months.
The bills might now even cover a longer period, but without seeing one we will not be able to find out.
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