British Gas back billing adjustment

Rich2112

Hi all, just hoping there's someone out there who could help with my step mothers gas bill. 
She had a phone call from BG a couple of weeks ago, saying she owed £4000 in gas usage. She said she couldn't afford so they then rang her back and said she owed, £2000. Obviously this sounded rather odd, so ive looked at her account and cant load any of her old bills as they all show cancelled and replaced.


Looking at the bill I wanted to know what back billing adjustment means. Did a google search which led me to Ofgems site and realising about the 12 months rule.
On my step mums bill there a list of all the quarterly bills and they're all estimated, apart from 2 meter readings from BG themselves, in September 2020 and September 2021.
Excuse my ignorance, but is this correct.? Ive done an online chat with BG. They said they'd change the bill but they haven't. Am I right in thinking she should be charged for the last 12 months usage.?And what about the payments she's made in the meantime.?
Any help would be really appreciated.

Thank you 

Richard

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

Rich2112 said:

On my step mums bill there a list of all the quarterly bills and they're all estimated, apart from 2 meter readings from BG themselves, in September 2020 and September 2021. Excuse my ignorance, but is this correct.?

Has your step mum been giving regular readings to BG?

If not, there's every chance that the only readings they received during that period were from their own meter readers.

If she has been giving readings, does she still have a record of them and how do they compare to the estimates?

Am I right in thinking she should be charged for the last 12 months usage.?And what about the payments she's made in the meantime.?

Her payments of £1500 seem very low, considering her actual usage during the period would have cost £4800. BG have discounted that by £1600 due to the back-billing rule, leaving £1700 to pay plus the £300 she already owed from before April 2020.

pochase

As @qrizb writes they already have adjusted the bill by the £1533.60 that they cannot collect any longer due to back billing rules. The remaining £2000 she will have to pay.

But this is the smaller part of her problems.

Between the two real meter readings on 25/09/2020 to 23/09/2021 (363 days) she has used 44509KWh, that is almost 4 times the usage of the average household Ofgem uses for it's calculation. This is no once off, for the next slightly over 6 months she uses over 28392KWh.

Going from the expected new cap price for gas of 14.79p her annual cost will be at October rates £6582, more almost £550 per month, using the predicted rate for April 2023 this will be over £10600!!!

You urgently need to look why she is using this much gas.

Rich2112

Thank you to the both of you, for looking at this so promptly.

"Has your step mum been giving regular readings to BG?

If not, there's every chance that the only readings they received during that period were from their own meter readers.

If she has been giving readings, does she still have a record of them and how do they compare to the estimates?"

Im afraid my step mum cant get down to do the readings, I took the last one and now ive got her account ill add more readings.

But I understand, the real problem is the high usage.! She is elderly, on her own, in a detached 3 bed house. She did have a service contract with BG but they weren't very good at coming out when there was a problem with the boiler so ive got an engineer to do the servicing when needed. Will definitely look at getting TRVs on the rads and more insulation.
Must get a smart meter fitted as well. Your figures definitely woke me up pochase.

Thank you again for your invaluable help

Richard

Robin9

Does she like a very warm house ? What temp is the wall thermostat set at ? Turn it down a degree a week until she says stop.

Rich2112

Hi Robin9, yes she does like a hot house. Going round to hers today to show her the figures and im sure that'll convince her to turn it down. Will do the other stuff I mentioned, trvs, insulation etc.

pochase

Make it also clear to her that the full additional over £3500 was used by her and would be owed by her.

She got lucky that BGH realised it to late and applied the  back billing rule to £1500 of it so she only owes £2000 now.

I don't know if you have seen it, but she was already over £300 in debt at the start of this new bill.

Rich2112

Yes thank you pochase, totally see it and cant believe she got so lucky. I had no idea about the 12 month rule. yes I saw the original £305 debt. In her defence she just paid what BG sent her as bills. Obviously they kept estimating as she didn't send over any readings. I get the feeling they've eventually cottoned onto this after I gave the recent readings. But they did do once a year readings in September so they had an idea of yearly usage. Just been doing search on Cornwall insight and can see exactly how you've come to your readings of over £10k by next April!!!. Plus the electric bill which ill look at today. She cant be alone in not giving readings so BG and others must be losing millions which someone hast pay down the line..........
She's been lucky. Will make that clear. Getting more insulation for the loft, trvs and smart meters. Looking at my bill too and its scary stuff, over 5K.   Thank you again for your fantastic help.

Richard

pochase

BG is partly to blame for it which they have acknowledged with crediting over £1500.

Can she afford to pay the £2000 in one amount? Otherwise speak to BG and ask for a payment plan. Maybe you will even get a few £ compensation for their mistake on top of it.

Rich2112

She has got a payment plan sorted so all good thanks. She's got a smart meter being installed Thursday. Crazy as the pipework outside her house was all replaced with the yellow plastic a couple of years ago, so you'd have thought they'd put smart meters in then.