British Gas suggesting ridiculously high direct debit

deano2099

I'd have switched to Octopus already as I like their general approach and attitude to energy - but part of that is I'm an energy-conscious consumer. So losing access to my own energy data is a bit galling. (Especially as the smart meter was meant to be enrolled by end of 2022)

EssexHebridean

You'll certainly find a good many on here like me who are very happy with service from Octopus. Remember if switching to them to ask someone for a referral code too - all octopus users get their own and it will earn you - and them - £50 credit to your bill. 

deano2099

Update: noticed my IHD wasn't displaying gas readings anymore. On a hunch I fired up the Loop app and it let me register and no longer gave me the "meter not adopted" message. So it looks like the electric smart meter got a remote update which means switching should be fine.
Downside is that it's seven days on and the gas meter still isn't reporting to the IHD or the Loop app (and I'm not seeing either gas or electric on the British Gas account page). Does anyone have any experience with these switchovers? Is it a known issue that it can take some time to reconnect?

diystarter7

Hi OP

Like any supplier, they can "ask" but it is up to you what you pay.

We were asked to pay xxx - We/I refused. We are paying close to 400 a month and had a small debt to pay as well which was a miscalculation by the previous spullier. We are levelish now and will start going into credit in the warmer months,

Just be careful you dont go into to a surprise debt as its easier to stomach credit that debt.

What I dont like re our supplier is the 6 month blls.

Good luck.

ariarnia

deano2099 said:

Update: noticed my IHD wasn't displaying gas readings anymore. On a hunch I fired up the Loop app and it let me register and no longer gave me the "meter not adopted" message. So it looks like the electric smart meter got a remote update which means switching should be fine.
Downside is that it's seven days on and the gas meter still isn't reporting to the IHD or the Loop app (and I'm not seeing either gas or electric on the British Gas account page). Does anyone have any experience with these switchovers? Is it a known issue that it can take some time to reconnect?

hi deano and thanks for coming back with an update. glad to read it looks like things are progressing a bit. 

i think @[Deleted User] has said before that smart meters get quarterly updates sent out in batches to a few thousand at a time. and that can include pushing new rates and things to the ihd. its not suppliers who send these but it might be worth a quick email to them to check if these updates are likely to fix the problem your having and if they can see when your last update was as an idea when the next might be due or if theres something they can do on there end? 

Scot_39

deano2099 said:

EssexHebridean said:

Have you checked with BG that they do work on a rolling year, rather than the old style seasonal year? While some suppliers do work on the basis of your year starting when you join them, they may not all. 

Ah, I didn't know that. Will look into it.

Related (although maybe a separate thread) - does anyone know if I switched suppliers, with an old un-enrolled SMETS1 meter - would my IHD just stop working? The monetary figures would be wrong as it wouldn't have the correct tariff, but would it still report usage? Or would the meter just stop transmitting to it? If I can get a meter read off the IHD still it makes switching more appealing!

Re BG - heard several complaints here about next years DD estimates.  Difficult to challange without long term data for your own use (they might even just be using average stats for your property type / region for first guess - given only been with them c4 months ).

AFAIK  Edit in italics

The IHD should be paired to the meter - the electric meter.

It should still work for kWh - even if BG cannot talk to it "(they talk to the meter - not the IHD)" - for readings - and more to the point - for tariff updates - and if you haven't switched suppliers - may even still be working for BG as well as it ever did.

It simple knows what the meter knows and caches internally.

My Smets1 still gets the price updated by supplier - at the Oct 1/Jan1 cap changes. 

No idea if it has been enrolled yet.  But haven't been told it cannot be and needs replacing yet either.

You might try using one of the many smart phone apps - that give the daily readings etc off the main network - but any prices their should use the same prices as meter - so wrong if unit rates wrong.

BG may be able to update the tariff rates on your meter - cannot remember the tech term - have you asked ?

If you are switching to Octopus - they may be able to tell you if support the meter type - or may be willing to supply a new one - getting accurate bills with less visits matters to them too.

deano2099

Scot_39 said:AFAIK

The IHD should be paired to the meter - the electric meter.

It should still work for kWh - even if BG cannot talk to it - for readings - and more to the point - for tariff updates - and if you haven't switched suppliers - may even still be working for BG as well as it ever did.

It simple knows what the meter knows and caches internally.

My Smets1 still gets the price updated by supplier - at the Oct 1/Jan1 cap changes. 

No idea if it has been enrolled yet.  But haven't been told it cannot be and needs replacing yet either.

You might try using one of the many smart phone apps - that give the daily readings etc off the main network - but any prices their should use the same prices as meter - so wrong if unit rates wrong.

BG may be able to update the tariff rates on your meter - cannot remember the tech term - have you asked ?

If you are switching to Octopus - they may be able to tell you if support the meter type - or may be willing to supply a new one - getting accurate bills with less visits matters to them too.

Yeah the electric meter is fine, it's just the gas one is no longer showing up. My understanding is the gas meter connects via the electric meter/comms hub, so it seems to be that that's the problem
I can get in touch with them but didn't want to bother if it's likely to fix itself.

KxMx

I have SMETS1 meters with BG and interestingly a week ago my gas stopped sending them a reading, with the electric stopping 4 days ago. 
I don't have an IHD. 
I contacted them today and they can see a fault so have sent a report to the correct department. I'm told I'll be contacted in 5-7 working days. 

Nelliegrace

When our last fixed term ended B. G. billed us but didn’t take the amount by the usual direct debit for the first two months.
It would help if the fact it was a debit was made obvious, write it in red, put a minus sign or something. DH has dealt with bills in the past but now I need to work with him, and it is unnecessarily confusing. Why don’t the billing periods start on the same day each month? 
The DD was then reducing the debit steadily. They did not increase the DD when the higher prices came in, so we increased it to almost one twelfth of their estimate of our annual bill. (We are using less than usual.)
I expect we will be in credit in late Spring at this rate. Do we have to do anything about the Debit? They haven’t asked for any more. Would they put us on pre-payment without asking us to rectify their mistake?
I was classed as extremely vulnerable when all the fuss about Covid started. I would hate the B. G. assault on our property.
It makes a change that we are earning a bit of interest on our money, they are usually hoarding our money and earning interest on it ready for Winter. The interest earned goes into their pockets and is not taken off our bill.  Perhaps they should be made to pay fair interest on any of the customers’ money they hold.

Scot_39

Nelliegrace said:

When our last fixed term ended B. G. billed us but didn’t take the amount by the usual direct debit for the first two months.
It would help if the fact it was a debit was made obvious, write it in red, put a minus sign or something. DH has dealt with bills in the past but now I need to work with him, and it is unnecessarily confusing. Why don’t the billing periods start on the same day each month? 
The DD was then reducing the debit steadily. They did not increase the DD when the higher prices came in, so we increased it to almost one twelfth of their estimate of our annual bill. (We are using less than usual.)
I expect we will be in credit in late Spring at this rate. Do we have to do anything about the Debit? They haven’t asked for any more. Would they put us on pre-payment without asking us to rectify their mistake?
I was classed as extremely vulnerable when all the fuss about Covid started. I would hate the B. G. assault on our property.
It makes a change that we are earning a bit of interest on our money, they are usually hoarding our money and earning interest on it ready for Winter. Perhaps they should be made to pay fair interest on any of the customers’ money they hold.

Unless you refuse to pay a request for additional DD increase or a specific debt recovery plan - on the basis of that 2 months of failure arguably by them to claim funds - espcially as it it now reducing - you shouldn't be penalised in any way.

If you or DH are vulnerable - and you haven't already - check if you qualify to register on the suppliers priority services register. 

Makes any such nasties less likely (or should) - and up's your priority in case of faults etc.

Years ago mum was in credit - and so SG suspended the DD - rather than just reducing it - but failed to restart taking cash c7m later - once the credit disappeared late summer - brother only spotted it another 5 months in - when the next bill came in during a home visit over Xmas. 

Did have to pay most of it back - but did so slowly over the following 12+ months via normal payments - but there was no fuss - no debt recovery plan, no courts, no bailiffs etc.  They admitted it was their mistake - and even credited 1 missing payment.