British Gas refuse to let me switch

sheepenhurder

Moved into a property in May  this  year.  The  previous owner went into care early 2021 and passed away late 2021.  She was with "Together Energy" whose  customers were taken on by BG. The last account was duly paid along with everything else. We contacted another company to sort our supply,  agreement over the phone was made but haven't had any proper confirmation.  Three weeks ago the company who we thought we were with said would receive a bill by 8th August, no such was sent so can't pay. Yesterday a guy turned up to formally read the meter, when asked which company he was representing he said BG,  I stated we aren't BG,  so he left. Called company we should hear from,  then told they tried to take over our account bu BG refused. We have never been BG customers in this property or any other - the previous owner was - there is no reason why they should refuse us to switch. Main problem is because all these companies are paperless they can do or say anything where no one can prove what is really going on except thinking BG will try to get extra money from us to switch from them even though we've never been their customer or signed any form of Contract.  We are totally confused as don't know what to do. 

EssexHebridean

It’s not quite clear from your post - on moving in did you give your own details to BG as the incumbent supplier to the property, then instigate your switch 3 weeks later? I think I’m reading that you didn’t do this, in which case there is the problem - but felt it was better to be certain! 

Paperless is a red herring by the way - you can always keep records of online chats, note details of phone conversations etc, and that solves the “we didn’t say that” issue. At the very least always keep a note of the name of a person you’ve spoken to and the date and time of the conversation. 

GingerTim

Unfortunately, whether you like or not, you became a customer of British Gas when you moved in. When you move in to a new property you automatically become a customer of the incumbent supplier, and should contact them with your opening reading to open an account. It's at that point you can initiate a switch away to another company, though at the moment you will have trouble finding anyone to take you on on anything but a fixed tariff.

You should probably get in touch with British Gas with the meter reading when you moved in and an up to date one, then take it from there.

pochase

BG refused the switch because you did not follow the process.

As described above you became automatically a BG customer when you switched on the first light bulb. As you did not open an account they declined the switch, they want to be paid for the energy you use while you are a customer and you did not give them the required details.

What could be even more fun, do you know if the former owner, or whoever represented them did a closing reading near to the completion date? If they did not BG will want from somebody the standing charges and potential use since the last reading.

Did you take a photo of the meter readings, and did they match a closing reading of the former owner?

MWT

sheepenhurder said:

Main problem is because all these companies are paperless they can do or say anything where no one can prove what is really going on except thinking BG will try to get extra money from us to switch from them even though we've never been their customer or signed any form of Contract.

Just to deal with this point specifically, when you moved in and began using energy, you entered into a deemed contract with the current supplier, BG.

No signature or verbal agreement is required, merely using energy is sufficient...

sheepenhurder

Thank you for reply. The previous owners executor paid the closing account, we took photos of all the meters and contacted the energy company we decided to go with. They confirmed they would sort everything out and send us details, so up until yesterday didn't realise BG were even involved. Called our energy provider who then admitted BG had refused for whatever reason to allow the switch. No one seems to know what they're doing, where they've been or what their own name is. How  elderly people and younger families are coping now or in near future is scary. Don't really need energy scammers calling via phone any more, energy companies are doing it quite well on their own. Actually  speaking to these people is a trial in itself which probably is another ploy to get money from people - if customers get fed up hanging on to speak to someone they'll just carry on paying. We move a lot and have never had such a problem with energy.

MWT

sheepenhurder said:

We move a lot and have never had such a problem with energy.

This has been the system for some years now, it is not a new change, sounds like you may have been lucky in the recent past, but it is not a scam or a ploy, it is the correct way to take over the supply when you move into a new property...

Now you know, you will at least be able to do it properly in future...