We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

British Gas - variable direct debits not possible?

Options
2»

Comments

  • Doc_N
    Doc_N Posts: 8,541 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I am on variable direct debit on my accounts with British Gas (set up around end of 2021) but with British Gas Evolve I was only allowed to set up  a monthly fixed direct debit as it was a different system

    However on January 1st I noticed that my BG Evolve accounts now appear to have been migrated to a new system that looks very similiar to my other BG accounts

    (apparently the BG Evolve is now defunct & now just good old BG again)

    Shortly I will be asking them if I am now abe to switch my BG evolve accounts over to variable DD - however given what I have read above it sounds like they wont allow it anymore ?
    I suspect it can be done, but perhaps not easily. Escalation is probably the best route.
  • My British Gas account has just been migrated and I have lost the variable direct debit on my electricity account, but it has stayed on my gas account. According to there online chat it's not available on my electricity account.; yet the website states They offer variable dd. They have offered a set monthly DD which I do not want, I want what I had before they migrated my account


     Why migrate accounts then change the way you have been paying for years?

    Has anyone managed to get the variable dd option reinstated?
  • My British Gas account has just been migrated and I have lost the variable direct debit on my electricity account, but it has stayed on my gas account. According to there online chat it's not available on my electricity account.; yet the website states They offer variable dd. They have offered a set monthly DD which I do not want, I want what I had before they migrated my account


     Why migrate accounts then change the way you have been paying for years?

    Has anyone managed to get the variable dd option reinstated?
    Save this happened to me. Was paying by variable DD for years, after the migration, it's only on my gas account. On top of that, they completely messed up the meter reading for electricity and refuse to correct the bill. They used actual smart reading from 1 July as opening reading for 8 November and expect me to pay that. They insist I used 5 months worth of electricity in 3 weeks.
  • M25
    M25 Posts: 363 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I emailed them last month asking about variable DD and they replied with a short one sentence saying "No, we don't do that".

  • M25 said:
    I emailed them last month asking about variable DD and they replied with a short one sentence saying "No, we don't do that".

    I've just got off their online chat and was assured that it is possible and it will be reinstated as my payment method (it somehow got removed during the system migration). I took screenshots and have a transcript of the whole convo so if things don't happen like they should, I have a proof and will complain.


  • In November 2023 I changed to fixed price tariffs for gas and electric. I had previously been on a fixed price tariff which worked well and I paid by Variable Direct Debit.Before I set up I asked an advisor if the variable direct debit would remain as I had been on that for over 10 years, I was told it would be as before and the variable direct debit would remain. When I set up the new tariffs the electricty went through OK retaining the variable direct debit,but the gas would only let me set up with a fixed direct debit based on my anticipated use. Since November I have been passed from pillar to post trying to get this resolved. Initially I was told that the electricity should not have gone to Variable as all new fixed accounts are Fixed Direct Debits. I was told this variable might not work so when the bill came in I paid the bill in full.Imagine my suprise that a few weeks later the same amount came out of my bank as a variable direct debit. I was lucky enough to have enough money in the account to cover and it took my account into credit which I did not want. The last contact yesterday was when the complaints department asked me to contact the chat advisors who would change the direct debit. This I did and after an hour was told it was not possible and it was being passed back to complaints who wanted to close the complaint.I have written again to them to express my frustration as I have been a loyal customer over 40 years and as a pensioner want to pay my energy bills every month which is why I asked for a smartmeter many years ago.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.8K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.6K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.8K Life & Family
  • 257.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.